Madam Speaker, numbers that we looked at for the first three months of last year versus the first three months of this year, indicated an increase in tobacco sales in the Northwest Territories.

With regard to the benefits to the Northwest Territories, we protected the $2 million that we were likely to lose because of the lowering of the federal tax and we picked up above the $2 million, some more money because we raised our taxes. We are still very concerned about the number of young people who are smoking in the Northwest Territories. We believe that price is a deterrent to more people smoking greater volumes and taking up the habit. But, Madam Speaker, I can't say that raising the prices made a lot of people stop because our numbers don't indicate that. I would say that we are merely holding our own against people smoking. I believe there is still an increase, particularly in young women, smoking in all of Canada and the same in the Northwest Territories. I believe, Madam Speaker, we have more smokers per capita in the Northwest Territories than statistically across Canada. It is still a great concern to us.

Thank you.