Thank you, Mr. Chair. Within the budget of the Executive, there is money for both our own staff positions on devolution. There is also money in the grant that goes to the aboriginal organizations to enable them to participate. Mr. Chair, as I said earlier, negotiations are ongoing. Harvey Andre is the federal negotiator. Our negotiations are led by Hal Gerein who has been leading them for a number of years now. There are six issues we are dealing with.

First of all, let me go through them very quickly. On the A base funding level, there is considerable difference. The federal government is offering us $54 million. Our numbers show that something more in the range of $65 to $80 million is what is required. So those negotiations are continuing. There is one-time transitional costs. Again, there is about $6 or $7 million difference on that one. There is treatment of resource revenues that is net fiscal benefits. Again, we are apart on that, but may have some agreement on some principles. There is Norman Wells ownership share. That one, there is considerable difference between ourselves and Canada on it. There is onshore, offshore issues. Again, I think we will be able to come to an agreement on that one. I am missing one more here. Human resources is the one I am missing. There are negotiations going on there. We have suggested a five-year transition period where federal employees who transfer to GNWT would be grandfathered. They would keep their salary levels and benefits, even though they are higher, for a five-year period. After that, they would go to GNWT salaries. The federal government has rejected that. That is being negotiated as well.

At the same time as we are negotiating with the federal government on those issues, we are also having discussions with the aboriginal leaders on resource revenue sharing. I believe generally the position we have taken is that 25 percent will go to aboriginal organizations, governments, for their capacity building and then anything beyond of monies we receive would be shared depending on the amount of self-government they take. Mr. Chair, the position we have taken as a government is consistent with the O'Brien report. That is the federal Expert Panel on Fiscal Imbalance. That is that 50 percent of the resource revenue should come to the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Chair, the next negotiating sessions are scheduled for March 15th and 16th. Thank you, Mr. Chair.