Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like other honourable Members who have spoken, I want to express my appreciation to the people of Nunavut who voted so strongly in favour of ratifying the historical claim agreement with the Government of Canada. I would like to congratulate T.F.N. for a credible job.

However, I think there are a number of points which should be made right from the start about Kitikmeot concerns with the establishment of Nunavut. First, it is important to be clear that historically the people of the Kitikmeot have strong economic ties with Yellowknife, Inuvik and Nunakput communities. Even as Nunavut evolves we will want to see these long standing relationships remain in place. Secondly, in planning for a Nunavut government the interests of the Kitikmeot communities must be given equal priority with those of our Keewatin and Baffin neighbours. For too long the Kitikmeot has been denied its fair share of government infrastructure within the existing Northwest Territories. The future Nunavut leadership should realize right now that we will not tolerate the same treatment by the new government following division.

Finally, I want to send a clear message to T.F.N. and both the federal and territorial governments. In planning for the establishment of Nunavut, commission appointments and board developments must be made in a clear and honest fashion with appropriate representation from the grassroots of our communities, rather than the political back rooms. We have struggled too long with this sort of favouritism and closed door decision-making which has been typical of this government. We will not accept it in the process which leads to Nunavut.

I hope that T.F.N. and those who will be working on the Nunavut implementation recognize this clearly. We do not want to see one "old boys" network replaced with another. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause.