Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, last summer while travelling on the Mackenzie River to Fort Norman for the Dene National Assembly, we ran into thick smoke from forest fires around the area. The smoke was so thick, in fact, we couldn't see the buoys or markers, and at times were lost. This could have been a tragedy, as well as embarrassing to myself as an aboriginal person if we, in fact, did get lost.

This year on July 25th, we were on a trip to Lutsel K'e. There were five fires burning near the community also producing heavy smoke. I understand that some trappers' cabins were lost in these fires.

Madam Speaker, this September 16th, while travelling from Fort Providence to Yellowknife by airplane, I noticed several fires; one north of the Horn Plateau which was putting up enough smoke to rival the fires in Kuwait. The other one I noticed was 30 miles south of White Point Beach. In the morning it was smouldering. By the time we returned in the evening, it was out of control.

We all know this was a bad year for forest fires, but it seems under the present policy of forest fighting management, a lot of Dene land is literally going up in smoke.

Madam Speaker, I understand that we do not have the resources to fight every single forest fire. But when the government decides which fires to fight, they have to look at all lands as being important because all lands are important to the Dene.

I also believe, Madam Speaker, that the government should implement a policy restricting development in burned-out areas in order to give reforestation a chance. Under no circumstances should this government allow exploration or development in those areas. Just because a piece of land is important to exploration companies or other commercial interests, doesn't mean it is more important than other areas. The government has to remember to look at the bigger picture and not just worry about the possibility of losing tax revenues. Don't forget there are still more traplines operating in the north than diamond mines. Mahsi cho.

---Applause