Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank Mr. Yakeleya for allowing me to work with him on this particular initiative. I couldn’t agree with him more. The design was to ensure we got healthy food to people in regions that were unable to access healthy foods, perishable foods. The fact is this isn’t being accomplished under the present design and I couldn’t agree with Member Yakeleya any more than we are now.

I want to acknowledge the lead played by the Yukon MLAs and certainly the Nunavut Legislature. Although I can’t speak to who is pushing this issue in the Yukon, I can acknowledge Ron Elliott, MLA in the Nunavut Legislature who has been working hard on this one, pushing and demanding more credibility and integrity in the system.

Mr. Speaker, asking for a performance audit is ensuring that the quality of work is being done, and the fact is I’m unsure that it will prove that in the sense that the facts will prove themselves to show

that good food, nutritious food is not being delivered in the proper mode as being requested.

The idea, of course, is we all know very well to subsidize this type of food, whether it’s through the airlines or mail system to get it to the people. The fact is, this is not the case. It’s being left in the hands of those delivering it. The question is: Is that accountability there? I question that at first blush. I’m not an accountant or an auditor, but I think that’s the question that we need to ask today.

This motion drives that focus. Will it be scrutinized with the end result in mind? Scrutinized in the manner of saying are we ensuring that this type of food getting there delivered at the cheapest cost?

There has been many times I’ve heard over the years that people have shipped non-food items under the Food Mail Program. Does that continue to be a problem under Nutritious North? An audit process will raise that question. An audit process will dive into that question. Finally, Mr. Speaker, an audit process will solve that question and ensure that those checks and balances are put in place.

Did a new program help? I actually think it did the reverse. I think it’s drawn away from the results we were shooting for, to ensure fresh and nutritious food was provided to the people in the communities.

Again, I want to thank Member Yakeleya for bringing this issue forward. The very least that can be done here today is this whole Assembly stands up, puts this question to the Auditor General of Canada who has the skills, ability and integrity to tie this together, and ask is this program working as was desired. I can tell you I don’t believe it is, but let’s put it to the right people who can demonstrate that for a fact. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.