Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the past few weeks I have been doing some research on the national minimum wage rates. Mr. Speaker, the minimum wages across Canada run from $5.25 an hour in Newfoundland to $7.15 in British Columbia. The Yukon rate is $6.86 an hour.

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories minimum wage is $6.50 and off road is $7.00 an hour. A large number of the Northwest Territories employees and students continue to be paid the minimum wage. If a person works 40 hours a week for 12 months a year, their gross yearly wage would be a little more than $13,000 a year. Mr. Speaker, that amount is well below the cost of living and indeed puts that person below the poverty line.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to suggest that this government review the current minimum wage amount both off and on road and look to increasing it at least to a point that reflects the higher cost of living in the north. To have jurisdictions like British Columbia further ahead of our minimum wage rate and having other jurisdictions within 40 or 50 cents of ours, is not acceptable. Later today, I will ask the appropriate Minister about this matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.