Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have been interested in environmental matters for most of my life. As a Member of this Assembly for the last seven years, I have taken particular interest, especially as it relates to the mining industry.

Madam Speaker, we were all struck during the 1970s about how a threat of any great development suddenly brought warring factions together. We saw the Berger hearings bring all the environmental groups out right across the country. And battles waged all up the Mackenzie valley about what development was going to do. It was unproductive. It was an unproductive process in the sense that it caused two groups of people to fight, and they continued to fight until very recently.

Yesterday morning, I was pleased to hear Mr. Livingston, of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, announce that for the north slave province here -- the geological province, one of the major mineral caps in the world -- all stakeholders will now develop an environmental management plan.

I am pleased to see the mining industry finally decide this is an area where they have to play a major leadership role. Instead of reacting to this group or that group, they recognize that this is something which will really determine the future of the mining industry, not only in Canada, but in the rest of the world. So, I applaud the mining industry for doing what they are doing and for the leadership that has been taken to make this a major incentive for those mines that really want to establish themselves here.

The second thing, Madam Speaker, is that if mines are going to succeed in the Northwest Territories, not only does there have to be an environmental plan -- such as that being proposed for the province -- but also, they have to look at the benefits. What are the benefits that are going to accrue to the people who live there? I see those two things, environmental management and benefits to the people who live in this part of the world, as being major ingredients in the future economic plans for the mining industry in the Northwest Territories. I congratulate the people who are leading this movement. Thank you.