Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak today about an issue that I previously brought up in this House on numerous occasions. Mr. Speaker, the issue is the new Mackenzie Valley pipeline office, which is to be located in Hay River. Last May, a supplementary appropriation of $850,000 came forward for the start-up of this much needed office. Today is March 7th; nine months later and still no office. The government, in my mind, is lacking some foresight, leadership and seems to be letting bureaucracy get in the way of finally opening up this office.

As Regular Members, we have still not heard specifically which positions, government-wide, are dedicated to the pipeline project. To me, Mr. Speaker, it seems like they are asleep at the switch. This office should have been opened two years ago. Here we are, scrambling around, trying to piece together an effective office. This project, and its importance to the territory, cannot and should not be comprised by the slow pace of government. It is an $8 million project and I have to wonder if we are doing enough as a government to address this.

Getting back to the supplementary appropriation for $850,000 that was approved last May, Regular Members who approved that supplementary appropriation were under the impression that the office would be opened and the bulk of the $850,000 would go towards salaries. Here we are, again today, with no office and if the department did not have the positions, what was the $850,000 spent on?

I have some obvious concerns about how information is currently being shared amongst departments with regard to the pipeline development and its potential impact on communities throughout the Northwest Territories. Where is the government-wide coordination amongst departments to see this project along? Coordination was a catch phrase one year ago while Members were here and, as politicians, we addressed that concern immediately with the formation of a joint committee on the Mackenzie Valley pipeline. However, the coordination from a bureaucratic level is still light years behind where it needs to be. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause