Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the large debt of the past will have to be paid for over the life of the 13th Assembly. The MLA's of the 13th Assembly have inherited an unlucky number and task. When I review some of the potential $100,000,000 in cuts that we have announced that will have to be done over the next 12 months, I get sick to my stomach.
I was not elected to inflict pain on my constituents, my friends, my neighbours, my family, but I do realize that we have to take the pain now so that our children will not pay in the future for said large debt.
My Speaker, I have only been home four days since September 16th. I will not get home to my family before November 1st. It is very difficult to concentrate at the job at hand, when you worry about your wife, and family. While, I was elected to do this job and I have done the best that I could have, even though some hon. colleagues prefer that I would not ask any questions, or wear funny shirts. Well, it also comes with this territory.
Over the next two weeks as we review the business plans of this government and reflect on what we will be doing, I want to assure my constituents and the people of the Northwest Territories that this work is not taken lightly by any Member, and for the two people who came to see me last night at my apartment I understand your frustration, and concern, as I said before, when Mike Harris lays off 30,000 people in Ontario he does not know them, he does not see them everyday like this Assembly does. When I shop at The Bay and buy my groceries I see the affected people. We as MLA's see these people, they are our friends, relatives, and neighbours.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to seeing my family and relatives when I return home finally on the 1st of November. The soul searching will continue, Mr. Speaker, but we cannot micro-manage the budget or cuts, but we can, at least, reflect and adjust our plans to take into account the logistic and administrative realities of the day. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.