Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to make sure there is no confusion about where this matter is of concern to those people I represent, and so people are clear that the Gwich'in leadership did in fact support the recommendations made in the electoral boundaries commission report, as had been proposed; mainly because it was the reflection of the agreement that had been reached between them and the federal government, and their agreement reached with the Sahtu. I think there was a respect for compromise and consideration for the use of land. But, even more than that, I think people should be aware that there is a jurisdictional issue related to those boundaries. In other words, there are a certain amount of law-making responsibilities there that would have made it much clearer in the eyes of the Gwich'in leadership and also in the case of the Sahtu, based on their land claims agreement; it would be very clear.

However, I don't want to create a situation where people feel compelled to argue about traditional lands. Mind you, as I said before, the debate about traditional lands is a debate between aboriginal people. It is not an issue that should be related to electoral boundaries because I think you must take into consideration factors other than simply voting. I listened to the debate that took place here the other day and, in my view, we were talking about matters that should be resolved between aboriginal peoples.

I'm of the same opinion, Mr. Chairman, that Mr. Kakfwi has stated. I am prepared to respect the agreements and boundaries that have been reached between the federal government and the Inuit. I'm prepared to respect the boundaries that outline the Inuvialuit settlement region, the Gwich'in and the Sahtu.

I think the irony of this particular debate is that we're debating something that is passed by this Legislature while we should also recognize that a higher law, in many respects, is the basis on which claims have been made; that is, the constitution of this country. If we're unable to recognize that, I think we're in deep trouble, not so much trouble between the aboriginal people and the federal government but trouble because we, as the second level of government, are not prepared to recognize constitutional agreements. We are recognizing it with the Inuit in establishing division between Nunavut and the west. It would have been the same if we had done it for the Gwich'in, the Inuvialuit and the Sahtu.

I just wanted to make those comments, Mr. Chairman.