Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to speak on the subject of the privatization of the government's petroleum products division or POL as it is sometimes referred to. As a Member of the Infrastructure Committee, I feel that I have some degree of understanding of the problems with the current manner in which petroleum products are delivered or sold to the smaller non-market communities. The reason Public Works and Services wants to divest itself of this responsibility, as I understand it, is because of inefficiencies in the present system. There are about 27 PYs associated with this function, with the purchase and sales of the product through the revolving fund. I think it is important to note that in communities where there is a strong private market for petroleum products, this market is served by the private sector. When you get out into the smaller non-market communities, the reason the government is involved seems quite obvious to me. In those communities, the government is the predominate consumer of the product. It is purchased by public housing authorities, government funded hamlets, government-owned infrastructures such as schools, recreation centres, health centres and most significantly the NWT Power Corporation which accounts for approximately 40 percent of the purchases. A minority or residual volume is purchased by private homeowners and consumers.
Privatization could mean a number of different things. Portions of this function, such as delivery and sales of product to private consumers, could quite easily be privatized. This would generate some economic and community development activity. Could we address the portions of the service which are seen as inefficient? If the will of the government is to completely remove themselves from this exercise, three things should be kept in mind. As an essential commodity, it would have to be regulated. If we give away the assets... Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.