Once Parliament started, the first order of business was the Tlicho Land Claims and Self Government Act, which was dealt with by the Aboriginal Peoples' Committee of the Senate.

Summer has arrived in force in Ottawa. As your senator, I've been diligent in attending all the meetings and speaking up for the North. No trips to Mexico! The travelling is the hardest part of the job. Karen and I usually stay in Ottawa for a month or so before coming home to Simpson. Spring time is the toughest time to be a senator, as I truly miss the North in its glory days.

There had been a lot of political turmoil over whether the Liberal government would fall and an election would ensue. The deal that the government made with the NDP, I think, is good, as it provides extra money for housing, education, and community infrastructure. Same-sex marriage legislation is also very much on the agenda. On this issue I will vote against the bill when it gets to the Senate. I know that there are a few people who are living these lifestyles, yet I know that it is not common in the North, and our ancestors would frown on such activities and would view it as unnatural. A lot of attention has been paid this year to northern and aboriginal issues. The Tlicho land claim and self-government agreement was passed this winter and a similar agreement for the Labrador Inuit has just been passed. Of course, the future of the pipeline has been much discussed and I'm hopeful that the current discussions between governments, aboriginal groups and industry will permit a fair and full assessment of the project for the benefit of northerners.

Our young people need jobs and business opportunities and a properly done pipeline, conscious of the environment and people's rights, could be a positive thing for the North.

I chair the Aboriginal Peoples Committee of the Senate. Our committee is doing a special study of native involvement in economic development. It's happening throughout the country where native people are getting involved in business. We hope to highlight some of their successes and identify the factors that lead to them. I'm always very proud of the North because so many good things are happening here.

A turning point

The recent policy retreat between the federal cabinet and national aboriginal leaders mark a real turning point for native people in Canada. The agreements signed on May 31, 2005 guarantee that aboriginal people will have a strong role in determining the policies and programs that affect them. Of particular interest to me was the agreement reached for the resolution of residential school issues. Canada and the Assembly of First Nations agreed to the appointment of a retired Supreme Court justice to report within a year with recommendations on how to deal with this tragic episode in our history.

The AFN proposal to recognize and compensate all residential school survivors will form the basis of his study and recommendations. The proposal is for $10,000 for each student plus an additional $3000 for each year spent in residential school. At the same time those who were most horribly abused - whether physically or sexually - will still be able to pursue those specific claims.

As many of you know, I have been involved with the Fort Providence Healing Society and have seen the real damage so many people have suffered over the years. I am proud to be a member of the Senate at a time that our government is finally taking steps to redress those wrongs.

On that serious but hopeful note I will end my report and wish everyone an enjoyable and relaxing summer.

I hope to attend various assemblies, including the AFN meeting in Yellowknife and hopefully even venture down to the Delta sometime this summer.

- Nick Sibbeston is Senator for the Northwest Territories