Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask a question to the Minister of RWED regarding the sole-source contract that has been discussed on several occasions in this House. It is not something I made comment on earlier. I do not have any companies in my riding that can handle a water bomber contract. However, I have listened to the Minister indicate and tell us that there is no one else in the North who can handle a water bomber contract. In all likelihood, if a contract went out to public tender, that it would go to probably a joint venture with an outfit from the south.

I would like to know, because I have been receiving correspondence from different companies in the North that indicate that they can handle it. I would like to know if he could tell me, was there an evaluation or an assessment done that allowed them to come to this conclusion that there is nobody else in the Northwest Territories that can handle it? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.