Mr. Chair, I would like to thank the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for his remarks.
Land and resource management responsibility was transferred to the Yukon territorial government in 2003 and to the Government of Northwest Territories on April 1, 2014. Nunavut is the last jurisdiction in the country without responsibility for public land and resources.
Nunavut devolution will bring the authority to make decisions about land and resources in Nunavut out of Ottawa and back to Iqaluit, where it belongs. Our government understands that this will bring considerable economic benefits to the territory, and it is committed to moving ahead with devolution in Nunavut. That is why, last October, our government appointed Mr. Brian Dominique as chief federal negotiator. This marks the start of negotiations between the federal government, the Government of Nunavut, and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and demonstrates this government's commitment to our northern strategy and to the people of Canada's north.