Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in this time of unprecedented opportunities for economic development in major areas like diamonds, the pipeline, oil and gas and hydro, our government has been running around the country, the North, and the world. Trades and opportunities.

Our government is spending $11 million on maximizing employment. However, Mr. Speaker, where is it going to be spent in our small, predominantly aboriginal communities? There is no economic development there. If there is no economic development, how do we maximize employment in those communities?

There is one good example, Mr. Speaker, that this government could participate in. Our colleague, the Member for Nunakput, told us of a multi-use centre in Paulatuk that was finished in April, which was a combined effort between the federal government, the GNWT and Aboriginal Business Canada.

The new centre ties in a hotel, a visitors' centre, northern retail store and commercial offices. An additional multi-user room would be used for course classes this fall. I encourage our Northwest Territories government to develop this type of unified project in other Northwest Territories communities.

It was conceived in the spirit of cooperation and resourcefulness. From concept to construction took two years. The multi-use building opened at the end of April and DIAND gave $350,000 towards the construction of the $4 million facility. It was through the Economic Development Opportunity Fund. Getting one single building instead of four separate buildings was cheaper in the long term.

The project was not without a few hitches of course, Mr. Speaker, nothing is in the Northwest Territories. Getting groups together to sign leases was gruelling. However, this project illustrates the way it has dipped around obstacles and fosters self-sufficiency in aboriginal communities, and also to create economic development that will take advantage of the $11 million in maximizing...