Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The term “special dispensation” is one we don’t normally have a discussion on with the federal government.
This issue has been part of our process around devolution of resource revenue sharing. Previous governments have included that discussion. From the Northwest Territories’ point of view, it should be included as a royalty, but of course that’s in dispute with the federal government.
My latest discussions with the leaders in the territory as well as with the federal government have been to recognize that those resources and the equity payment they’re receiving are as a result of the development of the North, and those should flow back to the North through infrastructure or another arrangement. So those areas are being looked at. It has always been on the table to try to get equal dollar value out of that to stay in the North.