Mr. Speaker, I know that all Members appreciate how volatile the situation has become in the labour dispute between Royal Oak and CASAW. We are all aware of the danger of violence, and it is not diminishing as frustrations continue to build, and it will only get worse as this dispute drags on. Unfortunately, it appears that the parties in dispute are deadlocked, with no plans to resume bargaining.

This dispute is tearing up the community, and if the federal government continues to refuse to accept their financial responsibility for the RCMP tactical unit, it could eat a huge hole in the NWT budget.

I am aware the responsibility for dealing with this dispute is entirely a responsibility of the federal government. But perhaps, because of our distance from Ottawa, the federal government is not recognizing how important this situation is to us in the North. They are obviously dragging their feet when it comes to dealing with this strike. They are dragging their feet and running out of time, with Parliament set to prorogue this Friday. This must be pressed to act quickly.

Mr. Speaker, with this motion we can send a strong message to Ottawa that they must accept their responsibility to deal with this strike immediately. We cannot afford to have it drag on any longer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--- Applause