Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation is the regional birthright corporation owned by the Qikiqtani Inuit Association. QC is mandated to pursue and develop economic and employment opportunities on behalf of the shareholders, the Inuit of the region. QC, along with 16 other licence holders, has been actively involved in the northern shrimp fishery since being issued a northern shrimp licence in 1987. One of the principle benefits derived from the licence is training, hiring and advancing Inuit crew aboard the offshore trawlers. Each fishing year, over 50 Inuit are hired to work on the vessels, returning roughly $1.5 million in crew share alone to the northern economy.

Royalties received by QC are reinvested, not only in the fisheries, but to other projects, such as real estate development and numerous other economic development initiatives. In 1997, six northern licence holders representing Nunavut, Nunavik and Labrador decided that a representative organization is needed and formed the Northern Coalition. Members of this organization are the Labrador Fishermen's Union Northern Shrimp Company, Labrador Inuit Development Corporation, Torngat Fish Producers Cooperative, Makavik Corporation and the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation.

The federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is expected to make an announcement within a month to increase in the overall total allowable catch, a substantial increase in the shrimp fishing areas (SFA) 4, 5 and 6 quotas. The Northern Coalition has been lobbying the Minister that adjacent organizations should have priority access to this resource. Later today, Mr. Speaker, I will ask the Minister for RWED or appropriate Ministers, questions on this matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.