Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I just want to say, in listening to the movers’ comments, that it’s unfair to say that this government does not care and this government is not standing up for the people of the Northwest Territories. While it makes for good theatre, it’s not exactly what this government does. I think we’ve proven that we look after the interests of the people of the Northwest Territories and to say otherwise, to me, is untrue.

I would like to say that some of the comments that were made were very good comments. Ms. Bisaro’s comments about it’s mostly a Yellowknife issue, Mr. Bromley mentioned the same thing, and it really is, because I’ve heard the concerns that prices here haven’t changed for the last 18 months. In many of our communities out there the prices do fluctuate a bit, so if they get a fairly good deal on the fuel, the prices may be adjusted accordingly. I know through our petroleum products division, when they get a good deal on fuel bringing it into the communities,

the prices are adjusted accordingly. We do look after the interests of the people of the Northwest Territories and we all agree, as Mr. Blake said, some of the communities further north would love to pay some of the prices that we have down here. However, as Mr. Dolynny said, it’s a free market enterprise and prices are set on getting the product to the fuel stations.

There are a lot of good comments there. I think the motion asks us to investigate and evaluate and that’s what we’re going to do. This is a motion that provides direction to Cabinet. We will be abstaining from the vote. However, I want to make it quite clear that for anybody to suggest that this government doesn’t care about the people of the Northwest Territories I think is completely wrong.