Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Member knows, this government has policies, such as the Business Incentive Policy, which offers opportunities for employment in small communities through the large contractors. Also, there is opportunity for firms from the small communities to request negotiated contracts with the government. If the government receives such a request they would consider it, and it would probably take a preference to public tender. Again, it would depend on the negotiated contract being approved by Cabinet.
However, the point here is that there are opportunities or the intent is to allow for opportunities for local employment by larger contractors, and also to share the contract work with the smaller firms in the communities. I believe that is the intent of the Business Incentive Policy. The government does have a process in place which monitors the larger contractors to assure that some of these benefits do pass on to the small communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.