Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today on a matter of serious concern to all of us; job losses. It is no secret that we have had many job losses because of the downsizing of our government and in the west will face further losses because of division. But today I wish to propose a constructive proposal to this problem that will benefit not just us here in the west and in my constituency but all of the north, Nunavut and in the western Arctic.

There are many federal public servants in various departments in the south and throughout southern Canada who are working on northern programs and who are more appropriately and should be located here in the north. I am speaking of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Natural Resources Canada, Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans, and agencies such as the National Energy Board. Federal employees with responsibilities for the north should be located here in the north. The employees will be more sensitive and more aware of our problems when they are here. The federal government has a responsibility in this and they have a golden opportunity to replenish lost jobs here in the north and to transfer those to where they belong. It will assist our ailing economy.

I was pleased with the Premier's statement yesterday about him achieving an endorsement and support from the western Premiers to transfer natural resource responsibilities and many federal employees working in those areas. Having jobs in the north is not only good for our economy and tax base, but it will result in a better delivery of programs to us here in the north. In the west, we are building part of our economy around the mining industry and the resource industry such as oil and gas, but we cannot get the tax royalties for that so I feel the least the federal government can do, is assist us by transferring those jobs here. We will soon have a new Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs and I would urge all of us to pursue this initiative. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause