Thank you, Mr. Chair. I, too, wanted to commend the committee, but also at the same time the department that drafted and put forth this piece of legislation, which could be in some ways unprecedented since devolution gave responsibility of lands and water to the Tlicho Government from the federal government. I think this is a rather ground-breaking initiative in advancing, at least, the idea of environment and conservation initiatives that have been going on for some time. I think it brings the reality a step closer to realizing some key initiatives that have been long put forth by Indigenous governments or First Nations People in the NWT.

You know, just to name a few, like the Thaidene Nene has been an initiative that has been ongoing. You know, the most recent one, of course, in the Deh Cho was the federal government's involvement with the advancement of Edehzhie or Horn River or Horn Plateau protected area, and those initiatives are something that people had committed and worked a long time on those processes. You know, I just put it out there that things have to sometimes work in partnership or collaboration, but at the same time we also have to understand things work in parallel, too, as well. In a lot of ways, I think there is an almost tripartite processes with bodies and groups. It is also a bilateral processes that recognizes the idea of land claims. Regions that have settled their land claims or have their rights protected are in 6 and 35 of the constitution.

At the same time, there are some regions that haven't a settled a land claim that still retain the asserted title to their treaty and Aboriginal rights of their region. That, again, is entrusted in section 35 of the constitution, so these are key things that I think are elements that we need to be aware of. At the same time, things move forward and this piece of legislation has been worked on for some time. I'd like to see it through and advance, and so I will be supporting the passage of this legislation. Mahsi.