Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the last week, there have been three full-page newspaper ads placed by the Dogrib Treaty 11 Council, stating the Dogrib self-government negotiations are stalled by the lack of commitment from the Government of the Northwest Territories Cabinet.

Land claim and self-government talks have been going on for years in the Dogrib region. Originally, it was hoped that negotiations would finish this August. Now it is not known when they will conclude.

We do know, however, that the relationship that exists between the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Dogrib region will change. I am concerned that preparations are not being made to recognize the area formally, particularly through the budget process.

As the representative of the North Slave region, which consists of Rae, Rae Lakes, Wha Ti and Snare Lakes, I find it confusing that in the budget, money is allocated to the North Slave, yet ends up being spent on items outside my area, whether it is on a highway in the Fort Smith region or a park in Yellowknife.

Work could begin now with the aboriginal governments and the House to ensure that realignment of the budget occurs with the claim area.

I urge the government to take a proactive approach to realigning the budgets to reflect the new claim areas. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 1, Appropriation Act, 2000-2001, and Committee Report 2-14(3), and would like to report progress with one motion being adopted. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the committee of the whole be concurred with.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, by reconstructing the Ingraham Trail and putting millions of dollars into this road, will the government, five or six years down the road, come back to us and say we have already put millions of dollars into this road, and there is no turning back? Will the government be saying that?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister if the government has committed any funds towards the road to resources through the reconstruction of the Ingraham Trail? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for Finance, the Honourable Joe Handley. Concerns were brought to me from the community leaders of the Dogrib region regarding a May 23rd statement they heard the Minister responsible for Finance make about the Ingraham Trail.

When interviewed by CBC Radio about the road reconstruction occurring on the Ingraham Trail, the honourable Minister stated: "That road will continue to be the main route for all of the heavy traffic going into the mining area." Has a decision been made by this government about where the road to resources will originate from? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Dogrib people from the four communities I represent have expressed an interest in having an all-weather road connecting them. With the winter road season growing shorter, an all-weather road would allow my constituents access to more affordable goods and services.

Every year, the government spends money creating winter roads which melt away each spring. It might be wiser to develop infrastructure and add on to the 30 kilometres of road that have already been developed in this area.

The benefit to the government would be that this road connecting the communities could be used as a road to resources. A transportation corridor which allows easier year-round access to the diamond mines. With the growth of greenhouse gases through the continued development of industrial activities in the North, we would be wise to have strategies that would reduce our gas emissions.

Currently, mines use diesel power generators. If we develop this road to resources, hydro power could be used instead by installing transmission lines along the new road. These lines could feed off of the hydro power generated by the hydro dams in the Dogrib region.

If a road to resources were built out of Rae, it would be a road that would benefit the communities even after the 25 year life expectancy of the mines. It would be a worthwhile investment with multiple benefits. If it were to be built out of Yellowknife, in 25 years when the mines are gone, the road will lead to nowhere. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table two documents. One is the Yellowknifer, dated June 23rd, and the other one is News North, June 26th. Both are related to self-government in jeopardy, regarding the Dogrib land claims and self-government negotiations. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, am I to believe the Minister is committing to looking into medical travel versus facilities and permanent doctors in the communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am glad the Minister brought up the word cost. I would like to ask if the department has looked into the cost of permanent doctors versus travel, or facilities versus travel, to the south for special medical services? Thank you.