Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, historically speaking, Canada doesn't put a lot of thought into what the three northern territories want. Over time, there have been a lot of decisions made for us, as Northerners, by the Government of Canada. Often we are not asked and are not even included in the conversation. The recent moratorium on exploration in the Beaufort is an example of a decision made about our own back yard, in Ottawa, with no consultation with us.
Mr. Speaker, we have three things that attract the nation's attention:
● Resources; our economic base and often seen as our contribution to the federation;
● Governance; strong systems and capacity to self-govern in our First Nations communities and as a territory with new powers under our devolution agreement; and
● Sovereignty; the "North." Its pristine land, fresh water, and crisp, clean air is iconic to the rest of the country and our national identity as "the true North strong and free,"
Mr. Speaker, I think in our relationship with the national government, we need to do better. We owe it to Northern residents to have a unified vision, our own priorities, and to articulate them clearly and strongly to Ottawa. We need to fight to have our vision respected and appreciated when the federal government makes plans affecting our region.
We need a northern vision that represents a clear, coherent approach to our vision as Northerners. We need to commit to the relationships, conversations, and decisions that support it. This is work that will take commitment and energy and people power from all five NWT regions, along with our sister territories and the federal government, to make happen.
From that vision, we can advance a comprehensive Northern strategy that will recognize the national need for sovereignty. It will reflect the needs of our people for expanding economic opportunity and promoting good governance. It will respect our treaties and the First Nation governments, language, and culture. It will prioritize health and our systems for caring for our children and our elders. It will provide opportunity to our young people to get a solid education and become contributors themselves to the vision and values we have created as a society. It will enshrine our respect for the earth.
Mr. Speaker the North we want will be a healthier, more secure, and prosperous land that will benefit all Northerners, but to get there our government has to be the lead on a unified vision for a new, sovereign, independent North. We have to take action to ensure that vision comes to life -- for the benefit of all Northerners and Canada as a whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.