Before we conclude the tabled document, I would like to make a few comments regarding the statement made by Mr. Arngna'naaq and Mr. Bernhardt. The issue of a boundary line, if you understand it -- it is not too difficult to understand why we want a boundary line. A lot of people misunderstood; the boundary line means division of Canadians. It is not so. It seems the Keewatin and Central Arctic does not seem to trust the Baffin area. I doubt they will not be treated equal because Baffin is a bigger area. It is not so.

I would like to go far back when the Yukon separated from the Northwest Territories. Since I have been in the North, I have never heard any complaints about that boundary line. Mr. Arngna'naaq indicated yesterday that aboriginal people have never lived by boundaries before. If we look at the Yukon, the boundary line is not affecting the aboriginal people in the North. The boundary line is only for the government proposal; it does not separate native people. The Yukon people still hunt in the NWT and the NWT people still hunt in the Yukon. They do not really worry about the boundary line. The boundary line is just for the government; it does not separate aboriginal people.

On having the Keewatin and Kitikmeot treated equally, they want something written to be assured they will be treated equally. I think today those people should write a letter and make sure it does not happen, All you have to do is get some good representative from that area to deal with issues that may come up between those regions. I would like to say that those people are really concerned because they are close to the boundary line. I do not blame those people who are concerned, but I think they need more explanation.

Mr. Chairman, if I could sit down with those people again, I am willing to explain more about what the boundary line is all about. Even in my communities there was confusion about what the boundary line means. It took me more than a month to explain what the boundary line means. A lot of people thought we were separating from Ottawa, separating from Canada, but it is not so. Even when I would say it was not that way, the same question still arose, that they did not want to be separated from other native people. We are not trying to separate native people in Canada. The boundary line only means that we want to have our own government.

Sometime in 1904 and 1906 and 1913 there was a big issue on the Yukon and Alaska boundary lines, and they have their own boundary line now. We have never heard any complaints on the boundary. Let us go along with it, and we can start working together.