Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For a couple of months, I used your office, Mr. Speaker, and I had a chance to contemplate my future and I did take advantage of informally contacting people in my constituency to get a feeling about what should happen and what I should do to best advance the interests of the people who I represent.

Two people said I should not seek the job as Speaker and the overwhelming number of people said what goes on over there either advances or protects my interests so we elected you to do what you think is right. In this game of politics, whatever happens is the will of the good Lord and I always believe the good Lord is right about what happens in these places. However, during my contact with several trusted people, I was asked about constituency meetings. One person -- who had never been to one, by the way -- asked me why I didn't hold constituency meetings. I said the last one I held cost me $900. It cost me $268 for a one-eighth of a page ad, and if you buy three spaces, it costs $800. The cheapest room I could get was $50. If you add coffee and doughnuts, that's another $50. In fact, when you look at the whole thing, it is about $1,000 if you want to hold a constituency meeting.

The last one I held, I was on my own. But, luckily, Ronna Bremer, who was the local newspaper lady at that time did show up. So, I sat there and we had a good, long talk and she said, look at this way, Mr. Lewis, you are helping to pay my salary. Don't you feel good that at least you keep me employed and you are doing something for the economy? Well, Mr. Speaker, we don't always have a good relationship with the press and I felt uneasy when this lady told me that I am helping to keep her alive by spending this $800 to have this meeting.

So today, Mr. Speaker, I would like to announce that I do have a phone number: 669-2292, and if there is anybody who reads Hansard and who wants to talk to me or if they want me to raise something in this House, then I would be very happy to do so. And, if there is an overwhelming demand for all those people out there who think their interests can be advanced and protected in this House, I will, in fact, listen to them and have a constituency meeting. Thank you.

---Applause