Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just today I want to use my Member's statement to talk about the federal government socio-economic impact funding of $500 million, which does not include the Akaitcho territory or the Tlicho territory. Mr. Speaker, in the socio-economic baseline study, the area, and I quote, in the study it says "includes all the communities in the NWT in which the direct or indirect effects of gas production and pipeline construction may affect permanent residents." Also, Mr. Speaker, this study even included north-western Alberta. Mr. Speaker, the exclusion of the Akaitcho territory and the Tlicho territory in the ability to access this large funding source from the federal government is just another blatant display of disrespect and disassociation of fairness and unity towards many northerners by the federal government and Mackenzie gas proponents, and especially by this government, the government of our people, for not being the first ones to raise the red flag on this type of injustice.
We have all heard many times in this House and many other forums that on this Mackenzie gas project that this ripple effect of such a massive development will be felt by all communities in the NWT and others beyond our borders, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, although the Mackenzie gas development impacts may vary in severity depending on where you're living, does not exclude the fact that this socio-economic impact funding should be distributed amongst all communities in the NWT. Implore that this government should negotiate a similar socio-economic impact fund for communities that were left out of this agreement and raise the seriousness to the federal government of this issue and let them know that we cannot, and will not, take this kind of treatment lying down. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause