Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week in this House the issue of the digital network and the contract at Ardicom came up for discussion and some scrutiny. Early this week, a meeting was held via teleconferencing with a number of local Internet providers as well as the Government of the Northwest Territories. Out of that meeting came some concerns that I would like to share with this House.
Last Tuesday afternoon, in a long overdue meeting, the planned digital network for the Northwest Territories was discussed. Included were the Government of the Northwest Territories, Ardicom and NorthwesTel representatives as well as a number of private enterprise Internet service providers from Yellowknife and many other Northwest Territories' communities connected by a conference call.
From the outset, the private sector participants were united in their condemnation of the approach by the Government of the Northwest Territories' offices in all communities and the Government of the Northwest Territories in setting up its own proprietary computer network. They were critical of the plan to link all government offices in the communities in an approach which excludes the use of local computer businesses and Internet providers in its installation and long-term operation. In addition, many probing and critical questions were asked about the government's commitment to Ardicom to create the digital and communication infrastructure intended to carry us into the 21st century.
Two main points came out of the meeting. Firstly, by not using private enterprises' solutions offered in the larger communities in the Northwest Territories by Internet service providers and computer firms, the government is making a very large error. The government's planned use or rather lack of use of local Internet service providers and computer firms in the larger Northwest Territories' communities for a future government network is ill conceived and unwise. Furthermore, it goes against everything our government has stood for in its efforts to foster job creation and develop a home grown northern industry. Secondly, many people are questioning the choice of Ardicom to install a digital network across Northwest Territories and perhaps more important, there is a great deal of doubt regarding the grand vision of the digital network as it is currently conceived. Perhaps we need a smaller, meaner, more flexible system that can grow and evolve to accommodate this rapidly growing technological area. Our government, by guaranteeing to be the corner stone client for Ardicom something it will not do with small local Internet service providers, is making a long-term commitment to use this and only this company as its source for growth and development in this vital area. Mr. Speaker, I request unanimous consent to conclude my statement.