Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I today would also like to express my concern over the government's decision not to allow ordinary Members to participate in the implementation of Strength at Two Levels. Despite the intention of more open government and agreement to greater participation and involvement of the ordinary Members, I am disappointed that the government is now only asking for our involvement after all the planning appears to have been completed.
Mr. Speaker, it is our intention, as I had indicated to this House yesterday, that it is necessary to go page by page through the Strength at Two Levels report because of the fact that we were never asked in public discussion for our opinion on Strength at Two Levels, and the remarks of "300 more pages to go" is a reality, and it is not appreciated by the Members. It just reflects your attitude on wanting to listen to us.
Mr. Speaker, the government appears to be using the Strength at Two Levels report as the basis for changes to government. We feel we are part of the Legislative Assembly, which should be giving direction to government, and we do not appreciate that the proposed changes in the document Reshaping Northern Government does not allow our involvement. It appears that decisions have been made, significant decisions, that my constituents have to live with and many territorial residents have to live with, in isolation. If this government feels they want these decisions to be made with rubber-stamping from MLAs, I will let them know that I have never been a politician to rubber-stamp anything that has been proposed by bureaucrats. Thank you.