Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Madam Chairperson, in the sessional statement by the Premier, it is very difficult to have contradictory statements towards it, because it is a lot of motherhood and apple pie. But, after saying that, when we talk about the sessional speech, on page two, he speaks about the great progress in creating job opportunities and improving economic conditions. It all centres around BHP and the diamonds. That is great for this area of the territories. But for Fort Smith, Inuvik, and for Iqaluit and Baker Lake, and other communities, there is not much in the way of economic activity occurring. I think that we should refocus our energies on other parts of the territories to look at that.

On the social conditions, we have to work out a strategy where we can start building more social housing units. We are selling off all the staff house units, and we are trying to get out of leases. But we are still short 70 units, and we are having to rent at exorbitant prices, units for social housing people. I think our money could be better put into having our own assets. Because if the government owns the asset, it is a benefit to us, and not to the people that we are renting and leasing from. So I would like the Premier to look at those two areas. I think, as a government, we have to look at the broader perspective, that, yes, it is great to have diamonds and gold, but in some areas of this territory, we only have rock and more rocks. And they are not lucrative rocks. So we have to find some type of economic stimulus for these areas.

In another area, we talked about building a foundation for the future and the agenda for change on page four of the Premier's Sessional Statement. Some of those things that we have been doing to pen priorities are correct. Most of us, in consensus, agreed to them. But all members did not agree to all things, and in this consensus government situation with the new committee system, I think MLAs are having a better opportunity for input, but, I think, we still have a long way to go. The three main points addressed by the Premier on page five were to establish two viable territories and to improve the economic conditions and to address the social conditions. I would have tried to put those two up in front, because with improved economic and social conditions, we will have two viable territories. We have to start getting our focus, as Mr. Todd has said, to get away from the deficit, we are on a deficit scheme and that is going very well. Now it is time to get back into creating the social and economic change that will benefit all of our people.

The main priority of any person that sits in this House, is legislation. Legislation, because we are legislators. Legislation that will enable and enhance and help the people of the Northwest Territories. Maybe in the Premier's sessional speech, we could have talked about some of the upcoming bills, and other good things that are going to come out of this government. In some areas of this territory where there is not economic activity occurring, people want to see this. A lot of our staff right now are demoralized, and for good reason. But no one likes change, and hard change is very difficult to accomplish. But I do think that we have to continue to provide the checks and balances and maybe the Premier would tell us a little bit about his plans for economic renewal and social conditions and other things that he mentioned in this sessional speech, other than this great BHP project that will certainly create money into the consolidated revenue fund of the government, but will not address a lot of the needs that we still see in the farther reaches of our territory. Thank you, Madam Chair.