Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to rise in favour in principle of the Bill. Mr. Speaker, the Tlicho agreement is one part of many parts toward constitutional development in the Northwest Territories. We have the aboriginal framework, the Government of the Northwest Territories and the federal government are currently negotiating devolution. This is just one part of it, Mr. Speaker. The Tlicho people have been negotiating for a number of years through different governments. Our government, the 14th Assembly, is the one that finalized that agreement, along with the federal and the Tlicho governments. I think as the 14th Assembly we have to take ownership of that reality. I think I would like to see the Tlicho agreement have third reading while we are still in office as the 14th Assembly of the Government of the Northwest Territories to give it legal effect and to demonstrate not only to the Tlicho people, but to the people of the Northwest Territories and especially to the people of Canada, through their government in Ottawa, that the Northwest Territories is ready for devolution and this is one way and just another way of rubberstamping our position that, yes, we want to take control of the Northwest Territories, its resources and many of the laws and applications of the non-renewable resources in the Northwest Territories.

Like I said, the Tlicho agreement is just another part of constitutional development. If we don't give that agreement legal effect in this Assembly, we not only send a negative message saying that we're careful, et cetera, et cetera. The agreement is a negotiated agreement, it's a final agreement between three levels of government. We could give it as much public process as possible but, at the end of the day, that's still a final agreement. If we don't give it the legal effect while we're still in office, we send a message not only to the Government of Canada, but to the aboriginal governments that are currently negotiating other agreements of a similar nature, saying that the Government of the Northwest Territories is not too serious about it.

So I suggest, Mr. Speaker, and I encourage my colleagues to ensure that the Tlicho agreement is given legal entity by giving it third reading while we're still in office, and I encourage my colleagues to do so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.