Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the red alert was about standing up for northern priorities and making the point that Northerners need to be making their decisions about what happens in the North. Also, it points out that, if the Government of Canada shuts down an economic sector in the Northwest Territories, for example, there should be an accompanying economic strategy.

As you recall, when the fishing industry was shut down in Newfoundland, there was a $9 billion compensation package that was announced at the same time as the moratorium. People throughout the Northwest Territories want to be sure that their children and grandchildren can look forward to a strong future with good jobs. Canada still has the power to make a lot of decisions that will affect the economy and the future of the North. We need to make sure they understand northern priorities when they make those decisions, particularly around their desire to have a strong economy.

The Northwest Territories' interests and priorities are not well-known or understood within the federal government or within southern Canada, which can lead to decisions that lead economic development and program and service delivery that has often been designed pursuant to settle self-government and land claims agreements.

The red alert is about bringing awareness and starting a conversation with the federal government, and making our interests and priorities heard and understood. Northerners need a plan for the long-term social and economic development of the Northwest Territories, and Canada needs to be a part of that, including making concrete commitments to strategically invest in areas that would create the greatest benefits for Northerners including new and existing sectors of the economy.