Thank you, Madam Speaker. It's been quite a long time since manufacturing was asked for in the north. We've been buying all our supplies for the north from the south, and we have a lot of raw material in the north to provide for the types of materials that the government is currently purchasing to build in the north. In my constituency, people are now becoming interested in developing our resources there. The Minister mentioned that they're working very hard with manufacturing in Hay River and Yellowknife, and it seems to me that only the bigger centres seem to have this opportunity. I know that in Fort Simpson, the band wanted to get into starting small with building roof trusses, but they were outbid by a bigger and better company from a bigger centre.

How are the manufacturing agreements reached with these companies that the government is currently working with in the larger centres? Is it on a proposal call, or is it on a bid, or does the manufacturing company come forward with a good proposal? How does that work? Thank you.