Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to speak about the inclusion of municipalities as public bodies under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. It's been pointed out by the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Commissioner in her last three annual reports that NWT communities currently have no legislation regulating the release of names, addresses or other private information on Web pages or other public documents. Apparently, municipal officials from both Yellowknife and Hay River see this as a serious concern.

Mr. Speaker, during the review of the commissioner's 1999-2000 report, this government committed to providing information and consulting with communities about the possibility of including them under the current NWT ATIPP act. Recent correspondence updating us on the status of this amendment show that there has been little or no action taken to address this issue.

Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight supported the commissioner's recommendation that municipalities be included under the territorial ATIPP law or that new legislation be drafted to deal with municipalities' use of public information. So, Mr. Speaker, later today I will have questions for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs as to the status of this concern in consultation with municipalities about it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause