Debates of June 5, 2006 (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, June 5th is a significant day for the Inuvialuit. It was June 5, 1984, when they signed their land claims agreement and many Inuvialuit in the Inuvialuit settlement region are getting together today, enjoying a day off, but there’s three of us still working.

---Laughter

Since that day, Mr. Speaker, the Inuvialuit built their capacity and invested wisely, and many Inuvialuit have and will benefit from the investments that come from dividends they invest into the education and assisting harvesters and so on. Many Inuvialuit still continue to practice a traditional lifestyle, but also realize that development is coming and are getting themselves into position to take advantage of the opportunities. Mr. Speaker, many of us still believe that we can have the best of both worlds. The Inuvialuit are proud, confident people who know that they have the ability and capacity to be major players in any type of development without losing sight of who we are and where we came from.

Mr. Speaker, I’m also pleased to see other groups down the valley starting to work on settling their claims. Their people will benefit and I urge the leadership from across the NWT to work together and be visionaries and know that we have to take advantage of anything that goes on in the Northwest Territories, not be left out in the cold while our resource money continues to go south. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause