Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Naats'ihch'oh National Park is named after Naats'ihch'oh Mountain east-west of Tulita, an influential place for the people of Sahtu. It is near the NWT-Yukon border. The park is in the traditional lands of the Mountain Dene and home to many animals such grizzly bears, Dall sheep, mountain goats, and woodland caribou.
The Sahtu vision identified in the Sahtu Land Use Plan supports the concept of balance between management and development, and one of the Land Use Plan's goals is to increase the economic self-sufficiency of the region through sustainable development by addressing barriers to industry involvement and increasing non-renewable resource development in the region.
The Sahtu Land Use Plan's Zone 41 Proposed Conservation Initiatives designation notes the economic importance of the area for its mineral exploration development potential. An important consideration for the board is that access to high mineral potential areas, such as Zone 41, is essential to the future economic development and supports the mineral strategy under way.
Tourism development potential remains a strong possibility in the Zone 41 region and the area, and it is important that transportation corridors remain successful to encourage possible future tourism development initiatives and balance on realizing the Sahtu potential and being mindful of conservation and preservation. To me, Mr. Speaker, this is truly responsible development, consultation for a meaningful conclusion. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.