Mr. Speaker, later this week I will be participating in the meeting of First Ministers in Vancouver where I will have the opportunity to collaborate on areas of priority to residents of the Northwest Territories, including the economy and climate change. Meetings of First Ministers are chaired by the Prime Minister and attended by all provincial and territorial premiers. The meeting called by the Prime Minister for this week will be the first such full-day meeting of First Ministers in over six years. It is important that we as Canada’s First Ministers to have the opportunity to collaborate on priority areas affecting all Canadians. The Prime Minister has also publicly committed to resetting Canada’s relationship with Indigenous people. I am pleased to report that our meetings this week will include time for First Ministers to meet with leaders of the national Aboriginal organizations. This is an area where the Northwest Territories has substantial experience, and I am looking forward to talking to my colleagues about why it is so important and how we make it work in our territory.

The federal government and the Government of the Northwest Territories share many common goals and priorities. Some of the areas where we can benefit from a strong partnership include climate change, infrastructure, and the cost of living. I appreciate the federal government’s commitment to making public investments to encourage economic growth, job creation, and broad-based prosperity. This is essential for the Northwest Territories as we work to evolve towards a stable, secure economy. Productive and effective intergovernmental relations between the Government of the Northwest Territories and the federal government depend on a sound understanding of each other’s interests and priorities, strategic engagement, and focused communications on key priorities that support both governments’ short- and long-term objectives. Earlier this month, I met with the Prime Minister to continue discussions towards meaningful federal engagement on key areas of interest. The Government of the Northwest Territories is also in the process of developing a strategy to ensure that the federal government understands territorial priorities, and sets groundwork for active partnerships in areas of common interest. In the interim, I am looking forward to meeting with the Prime Minister and my provincial and territorial counterparts this week. It is my hope that we will have fruitful discussions and begin to lay the groundwork for meaningful federal engagement on key areas of interest to the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.