Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I notice that going through the communities, the highways department goes right into town, does maintenance, sanding, et cetera. They are spending a lot of time in the communities, especially Yellowknife. They have to go right through the municipality, Giant Mine, Yellowknife Motors...I am just wondering where you put it in the budget? Can you tell me where all of the work you are doing for the municipalities is in the budget?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In the last few weeks, listening to the funding and everything, sometimes I am thrown into Fort Smith. Sometimes I am in North Slave. I am just in limbo here. Maybe the government can put regions and departments in their right place. It would be easier for me when I am speaking to my constituents. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am wondering why they put the name North Slave on it, when you have other names like Yellowknife Headquarters, Yellowknife...you also have headquarters. I am just wondering, do they not have enough money and they have to use North Slave's money? I do not understand why, Mr. Minister, all of these areas are not in the North Slave region, but they fall under there. It seems like North Slave has no funds at all for any parks or anything of the sort, tourism, or anything at all. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to ask a question on this department. I see various North Slave items. I do not recognize any of these lakes or trails or anything like that. I am just wondering if maybe the previous Member for North Slave gave the budget away, or what is the case here?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to ask the Minister if she agrees that for successful addictions treatment to occur there must be support from families and the community?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues have heard me talk about the need for a treatment centre in the North Slave. Our constituents are sent to Hay River, Yellowknife or down south when the funding is available. There are long waiting lists and people are frustrated with the lack of service.

I do not believe that large treatment centres are the answer, especially ones located in communities with unrestricted access to alcohol. Mr. Speaker, for an alcohol treatment program to be successful, you have to treat the whole community, the families. Not only the individuals.

Can the Minister inform the House when the government will release details on how addiction treatment will be funded in the future?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As soon as possible, the Dogrib chiefs and I plan to meet with Premier Kakfwi and Minister Antoine to confirm their commitment to finalizing the Dogrib Final Agreement and to discuss ways in which they can provide leadership at this crucial time in the negotiations. Thank you.

-- Applause

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Friday, I returned from a negotiating session in Calgary on the Dogribs' modern treaty.

The Dogrib Treaty 11 Council invited me to attend. I sat in for a day of negotiations, met with members of the Dogrib negotiating team and I was briefed on key provisions of the Dogrib Agreement-in-Principle.

As an observer, I was very impressed by the dedication and hard work of the Dogrib negotiators, the federal and territorial government negotiating teams and by their clear commitment to reach a strong, lasting and just agreement.

I am pleased to report that the negotiators are making real and substantial progress in working cooperatively towards their final goal. If this continues, the text of a final agreement should be complete in a matter of months.

As the Members of this Assembly are aware, the Dogribs' treaty deals with rights in a comprehensive manner, including not only land claims, but self-government matters as well.

Finalizing this treaty will mark an historic moment in the history of the Northwest Territories. For the first time, aboriginal self-government will become a reality as part of a broader settlement of the Dogribs' aboriginal and treaty rights. The Dogribs believe it will stand as a valuable model for other aboriginal groups in the Mackenzie Valley to consider.

This is a crucial time in the Dogribs' negotiations. Several key matters are now on the table, which challenge a number of existing government policies and laws - especially those of the Government of the Northwest Territories. Until they can be resolved, it will be difficult for the Dogribs to come to a final agreement.

These are not matters that the government negotiators can adequately address by themselves. Political direction and support is required to guide the negotiators successfully though this crucial period.

The Dogrib Treaty 11 Council believes that this political leadership and support must come from the Ministers responsible in the Government of the Northwest Territories and, when the time is right, the whole Cabinet.

In practical terms, the Dogrib Treaty 11 Council would like the Minister, or Ministers, to devote their personal attention and commitment to the Dogrib negotiations and to giving their negotiators...