Thank you, Madam Speaker. When NTCL was sold, eight or ten years ago, it was carrier of first choice for all federal government freight. Consequently, Cabinet of the Northwest Territories Executive Council made a decision to give NTCL carrier first choice. The federal government had their decision in place for eight years, and that is lapsed now so we have revisited that decision. We have made the decision to remove the designation of NTCL as carrier of first choice for the Mackenzie corridor, excluding Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk.
Also, as part of the decision, it is my responsibility as the Minister responsible for the Department of Public Works to also begin negotiations with NTCL in the next year to negotiate better rates for freight in all other areas. I have one year to negotiate those rates with NTCL in order to extend their carrier of first choice in all other areas. We have until the 1995 shipping season to do that. Thank you.