Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to rise today to speak about a program that I believe is one that should receive a great deal of recognition and, I think, encouragement on the part of Members of this House. Mr. Speaker, it is called a Gwich'in healing program. It is located in the area that is about 18 miles south of Fort McPherson, which is, in Gwich'in language, called Tl'oondih.

There has been a great deal of work done on the part of the Gwich'in Tribal Council, and the Gwich'in leadership; particularly leadership by a young man by the name of Robert Alexie Jr., and formerly the chief of Fort McPherson, James Ross.

Mr. Speaker, the Gwich'in leadership and the communities have taken this issue of healing not only in the context of alcohol and drug abuse but rather total healing in terms of spirituality, emotionality, physically and mentally. They are considering doing it in a natural surrounding in an area that historically was used by trappers -- not only am I saying my grandfather, who had a cabin there, but by trappers -- and hunters who made their trips up and down the Peel River.

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that last week, Robert Alexie Jr., Rebecca Francis, Karen Mitchell, Doug Smith, Frank Hope, and Joey Horesay, came to this community of Yellowknife to articulate the importance of this particular program; to see if this government would provide their advice and their support for the development of the program.

They have made some recommendations that may not, Mr. Speaker, be in the interest of some of my colleagues. But they are suggesting the possibility that clients who go to the Northern Addictions program here or people who are incarcerated, not come to this community but rather the resources be moved into a program of this type. Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek unanimous consent to continue my statement.