Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I will be speaking in support of Bill 15. As I said earlier today in my Member's statement, it has been a long journey for the Tlicho people to get here. This bill is the final piece of legislation needed for our agreement to come into effect. It is the part that lays out how health, social services and education will be delivered in the Tlicho region. These are core programs that have a tremendous impact on everyone's wellbeing, personal growth and ability to take advantage of opportunities life brings. It's very significant that they are now being put back into our own hands after so many years.

Mr. Chairman, our elders, leaders and negotiators have come up with a very thoughtful and wise approach, that will allow us to take over and expand these important programs gradually as we build our capacity. I guess you could say, Mr. Chairman, for now we will have the same car, but what will change is that we will be the ones in the driver's seat. In a few years, we may want to trade it in for a new model, and that will be our decision. Our people's access to services will not be disrupted in any way, but I think, as the decision-making power changes hands, they will start to see more of the Tlicho values reflected in their everyday dealings with the new agency. At the same time, they are assured of the same funding and standards as everywhere else in the Territories.

Mr. Chairman, the children of the today are going to grow up in a very different world than I and my peers did, or that our elders did. They won't be dealing with a lack of cultural understanding or outright racism in the education, health and social services systems that we experienced. The Intergovernmental Services Agreement provides for a cultural coordinator who will advise the Tlicho government, the GNWT and Canada on how they can use their respective powers in ways that respect and promote Tlicho language and culture. This will be a very key role, Mr. Chairman. Fifteen or 20 years ago it was not something I would have imagined was even possible.

The children of today will never see the Tlicho people as depending on an outside government to tell us what to do. I hope that they will grow up proud and taking for granted their entitlement to govern themselves according to the Tlicho ways, and to have their language and culture reflected in programs and services. The sky is really the limit for this generation, and I hope they realize that.

Mr. Chairman, I don't think we can say enough thanks to the elders, leaders and negotiators who put their heart into their agreement and legislation for us. So I would like to express my appreciation to them once again. I would also like to thank all the Tlicho who would have liked to have been here in the gallery to witness this historic occasion. I'm looking forward to celebrating with them in the near future, and to the rest of the Tlicho people as we pass yet another milestone. I also want to thank the Minister and the government for bringing this bill forward, and the Standing Committee on Social Programs for their supportive comments.

Finally, Mr. Chairman, I look forward to sharing with all other Tlicho people the work of implementing the agreement and showing the rest of the Northwest Territories and Canada what we can achieve and how far we can go as self-governing people. Mahsi cho.

---Applause