Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a few general comments on Bill 6, National Aboriginal Day Act. I am certainly in favour of it and I have heard from a lot of my constituents who also support the creation of this statutory holiday on June 21st. I also would like to acknowledge the work of Mr. Krutko, who was the impetus for this. He can take responsibility for this getting to the stage that it is at currently.

The one concern that was raised a few times with me, specifically with local business people, was the concern that Mr. Dent has referred to, that in fact there will be a significant public and private sector cost to adding another statutory holiday. The suggestion was made that possibly we could substitute a holiday that was not a federal holiday, such as the long weekend in August, which may not have a lot of meaning to many folks and create National Aboriginal Day on June 21st and eliminate the long weekend in August. I did make this proposal at the committee stage and proposed an amendment. It did not get past the committee stage in that forum and I do not imagine, after polling my colleagues here today, there is the willingness to move on this amendment. So I will not be making it today, Mr. Chairman.

However, I would like to say that although the public and private sector costs will be significant and I would have liked to have seen us eliminate one of the other holidays, I still think it is important to go forward with this and create National Aboriginal Day on the 21st, even if it means adding another statutory holiday. I think we are now in that process and I am glad to see that we are following it through.

Again, I would like to thank Mr. Krutko for his work in getting this going. Thank you.