Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to take this opportunity to highlight once again the issues related to the Con Mine workers who are facing a lay-off at the end of this month and next. I've been talking to many of them, Mr. Speaker, and they all certainly have different stories. Some of them have been lucky and have been spared from the lay-off because they have the seniority to keep their jobs for now. For others, they are actively seeking other employment opportunities within the city and surrounding areas. But there are quite a few of them who have decided to put their homes for sale and are preparing to leave town.

Mr. Speaker, I think it's important for us to know and understand deeply that this will be a profound loss for us in losing any of these workers from our community and territory. When one of them goes, the entire family will go and that means we'll lose their community and volunteer services; we'll lose their share of the tax base; we'll lose their share of the transfer payments we get from the federal government; we'll lose important human resources. Many of the spouses are nurses, for example, Mr. Speaker, and goodness knows we cannot afford to lose any of these nurses. The spouses of these workers are as important a human resource to us as the mine workers.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that this government has responded very well to various aspects of this issue, but a lot of work has yet to be done. We must be relentless in our efforts. There is no question, Mr. Speaker, of the importance of the government to work out a deal to see the transfer of the land to the Con Mine trailer park residents. But there's more, Mr. Speaker. The government must do all it can to train and retain the workers that are laid off. There's a lot of work that needs to be done at the mine site until it's closed and reclaimed, and these workers should be put to work at those positions. They're the ones who know the mine site inside and out, they know what's in there, they're trained and experienced in dealing with the hazardous materials on the surface and underground and these workers should be used before southern workers are brought up.

Mr. Speaker, this was asked by many when the Giant Mine shut down, but this did not happen. I believe we have an opportunity now to do this differently. This government must work closely with the company and regulatory body to work out a plan to employ as many laid-off workers as possible from the mine to work in all aspects of devolution, abandonment and reclamation of the site.

Mr. Speaker, many of these workers have given their life to this mine and this city and I believe they have earned the right to ask the government to do what is right and do everything they can so these people can continue to stay in the North and be a part of our community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause