Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm certainly very happy to be back in this House with the rest of my colleagues as we prepare to entertain the 2006-07 budget and address the issues that our constituents have raised with us since the last time we met. I'd like to start off by congratulating Prime Minister-designate Mr. Stephen Harper and his incoming Conservative government. I do believe, and have tremendous hope, that the change in government in Ottawa will pay huge dividends here in the North. Issues like resource revenue sharing, devolution, fiscal surety and the completion of outstanding land claims processes will be front and centre under this new Conservative government.

Congratulations, as well, Mr. Speaker, are also in order for our new Member of Parliament, Mr. Dennis Bevington. He will certainly be challenged by not being in a governing party, but I am certain that he will work hard on our behalf in Ottawa and do the best that he can for us. I wish him all the best in his new pursuit and I do look forward to working with him in the future.

I'd also like to acknowledge, if I could, the dedication, devotion, and efforts of our outgoing Member of Parliament, Ms. Ethel Blondin-Andrew. Although we lined up on different sides of the political field, I certainly have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for the work she performed in Ottawa on behalf of our government, the aboriginal governments, and the residents of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, I'd also like to wish her -- I know it was mentioned earlier -- and her family all the best in the future. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time on today's Order Paper, I'll have some questions for our Premier on how our government plans to take up our issues in Ottawa and what strategy they will employ in doing so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause