Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to provide Members of this Legislative Assembly with an update on the Western Premiers’ Conference that I attended this week in Gimli, Manitoba. Western Premiers discussed a wide range of issues of interest to the Northwest Territories, including the green economy and energy, transportation, pandemic preparedness and strengthening the federation.

In a follow-up to when we invited regional aboriginal leaders to meet with western Premiers as part of the 2004 Western Premiers’ Conference held in Inuvik, Premiers again met with the leaders of the five national aboriginal organizations.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that western Premiers reasserted their commitment to closing the gap between the social and economic conditions of aboriginal and other Canadians. Western Premiers reaffirmed the goals and objectives adopted by First Ministers and national aboriginal leaders at their meeting last November in Kelowna. Our challenge now is to develop a process with the new federal government that will allow us to meet these goals and objectives.

Western Premiers also agreed to work with aboriginal leaders to hold a summit in the coming months on aboriginal women’s issues and, in particular, violence against women.

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Mr. Speaker, this is an important initiative for the Northwest Territories and one in which we intend to fully participate.

Another main item on the western Premiers’ agenda is labour market shortages in the North and the West. A significant part of these discussions was finding ways to address the low participation rates of aboriginal peoples in the labour force.

As the lead for the development of a Western Canadian Aboriginal Training Strategy, I provided an update on the work currently underway in each jurisdiction aimed at

removing the barriers that prevent far too many aboriginal people from fully participating in the booming resource economies of western Canada. As a next step. Premiers have directed their advanced education and learning Ministers to prepare a preliminary report on best practices in advance of a summit on economic opportunities for aboriginal people to be held in Saskatoon on January 23 to 25, 2007.

Mr. Speaker, this discussion was important in the context of the northern leaders’ meeting in Norman Wells and the determination of leaders to focus on new and innovative ways to bring more of our people into the workforce, so they can take up the opportunities that present and future economic growth provides.

Following the Western Premiers’ Conference, I participated in a North American Leaders’ Summit attended by western Premiers; Premiers Charest, McGuinty and Lord, Ambassadors Wilkins, Wilson, Lavertu and Segovia de Madero, and many United States and Mexican governors. Among the topics discussed, of particular interest to the NWT were Arctic sovereignty and security and continental energy.

Mr. Speaker, I believe these were important and useful discussions, however, I am happy to be back here in the Legislative Assembly and look forward to joining all Members in proceeding with the business of the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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