Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to speak today about devolution and resource revenue sharing. For the past 30 years governments in our Territory have been pursuing an agreement on devolving responsibilities from the federal government and getting a fair share of resource revenue. Mr. Speaker, the AIP that has been negotiated between the federal government and the Government of the Northwest Territories is historic and now more than ever we will need our partners, the aboriginal governments in this Territory, to get on board with us in building a better Territory for all of our residents.

Mr. Speaker, for too long we have watched governments in Ottawa that took great pleasure in

watching us fight amongst ourselves, who enjoyed making decisions for us in Ottawa, all the while siphoning off resource royalties into federal coffers.

The Conservative government, even though we do not have a Conservative Member of Parliament, have made significant investment in our communities, in our people and in our future. Finally we have a partner in Ottawa that wants only the best for the Northwest Territories. They listen and they care. Former INAC Minister Chuck Strahl, current INAC Minister John Duncan, John Baird, Jim Prentice, Leona Aglukkaq and Prime Minister Harper are paying attention to the North, to our aspirations and to our dreams as a Territory. This federal government fully believes in the true north strong and free. They have stated this many times for all Canadians to hear.

Mr. Speaker, as we all know, actions speak louder than words. The federal government is ready to act, ready to let us make decisions for ourselves, set our own agenda, to share in the resource royalties derived from the extraction of our vast resource wealth and, Mr. Speaker, this agreement will be the cornerstone of our future as a government. There will always be a public government in the Northwest Territories to serve the needs and desires of all of our residents and no matter how this public government evolves in our Territory, this agreement will be a solid foundation for the future.

We need to support our Premier and our government’s efforts in moving this AIP along. Leadership will be tested, lines may be drawn, but we must continue with great resolve and vigour to pursue our partners across this great Territory to deliver on this opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted