Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The elders, aboriginal governments, aboriginal leaders, all Northerners have told us that caribou are of critical importance. I quoted part of a motion that was made in the Dene Assembly in 2007 that exemplifies and gives voice to that concern through our traditional knowledge process. I can point to some very specific things we have done. For example, on the Water Strategy we have done it with an aboriginal oversight committee. We have worked with all the communities up and down the valley. We have held workshops with our Species at Risk Act. We’ve worked very closely with the co-management boards and their representatives to do the drafting the same as we’re doing with the Wildlife Act. We work on a daily basis, almost, on all the caribou issues with the boards constituted through land claims, to deal with various issues like the caribou.
In this region at all the tables that we have had these consultations and work, there’s been a seat for the Akaitcho and for the Yellowknives. I can tell you, unfortunately, for example with the Water Strategy, that the seat has remained unoccupied. With the Species at Risk Act the seat has remained unoccupied. With the Wildlife Act the seat has
remained unoccupied. We would be very welcoming and happy to have all the aboriginal governments and their representatives at the table, but we are fully committed to the process of involvement and traditional knowledge.