Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, am concerned about the current process used to identify projects. As I understand the ranking criteria, Mr. Speaker, the priorities are not seen to consider the needs of the small communities of the North. These criteria, especially the protection of people, may lead to projects from larger centres being placed before the needs of smaller communities. We need a more balanced approach to capital investment, Mr. Speaker. The government needs to establish a mechanism for meeting community involvement in the planning process, not just for local planning but for regional and territorial planning needs as well. The government also needs to ensure there is sufficient capital money to allocate the projects in smaller communities, even if it means not spending on mega projects such as territorial facilities that are not located in the smaller communities. There needs to be a mechanism set aside for the capital budget to meet the needs of the smaller communities based on planning criteria that is meaningful to their needs. I believe the government needs to make some changes to the ranking criteria for capital projects. The criteria should be simple and easily understood. It's not enough to just have a process either, Mr. Speaker. When decisions are made, it must be seen by all. Mr. Speaker, decisions on which capital projects get funded cannot be made behind closed doors with no explanation to the communities nor to the standing committees to justify those decisions. The government should be prepared to provide information about capital needs and the way priorities are assigned to projects. They should be prepared to report back to the municipal governments about the results of their input. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause