Thank you for inviting me to be here today.  I would like to speak to you about the place of the Northwest Territories in the world and how fostering strong relationships has been, and will continue to be, an important part of promoting social and economic progress in the North.

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Thank you Consul General Savone, and Premier Selinger.

Thank you to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, and to everyone who is here today, for this opportunity to meet, learn and share.

This is a great loss to Canada. Premier Lougheed was a great man and role model to many throughout our country. He was a visionary who believed that by working together, all Canadians could succeed.

I am pleased to be here in Beijing to speak to the Canada China Business Council about investment opportunities in Canada’s Northwest Territories.