Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I listened, with interest, to the emotion that was raised in the House yesterday in response to the recently publicized socio-economic agreement from the Mackenzie gas project. Some would argue that we should use the pipeline as a lever to wrestle control of our resources in the share of royalties away from the Crown. Perhaps our frustration with the lack of response from Ottawa to our aspirations is misdirected if pointed at the private interests that would like to develop the resources in the North. I appreciate the response of industry to our requests as a government for formalized commitments to ensure northern employment, training and business opportunities, even if those agreements aren't perfect.

Here are the facts, Mr. Speaker. Here is a news flash. The resources of the North are currently owned and controlled by the Crown. The North is a huge treasure chest of natural resources and precious non-renewable commodities. Imagine a treasure chest for a minute, overflowing with gold, diamonds and riches. The process of getting to the treasure chest is fraught with challenges but it is a path that an explorer can pursue if you have the time and the money. When you get to the treasure, you can then decide if it is worth the cost of hauling it out. You will have to pay the Crown and their castle their share, but the custodian standing guard over the treasure say that some of it is rightfully theirs because they have been guarding it for hundreds of years. They have been living right beside it. The Crown was happy to leave him standing guard to retain the sovereignty of the Crown's holdings. The custodians can see that the riches might be hauled out. If they can't have a share of it, maybe they can catch a few of the crumbs if they help the explorers haul the riches back to their ivory towers and their masters in Calgary and Houston. The custodians protest. They fight amongst themselves. They can't agree on a plan to keep some of the riches and share it amongst themselves. The explorers are only looking for treasures to keep their masters happy. They don't make the rules, but want to enjoy a friendly relationship with the custodians. But alas, one day a leader emerges and organizes the custodians and articulates a plan to unify them in their efforts to get what is rightfully theirs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause