Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The process used incorporated Aboriginal groups across the Northwest Territories, all Aboriginal groups. We have fulfilled our obligations under claims. We have provided funds. They have been at the table. In fact, the agreement-in-principle, as it sits, has the handprint of Aboriginal groups on it, the majority of Aboriginal groups.

Now, Mr. Krutko has pointed out there are two Aboriginal groups that have signed this. One group has a settled claim and one group doesn’t have a settled claim. So there are differences there

between that, but they both saw fit to decide to move forward, because when you look at this agreement compared to anything else across this country, it is by far one of the best agreements and I think will be a landmark process for future discussions of Aboriginal groups across the country.

Aside from that, the door remains open. This funding, the budget that’s been developed here has looked very closely at the Yukon process of what was required and learning from them about their negotiations process, preparations for negotiations. Much of the dollars identified here also come out from the obligations of the AIP itself in preparation for negotiations. The only people being left on the sideline -- and I wish there would be none -- is made by a choice of their own. The door remains open, the invite is there, the dollars are waiting to be flowed and this would add to that as we go forward. The door remains open and we would rather have everybody in the tent working together on this just like we did through the majority of the process in development of the AIP.

This money identified here has been built on our preparation and obligations under the AIP for negotiations looking forward, and as I stated, the future years’ budget is built on that same principle. Thank you.