Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Living in small and remote communities within the Northwest Territories is a unique experience. It is becoming even more of a unique experience as we watch the cost of living rise, far outstripping increases in income. Over the last two years, there has been a drastic increase in the cost of fuels used to heat our homes, run our vehicles and supply electricity.
We have heard from my colleague for Yellowknife South that through the Consumer Price Index, he has learned that the cost of heating fuel in Yellowknife increased by 61 percent over two years. Gasoline increased by 25 percent and propane increased by over two and a half times.
Whatever the effects of rising costs of energy are in the large centres, Mr. Speaker, the effects on remote and smaller communities are even more adverse.
The NWT Bureau of Statistics uses the term 'living cost differential' to give an idea of the cost of living in northern communities as compared to the city of Edmonton. Mr. Speaker, the city of Edmonton is given the base number of 100. For 1997, the living cost differential for Inuvik was 155 to 160. This can be simplified to indicate that what costs $100 in Edmonton costs $155 to $160 in Inuvik. An example, auto fuel price in Inuvik is $1.04 per litre, and that was just before travelling down here to Yellowknife, Mr. Speaker, when I had the opportunity of filling up my vehicle.
Further, the more remote the community is, the greater the cost of living is. For example, the living cost differential for Colville Lake was $210, Holman was $175 and Paulatuk and Sachs Harbour both came in at $180. The highest cost of living differentials in the Fort Smith region were Lutselk'e and Rae Lakes at $150. Looking at larger centres, we find Yellowknife was $120, Hay River was $125, and Fort Smith $130.
Mr. Speaker, the general trend is that the smaller and more remote communities, the higher the cost of living. What further compounds the situation is that using... Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.