Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to comment today on our progress on resource revenue sharing. Specifically, I guess after reading an article today, actually an opinion piece in the local media about how it appears we have fallen back from our position of pressuring the federal government for a resource revenue sharing deal to raising taxes, umpteen initiatives, raising tolls. It seems to me we have taken an approach of trying to get back royalties from mining companies and other industry simply because we have fallen down at this level, at the political level, in being able to get any kind of reasonable deal.

I think constituents of all of ours are asking themselves the question, should we really be punishing residents of the Northwest Territories because we in this House and in conjunction with other aboriginal governments have failed to this date to make any real progress on resource revenue sharing with the federal government? I do not think so, Mr. Speaker.

Others may be asking what is the urgency? I think it has to be clear: there will be no retroactivity. Once the diamonds and gas are gone, they are gone, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Nitah mentioned last week that maybe we have to look at doing something outrageous. We have to find a solution and I would agree. I think in the meantime, there are some things that our government might look at doing. Maybe we need more publicity around the actual dollar amounts of money that are involved, that are flying right over our heads into federal coffers, Mr. Speaker. That certainly might get direction moving.

We have discussed in the past a trust account where these funds might accrue until we can get a deal worked out. It is true that we do not have a deal now but, Mr. Speaker, I think that would light a fire, so to speak, if we could actually see what kind of money we are talking about and how this money is quickly adding up.

So Mr. Speaker, I think it is clear we need a new approach to resource revenue sharing. We have to take a new approach to Ottawa and I am looking forward to hearing what this government is proposing to do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause