Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The intent of the Business Incentive Policy when it was created was always to support the creation and growth of a competitive business sector in the Northwest Territories. As I have said in the House before, this is probably one of the best policies the Government of the Northwest Territories ever created. The policy recognizes the additional costs that northern operators experience in the Northwest Territories, and what this policy does is allow businesses to adjust their bids by 20 percent versus southern bidders, and it leverages our government in our procurement...

As I have said, Mr. Chair, these SDL-holders that hold a significant amount of opportunity in the Northwest Territories are put into a spot right for you, as the Member from the Sahtu earlier said in his comments today, to attract investment into the Northwest Territories versus some of these other opportunities that lie globally. We are at a significant disadvantage, the way things are playing out globally. There are a lot of challenges around that industry.

Canada, as a whole, is having a problem attracting the oil and gas industry back to Canada as an investment opportunity, and we will...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Strong economies must encourage economic diversity and, while our economy relies on the resource sector as its foundation, our government has committed to fostering an economic environment where our residents can find success across a variety of sectors.

It is also this government's view that true economic diversity for the Northwest Territories also means getting the most out of secondary industries arising from our diamond sector, while also working to branch out and encourage the responsible development of new resources.

Through the life of this government, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It has been quite clear; we cannot change these existing SDLs that are already put into place. There would be significant litigation possibilities, as I have said to committee when we discussed this. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following four documents entitled "Petroleum Interests Held in the Northwest Territories by Strategic Oil And Gas Limited"; "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 705-18(3): Fort Simpson Ferry Service"; "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 710-18(3): Mackenzie Valley Highway Environmental Assessment Working Group"; and "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 732-18(3): Dredging in Hay River." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. All Members in this House know how critical the importance of the mineral sector is to our economy, and I have been out there promoting this sector, trying to bring back the investment that was gone since the 2008 crash. We are out there promoting the Northwest Territories of our economic viability and our engagement with Indigenous governments. We have been to PDAC. We have been to Roundup, and all of these great things, promoting the Northwest Territories. In those discussions, the juniors have told us quite clearly that access to cash for exploration projects...

We have a lot of environmental regulations in place that the developer would have to follow if they were going to dispose of this building. They are going to have to deal with the City of Yellowknife, I suspect, around municipal waste disposal bylaw requirements. There are a number of environmental issues that would have to be taken into consideration on their side as well as probably ours and the City of Yellowknife if this building was to be ripped down.

Yes. It does cost more to truck the fuel versus moving it by rail. However, Imperial Oil has stepped up to the plate on this. They have told us that they will pay the extra costs for transporting the fuel. They will also move the fuel by truck and will manage the transportation. The Government of the Northwest Territories will only be paying for the original rail rates for the fuel supplied to the Government of the Northwest Territories for 2019 barge season. There is no impact on the price of fuel in the communities that are served by the Government of the Northwest Territories through the...

As we have updated the House last week, we know the rail line is down with the bridge burning down at Steen River and a number of the rails are being warped. That work is being performed. As I have said, we are working with the trucking companies to bring petroleum products to Hay River. The department is in daily communication with our fuel supplier, Imperial Oil, regarding the impact of the recent interruption of rail services to the Northwest Territories. Imperial Oil is working closely with CN, with the trucking companies, and with their customers to maintain the supply of fuel into the...

Customers ship goods at their own expense and their own risk. MTS offers and encourages customers to take out insurance on their shipments, and we encourage that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.