Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to recognize some guests in the Chamber, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Prince. Ray is a long-term colleague from a previous government, and they are here visiting family here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, on January 16, 2019, I had the honour of signing the self-government agreement-in-principle for the Sahtu Dene and Metis of Norman Wells, alongside our negotiating partners, the Government of Canada and the Norman Wells Land Corporation.

Reaching this Self-Government Agreement-in-Principle represents a significant step in the journey toward fulfilling the obligation to negotiate self-government in the 1993 Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement. More importantly, this agreement-in-principle represents a key milestone in the journey towards self-government and self-determination for the Sahtu Dene and Metis of Norman Wells.

Mr. Speaker, the work of negotiating and concluding land, resources, and self-government agreements can be challenging, but it is essential if we are to build the Northwest Territories and Canada that we all want to be a part of. A territory and a country where our long history of working and living together is protected, and where the rights of Indigenous peoples are protected for future generations.

While there are similarities between self-government agreements in the Northwest Territories, there are also many unique aspects that take into account the different needs and self-government priorities of the communities. Simply stated, a "one size fits all" approach does not work here in the Northwest Territories.

The agreement-in-principle for the Sahtu Dene and Metis of Norman Wells is a good example of our commitment to negotiating self-government agreements that reflect the unique realities of each community. The agreement-in-principle considers how to implement the inherent right for the Sahtu Dene and Metis of Norman Wells in a community where they comprise a smaller proportion of the overall population. This agreement-in-principle is flexible and forward-looking, in that it allows for changes in the governance model, as the population demographics change in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud that in the Northwest Territories, we have a shared history of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people living, working, and governing together. This is reflected in the fabric of our communities, in the languages we speak, and in the cultural and business decisions we make.

This milestone achievement is something that should be celebrated by all Northerners, not just residents of Norman Wells and the Sahtu region. That is because we know and believe that completed agreements are the basis for realizing our true social and economic potential by clarifying and providing certainty with respect to Aboriginal and Treaty Rights.

With one milestone reached, the parties are already looking ahead and have commenced negotiations on a final self-government agreement for the Sahtu Dene and Metis of Norman Wells. Completing these negotiations continues to be one of the most powerful and meaningful ways that we can demonstrate our commitment to reconciliation and to empowering our people to be self-sufficient and self-determining.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to acknowledge the hard work by the negotiating teams who have helped get us to this important moment in history. Congratulations to all of the parties on this momentous achievement, and most importantly, congratulations to the Sahtu and Dene and Metis of Norman Wells. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We have done a lot of work with the Chinese over the past. We have developed a China Strategy for the Northwest Territories. We have also been looking at investing in sister cities or provinces. We just recently had a Chinese counsellor visiting us, meeting with the Minister of Economic Development, and he assured us that it was business as usual. Destinations Canada, who have offices in China and Beijing, have also reassured us that it is still business as usual, at least in the tourism business. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, we certainly are prepared to do that. We are still in contact with the Chinese, People's Republic, friends of the people who usually host us when we go to China. There is still a possibility that we could go there before the end of the term of this government. With regards to tourism, we continue to market the Northwest Territories to Chinese tourists, and I think that we are prepared to look at further investment.

Other than what we see in the media, there has been no reaching out by the Government of Canada to us. I believe that, the incident at Huawei, Canada was following the rule of law. The fact that a number of individuals were apprehended in China gives us pause to think. We were planning a trade mission to China for this year, but we have since put it on the back burner. We are waiting to see what happens.

I have met the Chinese ambassador to Canada, but it was before some of the latest incidents happening.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our relationship with China goes back a long way and, if anything, the recent tightening of the Chinese government on subnational investments and business has had a limited effect on our territory. Most of the investments were in mining. We did have some business investment and, with the crackdown on a number of areas, some of the Chinese businesspeople who were here, we haven't seen in a while, but as far as I can tell, the most visible Chinese visitors are the Chinese tourists. I have not seen a decrease in their visitation. It could be a concern. The Chinese could see fit to revoke the designation of Canada as an approved destination status, but we haven't seen any evidence of that yet. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the honourable Alfred Moses will be absent from the House today to attend the federal-provincial-territorial Ministers' conference in Red Deer, Alberta. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the Members that the honourable Glenn Abernethy will be absent from the House today due to a personal matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

There are a number of reasons why these negotiations have taken a long time. Some NWT Indigenous governments more recently are waiting to see how new federal policies are evolving before they proceed and conclude their land claim and self-government agreements. We respect this decision and will continue to support Northwest Territories Indigenous governments' decisions around timing.

With this said, during the term of this Assembly, I have pursued new approaches to negotiations. Minister Bennett and I jointly appointed special representatives to give us independent advice regarding negotiations with the Dehcho First Nations, the Akaitcho Dene First Nations, and the Northwest Territories Metis Nation. This advice informed new government offers made at these negotiations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.