Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, following the Diamond Conference, which I spoke about yesterday, the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce sponsored a two-day

Economic Futures Conference which I also attended. This open space conference was timely because Yellowknife's economic future is not what it used to be.

Our economic stability has been jarred over the past several years because of government cutbacks and the low price of gold, both of which have had the effect of many job losses in the city. This Yellowknife Economic Conference was designed to look at the issues facing growth of our Yellowknife economy and the new areas that can be developed by doing some practical planning.

The conference included mind mapping sessions conducted by Yellowknife consultant Mike Bell. Seven specific recommendations were made, and it is important that I make reference to theses because they affect not just Yellowknife citizens but other citizens as well and in some ways the Government of the Northwest Territories. The recommendations were:

- That the Chamber of Commerce and the city of Yellowknife sponsor a conference on information technology and work with other groups in the city to create a central database of information.

- That the Chamber work with Aurora College to develop an inventory of courses and training opportunities that could be made available to all northern students and employers.

- That the Chamber and the city take an active role in the development of the new constitution.

- That the Chamber of Commerce and the city of Yellowknife take an active role in the promotion of Yellowknife.

- That the Yellowknife Chamber present policy concerns that would affect businesses to the territorial government and to the community itself in such areas as P3, the BIP, infrastructure and so forth.

- That the Chamber of Commerce and the city compile and make available cost of living data, provide an analysis and background information about how costs are arrived at and why they are so high and also make recommendations to decrease cost of living.

I salute those who took part in this innovative exercise and promoted it. It is time for us as Yellowknifers to turn the corner and open new economic doors instead of looking back at those that have closed. Diversification can only lead to long-term prosperity for the city and the economic health of the entire NWT and the western Arctic. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause