Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it has been a long three months since we last sat. Mr. Handley with his runners...I was hoping he would run through his budget address a little quicker, but I guess those runners are meant for long-distance running.

-- Laughter

Mr. Speaker, it has been a long three months. Many of us have spent a lot of time in the communities, on the roads and living out of our luggage. I would first like to start by thanking Mrs. Groenewegen, Mr. Handley, Mr. Antoine and Mr. Ootes for accompanying me while I traveled through my communities.

The future success of our people rests in many corridors, Mr. Speaker. One of the most important of those is education. It is with great pleasure that I congratulate the first grade 12 graduates on Tu Nedhe soil. Kara King and Holly Beaulieu proudly graduated on June 8th at the Deninoo School in Fort Resolution.

-- Applause

I would like to congratulate those two fine young ladies. I look forward to seeing more grade 12 graduates from the Tu Nedhe communities in future years. To this end, Mr. Speaker, after many discussions and a meeting in Fort Resolution with the honourable Minister for Education, Jake Ootes, and community residents, I have good news.

School renovations are going ahead this year instead of next year, if all goes well. Students, parents and all residents in Fort Resolution are thankful. I would like to thank Minister Ootes and his Cabinet on behalf of the community of Fort Resolution.

In Lutsel K'e last week, Mr. Speaker, there was an initialling of the Akaitcho Framework Agreement. Akaitcho Treaty 8 chiefs and negotiators initialled a framework agreement last week. This progress is like a bud on a tree, Mr. Speaker, a stage of growth and promise.

While this is only one step in the long haul of negotiations, it is progress. It is significant in that the Akaitcho people have been able to work together to come this far, despite their differences in opinion.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, agree with my honourable colleagues that spoke to the motion. I think in the spirit of co-operation and partnership in working with other governments in the Northwest Territories, an audit of this nature is required. Right now, when there are environmental reviews done for project development, we see aboriginal governments doing reviews. You have territorial governments doing reviews. You have federal governments doing reviews. All are reviewing the same things. That is duplication upon duplication. It is costing this government and all governments involved a lot of money.

In the future, when we go through the inter-governmental forum and building partnerships with aboriginal governments, community governments, federal governments, we have to have a clear idea what our contribution should be to the role of resource development through the preservations of our environment, our wildlife, our waters, etc.

I think by doing a program audit within the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, that will give us some ideas as to where we can and cannot contribute to this process. We are not asking for two different departments. If that suggestion results from that audit, then we have to take a serious look at it. At this time, it is not costing this government anything. It is just an audit of the programs and service delivery of the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. I do not see a problem here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased today, on behalf of all Members of the 14th Legislative Assembly, to table our vision document called Towards a Better Tomorrow. In this document, we set out our four main priorities.

1. Self-reliant individuals, families, and communities working with governments toward improving social well-being;
2. Better governments through partnerships;
3. A Northern controlled economy that is based on balanced, diversified, stable and vibrant; and
4. Adequate resources helping all levels of government to become more self-reliant in meeting the needs of the people they serve.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all people in the Northwest Territories to review this document and to come back to their MLAs with their ideas. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

- - Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am glad that the Minister stated this is a pilot project and as pilot projects would indicate, there is a future for it. Later today, I will table a document, Towards a Better Tomorrow. In that document, there is a clear need that we have to diversify our economy in the Northwest Territories. As this pilot project looks forward, I have a vision also in this area, particularly in the forest industry where there is a centralized location selected in the Northwest Territories with good transportation links to build a factory, and where in this factory, you build pre-fab homes and other products using northern lumber for sale in local markets where it could be in Alaska, Nunavut, Greenland, Russia, Alberta, United States.

This factory could use lumber mills from all over the North. The reason I am going this route, I am trying to support the sawmill business in Fort Resolution and to do that, you need a market for it. To find a market, you need products to sell, so that is the area. That is my vision. I am just wondering, as part of this pilot project, is that vision consistent with the Minister's vision for the future of the Housing Corporation and to diversify the northern market? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The five senior citizens homes complex that are going to be built in the North have a training component attached to it, which I find very encouraging. Where in the Northwest Territories are these complexes going to be built using northern labour? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Minister stated there is great potential in the circumpolar world for Northwest Territories goods and services. I believe there is great potential beyond the circumpolar world for Northwest Territories goods and services. My question is, is the Housing Corporation planning to increase its marketing of Northwest Territories goods and services in the circumpolar world and beyond? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I certainly could do that. The question, as it relates to the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's ongoing marketing of Northwest Territories goods and services to the circumpolar world, I am just wondering if they have a clear understanding of what that market is to date, as this is part of an ongoing process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen. Mr. Speaker, the question deals with the Housing Corporation's role in the Ninety North sewer complex that is to be sold to the Alaskans. Mr. Speaker, in the release, the Minister stated that this is part of an ongoing effort to market Northwest Territories goods and services available to other parts of the circumpolar world. Mr. Speaker, what is the market that is available to the people and businesses in the Northwest Territories, in the circumpolar world for Northwest Territories goods and services? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Members of the 14th Legislative Assembly believe that the future of the Northwest Territories is bright and holds great promise. In order to reach that potential, we felt that it was important to set a direction for the next four years and to share it with Northerners so that both the Legislative Assembly and the Government of the Northwest Territories can be held accountable.

Later today, on behalf of all Members, I will be tabling our vision document called, Towards a Better Tomorrow. It provides a framework that sets a broad strategic direction for the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Towards a Better Tomorrow offers a vision for the future, sets attainable goals, and offers a plan of how we will get the job done over the next four years. This spirit of optimism was inspired by the words of a prayer by Fort Providence elder, Mitch Landry.

We believe the goals outlined in Towards a Better Tomorrow are attainable if we all work together to overcome the challenges. "We" means all of us, working in partnership with other governments, communities, regions, families and individuals, because the territorial government cannot accomplish this alone.

Mr. Speaker, that is why it is important that we develop a shared, common vision and work together to put our framework into action. Based on what we have heard from our constituents, we developed this vision document and now we want to find out if we got it right. This requires hearing back from Northerners to see if we are on the right track. We would like to encourage Northerners to participate by sharing their thoughts and ideas by contacting their MLA.

The document will be distributed to every residential and business mailbox in the Northwest Territories, and to a broad range of governments and agencies. It is also posted on the Legislative Assembly website.

Mr. Speaker, it is our hope that we can go down this road together so we can make a difference and reach the potential that is out there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.