Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I rise today to inform the House and the public about the meeting that recently took place in Iqaluit. During the week of January 9 to 14, I had the honour of chairing the Baffin leadership summit which met to discuss issues of regional concern. Attending were MLAs from the Baffin region, mayors from the 13 communities, as well as representatives from the Baffin Regional Inuit Association, Baffin Divisional Board of Education, Kakivak Association, Quikiqtaluk Corporation, Nunavut Arctic College, Baffin Regional Health Board, Baffin Alcohol and Drug Treatment Centre, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and the Government of the Northwest Territories.

During the intense four-day session, we discussed a wide variety of issues including education, especially getting leaders and the parents more involved in encouraging students to complete their schooling, retaining the name Arctic College for Nunavut campus, the need for family housing units for students, and support for Baffin and Nunavut training strategy and plan.

The second area of concern was economic development, which included a commitment to begin work on a Baffin economic strategy, including developing terms of reference for a regional economic planner position, support for parks and tourism, and ensuring that as much benefit as possible is retained by local people from sport hunting and other ventures.

The third topic was health. The main topic of discussion was support for design and construction of a the new Baffin Regional Hospital. Renewable Resources was a fourth issue. Topics included support for increases in funding for the Baffin Regional Hunters' and Trappers' Committee and requests that Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated ensure that the hunters income support program be put in place as soon as possible.

Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to continue with my statement. Thank you.