Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement is with regard to the Honourable Donnie Morin's statement on amalgamating the departments of Renewable Resources and Economic Development and Tourism. It's with regard to natural resource development, especially in my region, the Delta, where we have a long, great history of trapping in the Delta except for the downturn of the trapping industry.

In order for us to proceed with that process of amalgamating these departments, we have to take into account the interest groups that are out there. We have land claims groups in the Delta, we have hunters' and trappers' associations. When it comes to commercializing anything, especially what we've seen with regard to commercial harvesting of muskox and caribou and also the history of big game hunting, especially what we've seen in the Mackenzie Mountains, it has to be taken into account that the local hunters and trappers have to be involved with how that amalgamation takes place, also with regard to how the NWT Act will be amended to streamline the commercial harvesting and also allow people to get back to a wage economy.

Also keeping in mind that there are some clear obligations which are under land claims agreements that we have to adhere to with regard to the wildlife sections of the Inuvialuit agreement, the Gwich'in agreement and also the commercial harvesting sectors that are in there when we look at amending any of these acts to allow for this amalgamation to take place. There are also economic factors that we have to consider.

In closing, I would like the Ministers to keep in mind that when these amalgamations do take place that there are interest groups in the communities and in the regions with regard to land claims settlements. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.