Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to speak today on the condition of the community hall in Fort Liard. Madam Speaker, the community hall was built in the mid 1970s, using money from the Canada works program. It was built by the band and the community of Fort Liard. The hall has served the community well over the past 20 years, but is no longer adequate to meet the needs of the community.

The public health inspector recently recommended that the building not be used any more, due to serious structural deficiencies. As we all know, Madam Speaker, buildings built during the late 1960s and the early 1970s are very expensive to retrofit to today's standards. In some cases, such as Fort Liard, it is cheaper to build an entirely new facility, rather than fix the old one.

The community gatherings and social events are very important to residents of small, close-knit communities, such as Fort Liard. The suggestion that residents of this community use the school gymnasium or the lobby of the arena for community gatherings is unacceptable. Madam Speaker, while the residents do appreciate the arena and the gymnasium, it must be realized that neither of these facilities lends themselves to community gatherings. The acoustics in the gymnasium make holding meetings impossible and the arena is too small for a lot of community functions.

Madam Speaker, the community appreciates that in the 1998-99 construction year, a new facility will be built in Fort Liard. However, Madam Speaker, due to the present community hall being condemned, and the fact that the other facilities in the community do not lend themselves to community gatherings, I strongly urge this government to look at advancing the construction schedule for the community hall in Fort Liard. I will be following this up in question period when the Minister responsible is back in the House. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

---Applause