Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Member for the question. It is the intent of this government to consult the public as much as possible in the pursuit of the agenda, to assume control and management of northern resources in partnership with aboriginal governments.

Because we are a public government responsible to the public, we have an obligation to do that. We have a keen interest in making sure the development in the non-renewable sector provides a maximum benefit to our communities and our aboriginal people.

We have, in the absence of a policy, been working in partnership for a number of years now with aboriginal governments, aboriginal companies, and northern companies to take advantage of the development of resources, such as diamond mines. More recently in the Deh Cho and the Sahtu area with oil and gas exploration.

We have worked together with industry, with the federal government to develop monitoring programs. We have negotiated impact benefit agreements. We have set up partnerships through businesses, taking industry dollars along with federal and territorial dollars to set up joint initiatives like the West Kitikmeot Slave study, community mobilization, and working on the agreements like a socio-economical agreement that was concluded with BHP. We have set up advisory boards. There are a number of tools and instruments that have already been created because we have engaged aboriginal governments, aboriginal companies, along with industry in a partnership approach to non-renewable resource development on a project-by-project basis. Much work has already been done.

In this area, we still recognize that the Dogribs have yet to complete their land claim and self-government negotiations. We are working to support that and expedite that as best we can. The Akaitcho and Yellowknives, the Metis, The South Slave Tribal Council are also pursuing recognition and implementation of their rights agreements. We need to take those into account as we proceed in our work. Thank you.