Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with exciting news of our recently signed joint agreement between the Dogrib Nation and the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. The intent of the commercial agreement is to explore opportunities for hydroelectric development in the Dogrib region comprising the communities of Rae Edzo, Lac La Martre, Rae Lakes and Snare Lake. Mr. Speaker, due to the continuing growth in electrical demand and potential industrial development in the North Slave region, the Dogrib Nation and the Power Corporation feel that there are some excellent opportunities now to explore hydroelectric supply options and thereby break the region's growing dependence on diesel generated electrical power.
If they are successful in their negotiations with the N.W.T. Power Corporation, and I have every reason to believe they will be, the Dogrib Nation will not only be the first aboriginal group to construct and own a hydroelectric utility in Canada, but to our knowledge, in the world. On behalf of the Dogrib Nation, I want to personally thank the Government Leader, her officials and the Board of Directors of the Power Corporation for the support they have provided the Dogrib Nation toward their goal of economic growth, more jobs and better standard of living. In short, self-sufficiency, particularly with respect to this very unique project, not only for the Dogrib region, but the Northwest Territories as a whole. In saying this, Mr. Speaker, the Dogrib people also know that access to capital is not necessarily a panacea for the alleviation of poverty. Our research, and experience, inform us that access to financial capital is more often the consequence of successful political development. This is why they are embarked on a mission to negotiate a self government and land claim agreement with the federal government. Mr. Speaker, I would like to say in closing that the hydroelectric project we are discussing here is purely a commercial venture, and should not take away from a critical necessity of government infrastructure...