Thank you, Madam Speaker. On behalf of my constituents, I would like to congratulate you on becoming Speaker. I'm sure you will be a fine and fair Speaker. I, for one, am very confident in your ability to do a great job. I thought quite a bit about what I would say in my first Member's statement for many years. Over the past couple of years, we've heard about many of the problems that are facing the people of the Northwest Territories: about the health billings problem with its ramifications of over $100 million; the housing issue with another $17 million; forest fire suppression is $9.5 million. Looking at the cost of land claims, there is a potential of many millions that will be in dispute with the federal government. We have further possible deficits of $25 million or $35 million. We have talked about possible revenue resources, the northern accord and the mining accord. On each one of these issues, the government has made valiant efforts to try to deal with each issue. I think the danger is to concentrate on one issue, at the expense of the totality. The deficit of $35 million pales, when one thinks of the $200 million or $300 million a year it may cost to divide the territories.

Formula financing issues, again, are very important but they, alone, won't solve the problem. I think it is time for the government to put together a comprehensive strategy to deal with the federal government looking for a ten year plan, which will give fiscal certainty and which will also turn over some of the levers of economic power to both territories. It is critical that the strategy is developed. The strategy is not a list of requests. It is a specific task for each Minister. It means bringing the political expertise of the Cabinet to bear on the federal government. Unless we look at all these problems in totality, we are doomed to failure. We may win a court case about health, we may win $100 million, but they will take $100 million away somewhere else. So I think it is incumbent on this Cabinet to come up with a comprehensive strategy...