Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will add to what Mr. Patterson was saying. During committee meetings, we reviewed a number of contracts, which the department had let to southern firms in the course of the previous year and found that this department, in particular, had a high number where they were using southern contractors. The purpose here is to try and bring more business back to the Northwest Territories. The Standing Committee on Finance is on record saying that we support development of business opportunities in all communities across the north.
There is no intention, with this motion, of saying that it should be one community over another where the business opportunities would arise. We are saying that too many of the opportunities right now are being sent down south. Rather than that, we should see them repatriated to the north. We should see opportunities for northerners to get the jobs where it is possible. As Mr. Patterson had said, there is a northern and local preference policy, which this government already has, that should, in fact, ensure that local firms will gain an opportunity to be successful in these contracts. At the moment, if they are all going down south, the jobs are not kept in the north. I think the intent of this motion is not at odds with what the honourable Member for Deh Cho is hoping to see in his constituency. I think this supports the goal that he is after. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.