Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, every day Northerners see ads on television offering long distance rates as low as 10 or 15 cents a minute, some offering programs for $20 a month as the maximum amount people pay for phone calls.

As technology advances, Northerners expect comparable service at comparable rates. Many of my constituents, particularly those who run businesses, tell me they want to see competition for long distance service because they believe that will bring down the price they pay.

Mr. Speaker, NorthwesTel has proposed that competition be introduced in the North in January of 2001. They have also proposed that because the North is a high cost serving area, that they must have access to an operating subsidy to survive in the face of competition. The CRTC has scheduled a regional consultation on this matter for June 12 in Whitehorse, with ties by video conference to other centres like Fort Nelson, Yellowknife, and Iqaluit. Public hearings on the proposal are scheduled to start on June 13 in Whitehorse.

Mr. Speaker, it is unacceptable that the regulator, the CRTC, is only travelling to one centre for these important hearings. Residents of this Territory should also have an opportunity to express their views to the commission face to face.

Mr. Speaker, in previous public hearings, the Government of the Northwest Territories has generally been supportive of NorthwesTel applications. I hope that our government is planning to file an intervention with the CRTC on this important issue, as well.

But, Mr. Speaker, I would hope that the government will also be meeting with NorthwesTel before they file this application to ensure they discuss with NorthwesTel the numbers of positions in the Northwest Territories. Given our fiscal situation and the importance of per capita funding in this Territory when it comes to our grant from Canada, I think it is essential we also demand NorthwesTel have an equitable distribution of positions in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, our government must also contact the CRTC to insist that at least some of the hearings be held in the Northwest Territories and not just in the Yukon Territory. Mr. Speaker, later today, I will be addressing questions to the Minister responsible on this issue. Thank you.