Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ferry services are a key piece of northern infrastructure. They connect communities, secure energy and food supply and other employment opportunities in some of the most remote locations in Canada. As a territory, we can be proud of our marine infrastructure and all we've accomplished with ferries and ice crossings.

The Abraham Francis ferry at the Peel River and the Louis Cardinal ferry in Tsiigehtchic is part of this infrastructure. It must be maintained until the ice crossing is safe for travel. Reliable ferry service stabilizes the cost of living in Delta communities, where prices are already extremely high. The cost of flying in groceries and other goods and services gets passed on to the consumers. Many of us remember the line-ups at the gas stations here in Yellowknife when the ferry at Fort Providence was out during one of its final years of operation. People were hoarding fuel, and one retailer even flew a large tank of gasoline across the river. Along with the Louis Cardinal, the ferry at the Peel River is a critical link in the LNG supply in Inuvik.

We like to think we can stockpile until the ice road opens, but the weather and timing can be unpredictable. We need the ferry service to ensure uninterrupted transportation of goods and services, especially fuel. If you live in one of the small communities served by the Abraham Francis or Louis Cardinal ferries, you rely on continued road access into Inuvik. It is unfair to ask people who have pre-existing medical conditions or expectant mothers to leave their homes and wait out freeze-up time for even longer than they already have to. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

--- Unanimous consent granted