Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, traditional knowledge is the knowledge that the aboriginal people in the North have and have handed down through generations and through experience and so forth regarding the land that we live in through their way of life which was spending all their time on the land in all seasons and different parts of the country. So they are aware of the land and different animals, seasons and so forth.

Traditional knowledge is really important for me as well as it should be important for everybody here in the North, because we have a good knowledge of it from the traditional background. Having said that, as a government this department has been pursuing the inclusion of traditional knowledge in all the studies that have been going on. In the West Kitikmeot Study Area traditional knowledge provided through aboriginal governments that were involved in industry and all governments were included in that study, north and east of us.

The Western Northwest Territories Biophysical Study Consortium that I mentioned is proposing that again a consortium of organizations, the aboriginal governments, the industry proponents, the environmental groups, the Government of the Northwest Territories and the federal government, we are going to be proposing that a research interest in the development areas along the Mackenzie Valley and wherever there is going to be oil and gas exploration be done. We create this consortium. The geographic region for this work includes current and proposed exploration areas and where the pipeline corridor is going to go.

Through the involvement of aboriginal governments we hope to have our elders involved to provide their traditional knowledge in regard to this proposed development. Mahsi, thank you.