Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this weekend marks the Tenth Annual Dream Catchers Conference in Edmonton and I have been invited by the youth of the Deh Cho to attend this conference along with them. I want to give notice today to my colleagues and to my constituents that I will not be in the House tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, attending this gathering will be youth from all across this country, including many from the Northwest Territories. I am proud to say that I have 22 students from the Katl'odeeche First Nation, 27 students from Fort Providence attending this conference, along with students from my riding who are attending the Western Arctic Leadership Program. These students were able to finance their travel costs to attend this conference through fundraising efforts, Mr. Speaker, and we have approximately 120 delegates and 28 chaperones from all across the NWT who are attending this conference.

Understandably, the youth are very excited about this gathering. For some, it is the chance of a lifetime. I want to thank all of the volunteers from across the North who are making this dream come true for these youth.

Mr. Speaker, the concept of a dream catcher is believed to be a safeguard for one who dreams. The good dreams flow through and the bad ones are entangled in the web until they disappear with the coming of the morning sun. In the aboriginal belief system, dreams have a significant meaning. It gives the dreamer the opportunity to choose the direction their walk of life will be. This conference is focused on the youth by introducing and rekindling different aspects of tradition, beliefs and methods of healing. The many workshops offered are tools meant to teach the participants to respect themselves, others and their culture.

Mr. Speaker, the Dream Catchers Conference began in 1992 and now has grown to one of the largest aboriginal youth gatherings in the world, with approximately 1600 youth participating. The youth and adult participants are introduced to a variety of learning and healing workshops with aboriginal culture as a key component. Many of the presenters are elders who carry the wisdom of the past and give light to the dreams of the future.

I, much like the youth, look forward to this learning experience and it will certainly give me first-hand opportunity to hear the wishes and dreams of our future leaders.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Deh Gah School of Fort Providence and the Western Arctic Leadership Program in Fort Smith for...