Thank you. I didn't know I was up next. I'm happy to make some comments about the Northern Strategy. Certainly the documents we received, especially the Framework for a Northern Strategy, provides such a large scope of issues to discuss. It really covers everything under the sun. We're not only just talking about the issues involving the NWT, but now we're talking pan-territorial. I must say, I'm not conversant on various specific issues of Yukon and Nunavut to argue or make statements from that point of view. I will focus my thoughts on the Northern Strategy from the Northwest Territories' angle.

I think I share with the Premier in saying that we are certainly at a very exciting time. There is so much going on and I think this Northern Strategy is just another layer of process accompanying what's going on at the tables for devolution negotiation and resource revenue sharing. We have so many economic and resource development projects happening. So economically, politically and in many different areas, we are certainly living a very exciting time. I think that we are very well placed in terms of getting our voice heard in Ottawa, as well. I think we need to recognize that. I think it benefits us that our current Prime Minister took the time...While he was waiting to be Primer Minister and while he was Minister of Finance for 10 years he crisscrossed the country a lot. He came up North a lot. I do believe he has firsthand knowledge about the issues and challenges and

opportunities of the North and I think that's reflected in the federal agenda.

I think that also helps in that we have an MP in Ottawa who is responsible for this file who has been in that office for over a decade. I think that has to be helpful in getting our challenges and our issues and our uniqueness to the table not only for the NWT, but all of the North. I think Premier Handley and this Cabinet is really well placed to capitalize on that and fast forward this file that has been going on for a long time. As Mr. Menicoche mentioned, we are building on the works of all the previous assemblies. It has only been about 20 years since we had first elected a Government Leader, in the name of another Mr. Braden, and a lot of these issues have been on the agenda for the whole time. I remember reading a former MLA here, Mr. Ballantyne's pamphlet and I could not believe how many items on his platform included all the things that we're talking about. But I'd like to think that while a lot of things seem to remain the same, we have made a lot of progress and I really believe that we are fortunate enough to live in a political era within the next two, three, four, five years where if we are fortunate enough to make that leap into the next world where all the things that we have been working on and our predecessors have worked on are going to result into something real.

Having said that, I want to make a general comment about what I'd like to see. Let me just say, on the governance side I think what I'd like to see from northern strategies is, we have to figure out...The devolution and resource revenue sharing and all that, I agree with. But we also know that we have various aboriginal and land claim settlements and negotiations going on and I would like to see them all settled, of course. But I think, given what's going on, we need to set up a process more clearly that would determine how everybody, all the governments, work together. Because I believe truly that none of this separates us or gets us onto our independent road where we don't need you anymore, we're going to do it on our own. I think it is really about creating a different relationship for the federal government, territorial government and all the aboriginal governments. As we get more agreements settled, it's more important that we have that understanding. If we had devolution from the federal government for many of the province-like responsibilities, for example, there has to be a redefining of the role about the presence of DIAND in the North and exactly what they're supposed to do. The same for the territorial government. We will have to have a redefining of roles in that. Whatever happens, I think it's really important and I think it's something we have not done enough of, is getting a clearer picture of how we're all going to fit together. I have so many little things I wanted to add.

An agreement on intergovernmental affairs relationships would be an issue I would like to see the Northern Strategy deal with. Another thing is related to that, the financing, taxation and sharing of revenue. I think we all agree, and I think all the aboriginal governments agree, that we need to get a bigger share of our revenue. I think something that has to be dealt with is how we're going to share that revenue. This morning I heard on the radio that as of August 4th, once the relevant laws are passed in Tlicho, the people who live on Tlicho land, their federal tax will go to the Tlicho government and that's a reality that's happening. That's what it means for that government to be there. I think things that have to go with these political developments is an understanding and framework for the people to understand this is what it means. We're going to have four levels of government and people are going to pay taxes to this or that, and who's going to provide services? I think if we're going to succeed in having all of these aboriginal governments settling their claims and having a new relationship and a new world, there is more room and need for information and understanding and education to all the people that are here and living together.

I think that can be said about so many different things we're doing in the framework for the Northern Strategy. There is an issue of circumpolar cooperation and preserving, revitalizing and promoting culture and identity, developing northern science and research. These are all the things that you just have to get really excited about. I really do believe that we are placed in a very unique situation. We are doing really exciting things politically, in terms of resource development. But there are lots of things, I think, we can do in a different way in terms of promoting culture and identity. We have the most powerful aboriginal people in the country. We can show the rest of the country about how we preserve our language, how we preserve our culture. How do we have eight or nine strong aboriginal governments and their people living together? How do we do governing differently? All those things are not clear yet, I don't believe.

I think there is so much going on that we cannot do enough to get the people that we represent to understand what we are doing. Because the more information and buy-in you have, the better. I speak not just for non-aboriginal people, I'm just talking about regular people up and down the valley, up and down the river who want to know what all this means to us and how that affects us and who's going to look after us and what's going to happen to our culture, our identity. I do believe, also, we could be a leader. We could be right out there in northern science and research and even political development. We could have a school on aboriginal self-government negotiations for all the people around the world to come and study.

I just ran out of time, but I think I can get another chance to speak. So I'm very excited about that, but we need a clearer framework understanding, much more dialogue and a clearer vision at all levels of government to be able to tell the people that we all serve this is where we're heading, this is what it's going to look like, this is why it's going to be better for all of us, and this is how we can show it to the rest of the country and the rest of the world. Thank you.

---Applause