Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I think we should know what we're dealing with here. I must also thank the Minister for making these samples of impacts in various communities available. I appreciate that. I think, as Mr. Ng said, that there could have perhaps been better examples given than the one cited in the Minister's statement of March 30 about the Northern Stores in three or four communities. The thing that leapt out at me in looking at this sample list is the impact on hotels.
The Sunshine Inn in Arctic Red River is facing a more than doubling of its water costs as is the Pingo Park Motel in Tuktoyaktuk, the Inns North operation in Whale Cove and the co-op hotel. The Clyde River Qamaq Hotel rates are projected from $3,006 to $6,532 per annum. I just have to ask myself what that is going to do for tourism in our communities, especially the small ones that are trying to develop tourism. I also wonder what it is going to do for the cost of doing business by this government and other people in the Northwest Territories.
There aren't very many examples of private homes in the sample list, but I see that the water rate for one home owner in Cape Dorset, if I understand it correctly, is going to double. I believe that's a private home. I find that curious because we have a government who on the one hand is promoting private home ownership and even, for heaven's sake, selling staff housing in places like Cape Dorset. Yet, on the other hand, signals are coming out to these people that they are going to have to pay substantially more for water.
I agree with Members that the impacts really need to be fully assessed before we embrace this policy. In the initial statement the Minister made, he talked about the call for further coverage of this policy by the village of Fort Simpson and the Member for Nahendeh. I certainly don't want to get mixed up in his riding. I know that over the years, Fort Simpson has had to have special attention from this government because of its small size and small tax base, and I suspect that's the same reason Iqaluit has the benefit of the subsidy extended to it
because of its small tax base and the expensive utility operation there which is a burden on the town.
If there was a problem in Fort Simpson, then why didn't the department look at fixing up the problem in Fort Simpson and doing what is necessary to meet their concerns, rather than -- and the Minister will correct me if I'm mistaken in this -- apply the solution for Fort Simpson to hamlets and communities from Sanikiluaq to Arctic Red River? Wouldn't it have been a simpler matter to fix the problem in Simpson? Thank you.