Mr. Speaker, that was one of the last items that was talked about in Charlottetown, and Mr. Kakfwi had left at that time to come back north to another meeting. When the economic union was being discussed, the initial stage was to put it into the context of the constitution because there were a number of issues that were still outstanding, and the time limit made it just impossible to take into consideration some of the issues that we brought up, such as our ability to retain a Northern Preference Policy.
It was suggested that it would be dealt with at an upcoming conference so that we, as the Northwest Territories, could have our concerns properly addressed. On a number of occasions, at the Western Premiers' Conferences, I brought up the issue of concern, that we have to have the same privileges and protection as the provinces, which they had for 125 years so that they could build their economy.
The western Premiers agreed with us, it is on minutes, that they would support us in maintaining some type of economic percentage that we would be able to develop our economy, and we would have the same privileges that they had in the past. In the conference with all of the First Ministers it was also discussed, this particular concern. It was brought to everyone's attention that we intended to ask to be guaranteed, when we came to the First Ministers' Conference on the Economy, that this specific issue would be addressed, on how the Northwest Territories can maintain the maximum benefits of the few dollars that we have, and it was agreed.