Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members will know that I've been a strong advocate of helping young offenders to gain knowledge of hunting and survival outdoors, and to regain pride and self-esteem through programs on the land. I believe incarceration in institutions in town should be avoided wherever possible, especially for young aboriginal people who are first offenders. I believe many of our elders are able and willing to look after young people in trouble.

At the last session, I expressed my strong support for the proposal of Atamie Family Enterprises to revive the highly successful Mingotuq outpost camp young offenders' proposal at Tonqait on the shores of Frobisher Bay. I rise today to commend the Minister of Justice and his staff, particularly Nora Sanders, Mary Lou Sutton-Fennel and Bob Cooke, for having had the determination to reconfigure existing institutional programs and funds to allow the on the land program to be revived and offered as an option to young offenders from Iqaluit and the Baffin region.

I thank the Minister for believing in the capability of Lucassie and Inookie to offer a meaningful program based on their vast knowledge of the land and Inuit tradition. The program began operations in September. It is running well. I hope it will continue and that it will be an inspiration to the Minister of Justice, his department and other communities to do the same elsewhere. Qujannamiik.

---Applause