Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise in this House today to congratulate the first duly-elected leader of the Conservative Party of Canada: Mr. Stephen Harper. The other candidates, Ms. Belinda Stronach and Mr. Tony Clement, should also be recognized for putting themselves forward to challenge for this important function in the new Conservative Party's short history.

I will be inviting Mr. Harper to visit the North in the near future so that we can learn and understand how a Conservative government under Mr. Harper would treat northern Canada and the Northwest Territories in particular. On Saturday, Conservatives from across the country voted on the united right in trying to put an end to Paul Martin and his Liberal Government's scandalous decade-old regime. Canadians and Northerners alike are getting tired of the arrogance, corruption and waste coming out of Ottawa.

Mr. Speaker, with the election of Mr. Harper, Canadians and northerners will finally have an alternative to the Liberals, and taxpayers from across the country should rejoice. I would like to wish the recently minted Western Arctic Riding Association and their executive the best of luck in finding a candidate for the riding in the upcoming federal election. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause