Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I too would like to highlight and recognize the Quit and Win contest. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to speak on it today because when I first heard it, I thought that it was such a great idea, and I think by all accounts, it has been a huge success. I think everybody has heard about it, and their goal was to entice 3 percent of the smoking population at about 400. Now at 550, they have very well surpassed that.
Mr. Speaker, I think the biggest thing coming out of this contest is highlighting the serious problem of smoking in the North and having a centre point on which everybody could talk about it and the educators and the organizers could disseminate information to the public about the smoking and the dangers of it.
Mr. Speaker, I must say that I have a soft spot for Mr. Braden. I know he is going through a hard time. I have spoken about this in the House. I have been known to fall off the wagon on this terrible addiction, so I would like to wish him good luck. I think we should point out to the public that we have a very exemplary crowd in this House in terms of smoking. I do not know if the general public knows, but almost nobody smokes in this House. With Mr. Braden now on the wagon, and I do not know if anybody knows where Mr. McLeod, I hope he doesn't mind me mentioning it, he has quit smoking...
-- Applause
...at the urging of his family and his daughters, so we have much, much lower than general population. I could say that almost no one smokes here, although some of us do it on a part-time basis.
-- Laughter
Mr. Speaker, on a serious note, I think that 42 percent of people smoking in the North is very serious and I am very concerned about especially the women and youth who smoke, especially while they are pregnant. Some women and the more younger and younger ages, are smoking, so I really would like to commend the efforts of the organizers for doing this. Also, I would like to recognize the major corporate sponsors, such as Mack Travel, Canadian North, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, and Paramount Resources. As well, I would like to recognize Sharon Firth, who I think is making a great effort and making a great deal of difference with this effort. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
-- Applause