Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this past spring I had the opportunity to speak with Chief Peter Marcellais and a number of councillors and band managers about building a youth wellness camp near the community of Nahanni Butte and the proposed Canadian Zinc mine. The community was very excited about the potential of building a youth camp, not only for their youth but for the youth of the whole region.

The community looked at going through the Government of the Northwest Territories to build this camp. The community felt, going to the government, it would take years before the camp was a reality, so the band looked for a new way and that began by negotiating with Canadian Zinc to access funding and building expertise to build this site.

Today I'm proud to say that Canadian Zinc and Nahanni Butte's First Nation are working hard to come up with a positive process and are close to finalizing their negotiations. In the Deh Cho Drum, Chief Marcellais was quoted, "The band is very happy with how the negotiation for funding has proceeding."

Mr. Speaker, the band has taken a different approach to their traditional territory. They want to be proactive, so they took the co-management approach to doing things. The agreement came after the band decided to take a lead role in the heritage study, road survey, and wildlife monitoring for the proposed all-season road leading to the potential mine. Mr. Speaker, it's about two organizations working together for the betterment of the residents of Nahanni Butte.

According to Chief Marcellais, working together on a framework for co-managing this important economic develop project is important and a good process to follow. Mr. Speaker, the band continues to look for employment in a way that does not look for a handout by the GNWT but a way the council and the residents of Nahanni Butte can help and protects their traditional territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.