Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I, too, wish to congratulate you in taking the Speaker's chair. Mr. Speaker, from January 18th to 22nd of this year, here in Yellowknife, a historic event in the development of northern government took place. That, of course, was the first constitutional conference for the western Northwest Territories, sponsored by the Constitutional Development Steering Committee.

This conference brought together 150 participants from the 34 communities in the western NWT to consider principles and options for a Constitution, and structure of government for the new western territory following division in 1999; and, to make recommendations on how the western constitutional process should continue. To say that the conference was a success understates the case. It is fair to say that, coming into the conference, there was scepticism in several quarters about the CDSC process, generally, and about the likely success of the conference, in particular. There were fears that it would not be possible to reach consensus, even on broad principles, between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people; and, among the aboriginal peoples in the western Arctic, on such fundamental issues as the need for a central government in the new western territory and the relationship between the development of public government and aboriginal self-government negotiations.

Against that backdrop, the first constitutional conference was, in fact, a resounding success. At the closing plenary session on Sunday morning, January 22nd, many speakers commented on the tremendous sense of goodwill and unity of purpose which they experienced throughout the conference and the willingness of the participants to listen, to share and to continue working together to build structures of government which truly reflect and accommodate all the peoples in our multi-faceted society in the west. The best hopes and expectations for the possible outcomes of the conference were exceeded.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to continue my statement.