Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to make a few comments on the issues that were raised yesterday, as it relates to what I perceive as my role as an individual, and my role as a Northwest Territories M.L.A., in terms of the Canadian Constitution and the amendments that are being proposed.

Many of my colleagues, and many people across Canada and the north are concerned about the document that is being proposed relating to the information that is in it, and particularly the information that is not in it.

Members have mentioned and talked about the lack of details in the legal text of the agreement.

However, I feel that what has been negotiated, and what has been proposed, in terms of amendments to the Constitution, gives us, as a government and the aboriginal people, the right to negotiate and continue negotiations. It opens a door for us to continue negotiations on an equal footing as provincial and federal governments. I know how important that is, because I have been involved quite a while in negotiating a land claim, working with other native organizations in trying to achieve land claims settlements, and know how big a challenge it is to just achieve a status to sit at the table and discuss issues.

The one that I am particularly pleased with, and was very involved with, was the Gwich'in land claim. One of the chapters in that claim, was the framework, or the right to self-government. I know it is not complete, but what that gave the Gwich'in people was a right to negotiate over a period of time all the issues and concerns related to self-government.

I feel, and compare what is in the constitutional document, that it is very similar to that. It gives us a right, over time, to negotiate all the technical details and the issues that people have raised and I guess the challenge then for us, and all people across Canada, is to put their best negotiators forward, their best foot forward, and work out those details.

I was just in Inuvik on the weekend, and mentioned this at a constituency meeting and talked to people on the street. I have asked people what they thought of the referendum that is coming up, and a big concern obviously, is a lack of information.

We, around this table, and many of the leaders that were here yesterday, are quite privileged in that we have advisors, we have researchers, lawyers, all kinds of opinion papers that are readily available to us to explain and clear a lot of the issues that are in the referendum document. The people who are on the streets, the grass roots people in the communities, do not have that privilege, they do not have the availability of people like we do. They just cannot pick up the phone, and call a researcher, or call a lawyer, to get clearer information as to what all these big and fancy words and fancy accords mean. I think it is incumbent on all of us, everyone involved in this process, and that is all of us, to try to get as much information and clarity out to the communities, out to the grass roots people.

Also, I was very concerned when meeting with some of my constituents in Inuvik, as to who do I represent when I am talking about voting, the national referendum, our Canadian Constitution, because not everyone, as I mentioned earlier in Inuvik agrees that this is a good document. Not everyone may vote "yes", and not everyone may vote "no". I, in sitting in this Assembly, and I am supposed to be the conscience of, and speak for, the people of my constituency. In this instance, I am going to make it clear that I speak for myself, personally, and feel very uncomfortable in speaking for the masses, or all the people in Inuvik on this issue.

On October 26, there is going to be a vote, and each individual across Canada is going to get to express their opinion and hopefully exercise their democratic right by voting. That in turn is their expression on how they feel on the document.

I urge everyone in the north, and in Canada, to get out and vote, and express their opinion on the referendum. Regardless of what happens, regardless of the outcome of that vote, we here around this table, in this Assembly, and people in the Northwest Territories still have many challenges. We have to get our own house in order, in terms of types of government that we wish to have and we have to work very hard in assisting our communities, our tribal councils and whatever forum that people wish to achieve for our own self-government mechanisms.

Those are some of the comments that I wish to make, thank you for the time and opportunity.