Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Finance, the Honourable John Todd. Mr. Speaker, I am quite disturbed with yesterday's report on CBC that as of August, 1998, NorthwesTel will be hiking phone rates by four dollars. This rate will increase again by six, the next year. All this is being done to prepare for the long distance competition. I am not sure I see the logic behind hiking rates and making customers angry just before competition arrives. Mr. Speaker, my concern is that this hike will make our rates some of the highest in Canada. On top of this, we also pay some of the highest rates for petroleum, rent and food. We even pay an extremely high price for things such as cigarettes and alcohol. Mr. Speaker, I understand that as of last Friday, February 17, 1998, the price of beer in bars had jumped to $30 a case. My question to the Minister of Finance, Mr. Speaker, is, the government going into the boot legging business?
--Laughter
Mr. Speaker, my question to the Finance Minister is, how does the government decide what the price will be for off sales in northern communities where there are bars? Are the prices the same across the NWT or is this at the discretion of the bar owners? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.