Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over a week ago, I asked several questions about the proposed merger between Canadian Airlines International and Air Canada in question period, and the question is recorded in the unedited transcript as 777-12(2). I was very concerned at that time, when I asked Mr. Whitford about this proposed merger, to find that, in fact, this responsibility had been transferred to Mr. Pollard, the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, because of the huge economic impact this kind of merger would have on the residents of the Northwest Territories, in fact, to all of western Canada.
Mr. Speaker, one week from now, on October 9, the three senior officers of both airlines will be meeting in order to decide how this merger will work, who will be the senior executive officer, and to work out the details of this merger. Since, very clearly, the Government Leader, our Premier, has determined that this is of such a huge vital concern for all people in the Northwest Territories, that she has handed it over to her Minister of Finance and the Minister of Economic Development. I am somewhat alarmed to find that this government is the only government that, to date, has not responded to the requests of Canadian Airline International employees, who tried to get support all across the country, to save the airline and it disappoints me somewhat, that at least yesterday, we could not give them any kind of response.
So, it disappoints me that if it is such a huge issue for us and we recognize the impact it may have on us, that, to date, we have not responded to the requests of all the people that work for that airline to do something to help save it. Thank you.