Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my Member's statement today is on the Mackenzie Valley Impact Review Board and its creation. The Mackenzie Valley Impact Review Board was created as a result of the Gwich'in and Sahtu land claims. Their involvement in decision making on developments on their lands and down the Mackenzie was part of the agreement.

The federal government hung on to it for the longest time and only when the Gwich'in and the Sahtu groups threatened to sue the federal government did they establish the Mackenzie Valley Impact Review Board. That is great for the Sahtu. That is great for the Gwich'in. However, for those land claim groups such as the Akaitcho, the Deh Cho, the Dogrib, the South Slave Metis, their involvement in the Mackenzie Valley Impact Review Board is one of honourary members. They do not have decision-making power. The Sahtu and the Gwich'in board appointees, along with federal and territorial governments, make the final decision.

For that reason, groups such as the Akaitcho and the Deh Cho do not agree with the Mackenzie Valley. They do not believe that -- as far as their process, they feel that when decisions are made by this board, it is in self-interest. An example, if a diamond mine is approved in this area, any royalties coming from those diamond mines, the Sahtu and Gwich'in get a percentage of those royalties. It may be a small percentage but, Mr. Speaker, it is still a little bit of self-interest.

The First Nations in communities that do not have land claims are not even recognized. If a community wishes to take a project in their area to the environmental assessment phase, the mayor and council of those communities have to do it, Mr. Speaker. Is that fair to the First Nations or those groups? I do not think so.

Towards that end, they have interim measurement agreements, but on this the subject areas are negotiated. However, it does not carry too much weight, according to the Minister of RWED. The only thing the First Nations are left to do is to file a court injunction if a permit has to be granted for work to be done on their land.

I will have questions for the Minister responsible for RWED on this matter, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.