Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to add my voice today to supporting the construction of an all-weather road down the Mackenzie Valley. I support the construction of the highway for many reasons. It will connect communities which will foster closer ties to families. It will undoubtedly lower the obscene cost of living in communities down the valley. It will create numerous jobs and economic activity at a time when we need it the most. It will give tourism in the Northwest Territories a solid shot in the arm. The road traffic will bring economic benefits to small communities along the route.

How can this highway get built, Mr. Speaker? It is going to take a partnership between the federal government, our territorial government and aboriginal governments in the MAC group to get this done.

The Prime Minister often states the importance of Arctic sovereignty, nation building and the importance of the NWT to the future of the Canadian economy. It is time the federal government stepped up to the plate. Our government has to lessen its shotgun approach to infrastructure. A bridge here, chipseal here, is not the approach we need right now to take to Canada. Yes, we have many infrastructure needs across this country, but we need to have focus and resolve in order to get the federal government to agree to such a large-scale infrastructure project.

I personally want to be actively involved in helping the MAC group, our government and the federal government to advance the construction of this highway. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank those people who live in the Mackenzie Valley communities for all of their patience, and also thank you to Cece McCauley and her group of Women

Warriors for all of their support and hard work in this initiative. Hopefully sooner rather than later this much needed roadway will become a reality for those residents down the Mackenzie Valley.

Mr. Speaker, our Prime Minister, Mr. Harper, and his government have an opportunity to go down in history as a government and a Prime Minister with a vision for the North and do their good for building this country of ours, Canada, to be all that it can be. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.