Mr. Speaker, as you know, our people right across the Northwest territories say Bill C-68 is going to affect our ability to put food on the table for our families. It is a very basic, fundamental concern that reaches into our homes and our families, and it's a very heartfelt issue.

I believe that ample notice should be given of consultation, if it should take place. Public notice should be given that public meetings will be held in certain locations at certain times. There should be adequate preparation by the people involved, to ensure that a full summary of the bill and the implications and the issues that it brings out is prepared and is brought to the public in an organized fashion so that they have a basis on which to formulate some initial thought to have some understanding on which to base questions and feel they've been consulted.

In a great part, I guess I feel like there's been a great rush for the Minister to say -- perhaps on the Peter Gzowski show -that, as he said: "People are going north to consult and are being consulted at this moment as we speak".

That hastily collected plan has been put forward in order to make the impression that consultation is taking place. I think it is important for Members of this Legislature to speak about the concerns they have as consultation, as it is being called by the federal government, is taking place in the constituencies across the Northwest Territories.

In part, I would say I am very disappointed. It's ill prepared. We have not been informed, even as a government, of the consultation, and I have great difficulty believing that a letter that was dated May 19th should have only been received in my office yesterday. Thank you.