Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to the witnesses. We're certainly glad that you're here today to give this testimony on, I would say, a very interesting and exciting opportunity for the north. But it's one that's been tempered, if you've been following the testimony that took place in Yellowknife earlier this week, by the strong presentation by the three claimant groups that have particular interests in maintaining the integrity of their land claims agreements through the regional boards, which they recognize the importance of.
Going forward in the Northwest Territories, when we look at the statistics, the level of projects that go forward in the unsettled areas versus the settled areas, you see the difference that occurs there. Would it not be wise to say that one of the most important elements of moving forward with development in the north is the settlement and implementation of the claims agreements with all the aboriginal groups?
Mr. Bell, would you like to speak to that?