Thank you, Madam Chair. I just have a few quick general comments with regard to the Minister's opening remarks. I think one concern that I have heard from my constituents, especially in Tuk, and Mrs. Groenewegen brought it up before, is the Water and Sewer Services Program. They do see some flaws with it. They are running short of funding to operate especially when you are looking at 30 or 40 kilometres to transport the CEAA program in my community.
The other concern I have is with regard to the New Deal, the one-time funding. I appreciate the money that's going to the communities, but I think, Mr. Chairman, the concern I have is with non-tax-based communities especially in a small community like Sachs Harbour, they just don't have the amount of people to raise the taxes required of them to operate. It's going to be very difficult in a place like Sachs Harbour and maybe even Paulatuk. Maybe Tuktoyaktuk can get by, but again to raise funds like that it's going to be very difficult in terms of trying to get capital and capital infrastructure.
I appreciate the department and the School of Community Government. I think that's one way to work and try to get people trained in terms of us coming up with a new deal. Again, I think a lot is going to depend on the people you have working inside the communities that's going to operate the New Deal that's coming up. If you don't have the resource people in there, the expertise, Mr. Chairman, you are looking at probably coming up for failure. I think it's important that you do get these people trained in these communities.
The Minister indicated that in the 2006-2007 fiscal year, that it's the last year that MACA will play a lead role in capital planning and development. Again, it's important. Like I say, we have to get these people in line when they do take over.
The other comment I have heard in the past in the hamlets is with regard to the municipal insurances. Costs are coming up and they are concerned about that.
I just hope that MACA will be sure that all the supports that are required by the smaller communities are there, the support and the resources available to them because we are talking about so many self-government-type operations. When they take over their responsibilities, especially for capital projects, if they don't have the funding to operate these and can't raise the taxes for it, they will have difficulty. If that's the case, Mr. Chairman, I hope MACA will somehow be able to help them out so we can move forward.
There are no questions I have, Mr. Chairman. These are just general comments to the Minister for now. Thank you.