Thank you. New Brunswick updated their plates and gave people the option if you wanted a new style plate you could pay the fee and take the new plate.

Mr. Speaker, a couple of years ago the government wisely listened to the ideas that came from this side of the House about upgrading drivers’ licences and they didn’t pass on an additional fee when they modernized the territorial driver’s licence. Mr. Speaker, this can’t be viewed as any more than nickeling and diming the average northern resident when the cost of living continues to be an issue.

Finally, if they needed the money and felt that the $80 fee was not substantial enough to cover the normal costs of registering your vehicle, why wasn’t that publicly debated and explained why the whole fee is inappropriate and they’re just going to add on a $10 extra fee to cover the licence plates? So, Mr. Speaker, I think the real question is, is the fee the problem, the whole registration fee, and why isn’t that fairly publicly debated by our Finance Minister who would bring it forward in the next type of budget? Why wasn’t it addressed as a package as opposed to let’s nickel and dime people one at a time? Thank you.