Mr. Speaker, I also look forward to the members on that side speaking in support of our sadness at the passing of Nelson Mandela.
Some years back, the House made him an honorary Canadian citizen. Why was that? It was because he was revered around the world for standing up for the right of the peoples of a territory to voice how they should be governed and have equal rights and opportunities.
That is precisely what this legislation should do, not just this bill before us right now, but particularly this bill, because it is talking about the devolution of powers. We must always make sure that we are moving forward with a consistent principle, and that is toward greater self-government. That was the promise of the government: to move toward respecting greater self-governance by our indigenous populations.
Therefore, it is critical that we carefully consider any concerns raised by indigenous peoples in the Northwest Territories about this bill.