Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I believe when we had recognized the clock yesterday and interrupted our discussion, the remarks directed at this particular item were quite critical. There are aspects of that I think are warranted. I would like to go on the record, Mr. Chairman, as speaking very strongly in favour of the initiative. I think it is one of those areas, one of those opportunities that comes along in the big picture and in the government's mandate to see when the timing is right, to see when the appetite is there, for a good, strong presentation and an aggressive presentation on a given issue. The potential that we have for hydro development in many sectors of the NWT is, I believe, one of the most promising, one of the most sustaining ventures that we could undertake in this Territory. This is something that I think will have a legacy that can last for decades.

I am speaking in favour and in support of this expenditure, this special warrant. The timing was right. We received some information from Mr. Voytilla yesterday that indicated who was brought into the picture here. With only a couple of exceptions here, who I do not know, I did have the opportunity, the experience and I would say the privilege of working with many of the people who are on this team when I was employed with the Power Corporation in the mid-1990's, Mr. Chairman.

This is a good group of people that was brought in in a hurry, but again, in recognition by the government that the timing and the appetite was right.

Mr. Chairman, there is one aspect which a number of my colleagues reflected on related to this and that is that of sole-sourced contracting without much recognition for what might be here in the NWT. While a number of aspects of this work was, I will certainly agree, quite specialized, I would very much like to leave a comment for the record that even where there are issues that can be deemed to be really exclusive and really specialized, that it is incumbent on government to make some kind of effort to bring in northern people, northern contractors -- perhaps in partnership or as associates -- so that we can transfer that knowledge and that skill and start building our own base of expertise here in the NWT.

This is the main criticism that I have of this particular area but I think in relation to the timing and the opportunity, this particular expenditure does merit support. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.