Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in light of Minister Steen's statement today, I would like to say something about the highway toll legislation that we have been reviewing for the last number of months.

Mr. Speaker, I must say that I am alarmed by the red herring included in the Minister's statement, which says that if we do not agree with another tax initiative that we may have to contemplate cuts in programs and services in health and education. I do not believe that is necessary.

Mr. Speaker, I think the government has to be made fully aware that there is absolutely no tax base in a jurisdiction with a population of 40,000 people. We simply cannot draw blood from stone.

Mr. Speaker, everyone agrees that the cost of living is already too high. The cost of fuel has created a great hardship not only for the residents of Yellowknife but for residents all over the Territories. Any kind of taxation on the road will result in increased costs for gas for the trucks or vehicles and increased costs of building homes. I have already received complaints from constituents who are saying that the rent is going up. Airfares have already gone up and there is no guarantee that groceries and all essential items will not go up as well. I think simply that the message we have been hearing is we just cannot take it any more.

Mr. Speaker, the government has been saying that the tax credit will address this. In my opinion, no tax credit could make up for the cost of living that would be incurred by any kind of taxation. Any tax credit that the government would introduce would only make up for the loss from a number of years that we have gone without a cost of living credit, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the government should also realize that any increase in cost as a result of a highway toll would make the government the biggest loser. Just this year, just in this supplementary appropriation in this session, the government is asking for $2.7 million extra dollars to make up for the cost of fuel. This is not including some $30 million that the government is already paying for the fuel.

Mr. Speaker, any kind of highway taxation will send the wrong message to the resource industry, which is already paying upwards of $6 million...