Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, before I start with my Member's statement, I will continue with the tradition I have started by sending greetings back to my wife and all of my children.

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Mr. Speaker, hard times. Recently we have heard of the difficulty the mining sector faces today. We have heard two of the Ministers speak on this issue and how this government should do all it can to support this sector that is having difficulty. We have heard honourable Members talk about the impact of those difficulties. Mr. Speaker, I would like to say that what I am hearing to me, is like good news. Government is finally hearing the people and trying to address the struggling situation that is going on, but Mr. Speaker, I have a concern as well, my concern comes out of the hard times the community of Inuvik has faced, that the region of Inuvik has faced.

Mr. Speaker, for 12 years the community I represent and region of Inuvik has suffered with declining work, with companies pulling out, the oil exploration business and production going down because it was too expensive. I cannot recall ever hearing of, or seeing any financial support, words of wisdom other than what was open to all the people of the territories. So while the Ministers in this government think about the hard times looking at the Northwest Territories right now, especially in the mining sector, I have always spoken about fairness and I say it is time this government looks at the whole of the territories. I represent over 3,000 people and they do not right now see a bright light in the future. Right now it is dim and it does not look promising. So when this government starts to look at what it can do for the people, I express my concerns and I say, remember Inuvik. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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