Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe the new western territories should work together in partnership. We have to negotiate with aboriginal governments to develop those partnerships. We, as a government, believe that is the best way we as a people in the western Arctic can achieve our greatest potential. We also believe you need a strong central government and by the support of the people and you get that by the support through negotiations. We have to vacate as a government certain legislative authority and certain authorities at community and regional levels. Ultimately, you have to have standards set throughout the Northwest Territories. Those would be minimum standards that all governments would have to meet.
For example, in the health care system you have five basic principles of the Health Care Act in Canada, no matter who you are, whether you are aboriginal or non-aboriginal governments, you have to meet those standards. Our job as a strong, central government, will also be to maintain that we do have a unified voice in the western territories. We have to supply the glue that holds the west together. The Dogrib people, for example, are negotiating their inherent right of self-government. The Delta area are negotiating for the Gwich'in, Inuvialuit and other people in that area for a partnership approach, government approach. Other peoples will be negotiating as well. We have to ensure that people in the Northwest Territories, the new Western Territory, will understand that what happens in Fort Smith affects what happens in Fort Rae and Tuktoyaktuk. You do need a strong central government that looks after and cares for all the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
--Applause