Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is nothing in the proposed budget, and that is what we are dealing with in this session. It encourages me that this government recognizes the
desperate state of many people in the Northwest Territories who see no economic future for themselves, other than continued dependence on government, Mr. Speaker, people need work. Work is created when there is investment. The climate for investment has to be created. The words in the budget, "that we are open for business" are hollow words, unless they are accompanied by concrete actions.
There is nothing in this budget which tells the business community in what way the Northwest Territories is really open for business.
Ever since we chose Madam Premier as our leader, Mr. Speaker, I have been more and more convinced that we are continuing to fall into the trap, the only future we have in the Northwest Territories is oil and gas, and mining.
I represent a constituency in a mining community, Mr. Speaker. I am aware of the tremendous impact that mining has had on our economy. For the Northwest Territories, mining, oil and gas may provide some revenues for governments. It may make us richer as a government, but what does it do for the dignity of people, that want to see a future. Where work will continue from generation to generation, even after the renewable resources have gone.
Mr. Speaker, our government seems to believe that oil, gas, and mining is the only real option for us to have. That simply perpetuates the view that the federal government and provincial governments have had for a very long time now, that the north is just a huge warehouse of minerals which will continue to feed the south and meet metropolitan interests.
We should be more concerned with getting a balanced economy, where everybody in the Northwest Territories can see an economic future for themselves, not simply a bit more revenue for a government to provide services, which, I agree, everybody needs to have, but really does not provide dignity for people who know that they have work and that it is going to last a long time. Thank you.