Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm pleased to recognize Dr. David Malcolm, the executive director for the Arctic Energy Alliance,...

---Applause

and a man who recently saw the light and just moved to Weledeh. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to introduce Mr. Darrin Guinan and a local business man, Mr. Gord Humphries, up in the gallery. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize Ms. Pauline DeHaan, the communications coordinator for the Arctic Energy Alliance. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Villeneuve.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I don't know if he's still there, but I'd like to recognize the federal Conservative Party rep for the NWT, a past chief and the original constituent of Tu Nedhe, Rick Edjericon. He was up there, but I don't think he's there now.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Again, I can't see if he's there, but I know that Mr. Jim Lynn, a parent, one of the affected parents of the Territorial Treatment Centre decision, was going to join us in the Assembly this afternoon. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize the leaders from the Akaitcho Territory: Rick Edjericon, Peter Liske and Mr. Crookedhand. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

---Laughter

Oh, you had me worried there for a while, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize Paul T'seleie, elected council member from the charter community of Good Hope. I'd also like to recognize Chief Peter Liske and Rick Edjericon. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we've missed anybody in the gallery today, welcome to the Legislative Assembly. It's always nice to have an audience present. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today, I know that all the Members were talking about energy, and it's very important, but there's an issue in my riding that's far more important and pressing than stranded gas. It's stranded residents there, Mr. Speaker. The residents have been given notice that the ferry may shut down for the season beginning tonight. Residents are extremely concerned, as there's not enough notice to get in their last minute supplies. So I'd like to ask the Minister if there's truth to the fact that the ferry at the Liard River crossing will be closed today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct. The department was given notice that the contractor would not be able to provide service as of sometime tonight. It was not notice that was really sufficient enough for us to provide advance notice. We have put the word out in the communities, to Wrigley and Fort Simpson, and we're trying to advise the general public that there will be a disruption of service. We are not in a position, right now, to confirm whether the service will be halted for the season, or on a temporary basis, and we will be making that decision later on today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The concern, of course, is from the community of Wrigley, as well, who hasn't finished their fuelling resupply, and they may, in fact, run out of fuel for the freeze-up season, and that's an extreme concern. It's too bad the federal government didn't rule that an essential service, because it would have prevented the situation as it is, where a community and the residents and the whole fabric of the community could be shut down. So once again, if this government says there will be a disruption of service, can you assure the public and the communities that there will be some type of continuation of service? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are trying to do an analysis of the urgency to have some winter supply brought in. We are contacting the communities. We are contacting some of the larger facilities to see how many organizations, how many companies, will be left in a situation without supply, whether it's food, or whether it's fuel or propane. So we will be compiling that information today. We are doing that currently, as we speak. We will be getting together with some of my Cabinet colleagues to discuss some of the options that are coming forward as to what we can do for the short term, and also to discuss this whole situation on a longer term basis. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It's a huge thing to the communities of Fort Simpson and Wrigley to be shutting down the ferry and actually closing it for the season, because the resupplies haven't been finished. Some people have propane tanks at 10 percent level, and it just won't last the six or eight weeks, Mr. Speaker. So once again, if the Minister can tell me what strategy they have in place to provide continuation of service with regard to the disruption of the ferry service there, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. McLeod.