Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today is in regard to the water supply problem we have in Fort McPherson which was supposed to be a P3 initiative, but to date I have heard in the last week this project has been deferred until next year. The water problems still occur where we do have a lot of concerns, especially about the quality of the water in Fort McPherson and a number of chemicals which is being used to process that water at the present time. There are eight or nine different types of chemicals that are used in processing the water. Mr. Speaker, I feel it is pretty alarming that this issue was supposedly one of the emergency crisis which I brought up in this House several times. I was hoping that this would be resolved as soon as possible to improve the quality of water for the residents of Fort McPherson. Mr. Speaker, I was very much taken aback after a meeting with the Minister to see this project has been deferred. I believe that the quality of water improves the quality of life, especially with the high instance of cancer in my community of Fort McPherson.

There has to be a link between the water and the cancer rates that have skyrocketed in the last number of years where people in Fort McPherson do not trust their water supply. They are using all their alternatives to get water from elsewhere. Yet, we continue to talk about this issue and raise it. I would like to ask the Minister later on today, some questions in regard to the reasoning behind the deferral of this project and also what is being done to improve the quality of water in Fort McPherson at this time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.