Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to follow up on a statement made on Friday by the Member for Great Slave. It was regarding the development of territorial roads. My colleague, Mr. Braden, pointed out in his Member's statement that sometimes projects such as a road network extending into the North Slave region would be done at the exclusion of another piece of road, such as the Ingraham Trail.

I guess, like anything, this is a matter of perspective. The status quo has been that the Yellowknife area has dominated budget considerations and, subsequently, other regions have had little chance to grow or to develop. It is a matter of which regional hat you are wearing as to which areas you feel are being excluded.

Unfortunately, the hat that has often been worn is a Yellowknife hat and this area not only has a hat in budget considerations but a full suit of clothes. In contrast, other areas are threadbare in terms of budget considerations.

As an example, I feel that the opportunities in my region are being stunted because of the money spent on the development of the Ingraham Trail as an access point into the mining region. Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge that the Ingraham Trail is the Territories' busiest recreational road and that it is suffering because of it. Wildlife and fish stock are stressed because of the overuse and abuse and the road is also hazardous to drive. New areas and roads need to be opened up in all regions, Mr. Speaker.

I know local operators have spent years developing the aurora industry. I see no reason why this would be compromised if a road network were developed in the Dogrib region. I recognize that maintenance still needs to occur along the Ingraham Trail for the people who live and play along it. My concern has always been with the government's plans and priorities to develop a road past the Ingraham Trail to access the mines.

Mr. Speaker, I think we limit ourselves when we think of either/or situations. That is when one area gets funding and another area gets none. Perhaps collectively, we can, as a consensus government, come up with options.