Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, honourable Members have heard comments in this House many times about the importance of developing new commercial products within the Northwest Territories.

I rise today to emphasize that these efforts must be accompanied by an aggressive approach to building product awareness within the marketplace. The Baffin fishery has proven that it can make an excellent product available at reasonable prices, while using harvesting practices that are environmentally sound. I believe the consumers in southern Canada would find these to be very attractive qualities in making product choices.

Mr. Speaker, the problem is that little work has been done to help southern consumers realize that northern products are on the market. I am sure that effective marketing campaigns should be mounted, to encourage people to insist on northern sea products at grocery stores and in their favourite restaurants. In other jurisdictions, responsibilities for developing product awareness initiative often lies with the provincial manufacturing association or marketing boards. I am sure that honourable Members have seen their creative advertisement encouraging people to buy P.E.I potatoes, or butter made in Ontario, or Alberta, beef, and so on. In our small commercial sector, manufacturing groups lack the resources to mount such campaigns. If the Department of Economic Development is serious about helping northern businesses gain access to southern markets, the Minister will have to start finding ways to build product awareness, and encourage Canadians to insist on northern goods and services. I will be urging him to start this process immediately. Thank you.