Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today because I am thoroughly frustrated and dismayed with this government. Not only have the infrastructure needs of the Kitikmeot been overlooked in the Government Leader's New Directions initiative, but now contracts that should have come to local firms in my constituency have gone to companies from outside our region. I am speaking about a contract which was awarded to a Yellowknife firm for the building of the extension of the health centre in Coppermine. I am also aware that a contract for the extension of the school facilities went to a Yellowknife firm as well.

Mr. Speaker, this is despite the fact that there is a well respected and dependable company in Coppermine that has over 10 years of experience and a record of 80 per cent northern hiring in Coppermine. These decisions fly in the face of all the economic development strategies that this and the previous governments have brought forward. This government may speak nobly about now directions and about reshaping northern government. I am quickly coming to learn that this is just a lot of talk. I am quickly losing confidence with the sort of decision-making that we are seeing today, and I would like to point out they should do away with this old boys' club that the previous government had, and let us start treating everybody in the Territories more humanly. Thank you.