In the west, flawed though it may be, we really only have one process where many of the groups, either as full participants or observers, are working together; that's the CDSC process. Without that, we have a major vacuum. I know there's a lot of frustration now. Mr. Koe, as the chair, Mr. Kakfwi and this government have approached the federal government. I wonder what more we can do as a Legislative Assembly or a government to impress upon Mr. Irwin the importance of funding this process. Because without it, we have a vacuum; without it, we don't have any mechanism where we all work together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister of Finance. Mr. Speaker, another area where the expectations are very, very high is the area of self-government. The Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs has made a number of promises to aboriginal leaders in the western Arctic, and they have, I think, every right to expect some movement in the whole area of self-government. But, Mr. Speaker, I think the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs has been caught, the same way that Mr. Axworthy has been caught, where the major priority of the federal government now seems to be deficit reduction. What is it that our government and the Legislative Assembly can do to get these self-government talks going again, so that again we don't start having problems amongst ourselves here in the west? We all have to stay on the same team, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that response. Mr. Speaker, the issue of division has been with us for many, many years and the expectations in Nunavut are gigantic. My fear is, if the federal government doesn't live up to it's commitments for incremental funding or, when it comes right down to it, if they cut the base by 20 per cent and give us one per cent incremental funding, we still have a huge problem. Does the Minister of Finance see a strategy whereby this government can start a process with the federal government so we don't end up with a major battle between the eastern part of the Northwest Territories and the western part over diminished resources?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Finance. Mr. Speaker, I think all Members and most of the public are aware of the problems that this Legislative Assembly and this government have had to grapple with because of cutbacks in areas such as housing, official languages and health care. I think up to this time, we've done a pretty good job to stay the course. But as I said in my Member's statement, I do have serious concerns about the future. I wonder if the Minister of Finance could share with us his views about the medium and long-term hope for us, financially, between now and 1999. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have some difficult times ahead. I think we have the capacity and will in this House to deal with those times. It is very important that we remember that the federal government has the ultimate responsibility to live up to their commitments. For the rest of us, the name of the game is we hang together, do our best and that will get us through these tough times. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about a serious developing problem in the Northwest Territories. We are heading into a period of major financial uncertainty. The Northwest Territories is a very difficult region to govern at the best of times. It is a huge area with many different languages and cultures and a very small, scattered population. We have the youngest population in the country and the highest unemployment. We have terrible social problems. The political, economic and social fabric of our society is very fragile. The federal government has raised high expectations in the areas of division and of self-government.

Mr. Speaker, here in this House we should talk about how we are going to deal with those expectations in the years to come. I think this government has done a good job to protect the resources we have. I think the Minister of Finance has done the best job he could do, but the reality is the problems that are facing us in the next four or five years are immense. The federal government has to be held accountable because of the expectation they have raised. They have let every region think that self-government is just around the corner and that they will pay the incremental costs of division. I see signs more and more that that isn't the case.

The real danger for us, unless we deal with these problems and unless the federal government lives up to its expectations, is we in the Northwest Territories will turn against one another. I see that potential with every passing day as being a possibility. Today, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Minister of Finance some questions about his ideas of how we should try to approach this. I think as we head into an election, we have to be very clear and honest with our constituents; the future won't be the same as it was in the past. We won't have as much money, we won't be able to meet everyone's expectations. I think that all of us have a responsibility to be very realistic of what we can achieve in the next four years.

So I hope in the dying days of this Assembly, that the government and MLAs try to make it very clear to their constituents that we are heading for tough times. The federal government is struggling with a huge deficit and debt problem. I have no doubt that part of the solution is going to be more cutbacks in the Northwest Territories. If there isn't enough money to do things properly, then we have to work...

Mr. Chairman, I move that clause 10 of this act be deferred.

Yes, so if the sending board, the home board, where the student is starting off receives that funding, wouldn't it make sense to change the act around to say that it would be that board that would be responsible for funding the accommodation, as opposed to the host board? Then there's absolute clarity. Is there a problem with that? Because if there's no problem, then I'll move that amendment and nothing changes, except it's very clear that it's the responsibility of the sending board to provide the accommodation. Of course, they will work out whatever arrangement and the receiving boards can give a list, or whatever.

It will probably work right now, but what happens if, for instance, because of government cutbacks or whatever, the formula changes and not enough money comes with a student? Then, according to this, it would still be the responsibility of the receiving board to provide accommodation. The question is, the amendment we have -- and we had some problems with an amendment the other day, so I don't want to throw something on the floor here and mess up the whole process, that's why I wanted to talk a little bit about it --which the Minister has seen a copy of, has the same wording, but it just changes it around so that the sending board has the responsibility, as opposed to the receiving board.

I'll rephrase the question: what is the problem with putting an amendment in that says that, just to clarify it? I think this would clarity it for the long term.