Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you. I just wanted to make an observation. One staffer per MP--it's almost like one bureaucrat for every person in the Northwest Territories.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I just wanted to thank the committee for giving us the opportunity to make a presentation. I must say, I'm quite envious of the interpretation equipment. As a Dene speaker working with a lot of unilingual speakers, the interpretation equipment is always an important tool we use.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you for that question, Mr. Bevington. Yes, we certainly have seen positive reaction from the majority of the industries that are interested in the Akaitcho territory. Being a former MLA, a current chief, and a former employee of Diavik Diamond Mines and some exploration companies, I have a pretty clear understanding of the needs of industry and the needs of the people I represent.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you. To answer the question, the majority of the royalties are collected by the federal government, and a small percentage that's collected is shared with the signatories to the comprehensive land claim agreements outside of the Inuvialuit agreement.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I certainly can. The Akaitcho, as a whole, have not been participating with these mines. However, my community of Lutsel K'e, the chief's community of N'Dilo, and Dettah, in Yellowknife, have individual agreements--not as a group--with Diavik and De Beers. We have a collective agreement with BHP, which was the first one.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  The chapters are currently being developed. We hope to finalize them by the end of this calendar year or early in the new year before we take it to the membership. The membership will review it, and if they are happy with it, then it will be presented to the federal negotiating team.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  In an environment such as the north, where first nations people, indigenous people, make up half or more of the population, it is important that their values, their desires, are incorporated into any major decision in the area of economic development. Let's face it, the north is an exporting part of the world.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you for those questions. The interim measures agreement is just that, an interim agreement that allows for Ottawa to give us some financial resources to set up an Akaitcho screening board, which doesn't have the same authority or legislative backing as the Wek'èezhìi or other boards created in the Mackenzie Valley.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Well, I'll just go to the conclusion then.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Okay. To summarize, there are two things. We are in negotiations to finalize an agreement with Canada that stipulates the relationship between the Akaitcho Dene and the people of Canada, as represented by the Government of Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories, by which the Akaitcho wishes to make decisions that affect their lives on economic development, social development, and so on.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Mahsi cho, honourable members of Parliament. Welcome to Akaitcho territory. As a former member of the Government of the Northwest Territories and the legislature and as a former chair of standing committees that travelled throughout the territories giving public hearings, I understand the challenges that are faced by the honourable members here today.