Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to rise in favour in principle of the Bill. Mr. Speaker, the Tlicho agreement is one part of many parts toward constitutional development in the Northwest Territories. We have the aboriginal framework, the Government of the Northwest Territories and the federal government are currently negotiating devolution. This is just one part of it, Mr. Speaker. The Tlicho people have been negotiating for a number of years through different governments. Our government, the 14th Assembly, is the one that finalized that agreement, along with the federal and the Tlicho governments. I think as the 14th Assembly we have to take ownership of that reality. I think I would like to see the Tlicho agreement have third reading while we are still in office as the 14th Assembly of the Government of the Northwest Territories to give it legal effect and to demonstrate not only to the Tlicho people, but to the people of the Northwest Territories and especially to the people of Canada, through their government in Ottawa, that the Northwest Territories is ready for devolution and this is one way and just another way of rubberstamping our position that, yes, we want to take control of the Northwest Territories, its resources and many of the laws and applications of the non-renewable resources in the Northwest Territories.

Like I said, the Tlicho agreement is just another part of constitutional development. If we don't give that agreement legal effect in this Assembly, we not only send a negative message saying that we're careful, et cetera, et cetera. The agreement is a negotiated agreement, it's a final agreement between three levels of government. We could give it as much public process as possible but, at the end of the day, that's still a final agreement. If we don't give it the legal effect while we're still in office, we send a message not only to the Government of Canada, but to the aboriginal governments that are currently negotiating other agreements of a similar nature, saying that the Government of the Northwest Territories is not too serious about it.

So I suggest, Mr. Speaker, and I encourage my colleagues to ensure that the Tlicho agreement is given legal entity by giving it third reading while we're still in office, and I encourage my colleagues to do so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, like all my colleagues, am supporting this motion. I haven't known Mr. Hamilton for too long. Actually, I have known Mr. Hamilton for a while. Back in the days when the Legislative Assembly was in the Yellowknife Inn building here, I used to be his gopher. Running around town, picking up things, doing photocopying before they had the machines today.

I appreciate Mr. Hamilton's wisdom. Being a new Member I went to him on many occasions for advice. When you're selected to chair a special committee that's reviewing very emotional subjects such as official languages and culture I think David's assistance throughout the whole process was much appreciated by myself and my colleagues on the committee.

In that sense, Mr. Speaker, David has touched a lot of lives and through that work will touch a lot more lives in the years to come. The consensus government system is something that needs a lot of TLC and over the last 20 years that consensus government has been attacked in one form or another and, I think consistently, David has helped massage the whole process so that it's one of the better systems that we see in Canada when dealing with democratic systems.

David has, like I said, touched a lot of lives in the Northwest Territories. Not only the Northwest Territories, but in Nunavut as well. I'm pretty sure the people in Nunavut would appreciate me thanking David on their behalf, as well, today. I'd like to thank David for his 20 plus years of service on behalf of my constituents, the people of Lutselk'e and Deninu Kue. I'm sure that at one time or another their lives have been affected by what David has done in this House. What happens in this House has an effect on everything in the Northwest Territories in one form or another.

So, David, on behalf of my constituents, thank you very much. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the communities in the Northwest Territories that need and want dust control in their communities and hardtop on their roads want to be involved in this process and they want to be informed because they are waiting for it. I would like to ask the Minister what kind of communication plans does the department have to involve and communicate with communities so that they know exactly when they can expect action happening in their communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, apparently there's $10 million savings around here. Maybe the Minister can apply for some of that so he could spread the program a little more efficiently and with a quicker pace. I would like to ask the Minister when can the other non-tax-based communities get an indication of when they can expect their communities to be chipsealed for dust-control purposes? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Will the program expand to other communities in the Northwest Territories outside those five communities mentioned by the Minister? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Mr. Speaker, it's late in the season, you would think that I would be standing up here talking about dust control, and I am, Mr. Speaker. My question for the Minister is the Minister had introduced a dust control program in many of the communities in the Northwest Territories. I would just like to see, for the record, Mr. Speaker, if he could give us an update on how that program has come along in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi Cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to send congratulations to a constituent of mine, Amy Miersch, from Fort Resolution is going to celebrate her graduation this year. She graduated from grade 12 and is the only graduate from Fort Resolution. I will be going there to celebrate graduation with her this afternoon along with some of Mr. Ootes' staff members and I would like to thank Mr. Ootes for making them available to me and to Amy and the people of Fort Resolution.

Education is important and Amy is a good role model for the students this year. I'd like to see more graduates in the Tu Nedhe riding. Mahsi Cho, Mr. Speaker, and congratulations, Amy.

---Applause

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when the project of BIP first came into this House for discussion, the position I took then hasn't changed today. My position is that BIP is good, but 20 per cent BIP in the Northwest Territories is too high and it's having an impact on our communities, especially in the housing market. I suggested then that maybe we should get rid of the 15 per cent territorial Business Incentive Policy and retain the five per cent community incentive policy. My position is still the same today, and this motion, Mr. Speaker, gives me another opportunity to put that position forward in the next Legislative Assembly and hopefully get consensus from my colleagues to that end.

For that reason, Mr. Speaker, I will support the motion. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I kind of like that answer from the Premier. I wish we had gotten those answers the last four years, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I agree with the Premier when he says the political landscape is changing in the Northwest Territories. Through negotiations and the creation of aboriginal governments, we will see positions devolve, but that's not going to happen overnight, Mr. Speaker. I would like a specific number. I think 150 positions is a reasonable number considering the number of people in the GNWT bureaucracy. It would be a good training program for people in those communities. If those people are not capable or able to do their jobs, then the entire NWT will be suffering. The quicker we put positions into the community, the quicker the transition between different levels of government and programs and services. Would the Premier use his Premiership to push the 150 positions or a number near there that is reasonable? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.