Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the issue of resource revenue sharing agreements has been emphasized by our government as an important first step towards the development of the Mackenzie gas project. Since this approach does not seem to have the full support of the First Nations groups along the proposed route, some of whom are negotiating their own resource revenue sharing agreements with the producers and the federal government, I feel that it is imperative that this government take a more supportive approach to addressing this important issue.

Mr. Speaker, the Aboriginal Summit was first assembled by this government to get First Nations input and cooperation into a resource revenue sharing arrangement, but now it seems that the goal of reaching such an agreement that we can all live with is getting further and further out of the reach of this government every day.

Mr. Speaker, in order to get the full support and commitment of our First Nations groups toward a resource revenue sharing agreement, this government has to come to terms with the reality of the day and recognize that aboriginal governments can and should be the primary beneficiaries of such an agreement.

The aboriginal governments will be the next public governments and we have to support their positions on resource revenue sharing arrangements; arrangements that will see the social gap between aboriginal and non-aboriginals become non-existent and allow the aboriginal governments to become the agents of many of the programs and services that we deliver and some of which this government struggles to maintain and operate in a manner that addresses the social gap. The acknowledgement and support towards aboriginal governments as the primary beneficiaries will not only bring aboriginal governments back to the negotiating table, but also will send a clear message to Ottawa that we can work together, we are willing to negotiate together, and we can stand united until we get what is rightfully ours, that being our fair share of resource royalties going out of our territory every day. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause