Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I often do, today I would like to speak about our relationship as a government with the Indigenous people of this territory. Discussions between government and the First Peoples about rights and land have been going on longer than I have been alive and still it seems there are no easy solutions.

Mr. Speaker, in the NWT, there are several distinct Indigenous groups, each with a unique geography, history, economy, and culture. No wonder there is no magic wand we can wave that will resolve the diverse needs and interests of all these groups. We all acknowledge that resolving the issue of rights is one of our highest priorities. We know this must be achieved before we can move ahead on many of our other mandate priorities.

Mr. Speaker, we need to build a strong nation-to-nation relationship. Essentially, we need to co-write and co-produce policy. Indigenous leadership must be central in creating the government's direction and policies and shaping the future of the territory. We need to realize solutions should be regional and local in nature and may not apply the same way across the NWT as a whole. We must be collaborative and flexible in our approach.

Our young people hold tremendous promise and will be key players in finding solutions. Our youth are continuing to achieve more and more and branch out in new areas of study and accomplishment.

Applications to post-secondary education continue to rise. Our youth want to be dedicated to their peoples, their communities, their culture, and defining resolution of Indigenous issues. That gives me hope, Mr. Speaker.

There are certainly problems, Mr. Speaker. Unemployment is high in some communities, but we can significantly reduce unemployment by resolving land rights and putting self-government agreements in place. With certainty on land rights and self-government, communities and regions will be able to establish their own priorities, develop their own economies, and hire their own people, including their own educated youth.

Our system must support and empower Indigenous governments with responsibility and authority for self-determination. Mr. Speaker, this will allow communities to flourish and grow on their own terms. At the appropriate time, I will have questions for the Premier. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.