Last response to the mid-term review, Mr. Chairman. It has been two years since you, my colleagues and myself, first set foot in this 13th Legislative Assembly. Over this time we have all grown into our roles, some more vocal than others, some like myself being rather silent in the House. But behind the doors, more vocal than anything, more productive. I have, over the last two years, provided a number of solutions to my constituents. Not through this House, but rather to discuss the problem with appropriate Ministers and the other staff members which has been proven to be successful in most cases for me. Over the last while we have had many decisions to make, hard decisions, with the most important getting our government financially sound. I know that we have all taken the heat from our constituents for the varieties of issues relating to the dollars that the government does not have. I think when we tell our residents that things are changing and the money is tight, they do not realize what we face when trying to get everything that we need. We have, however, taken this problem and have met it head on. Today we can say that there is a light at the end of tunnel. For this, we should thank the Premier and his Cabinet for the hard work they have done to guide us through these troubled waters.

Other problems with which we have dealt with are many, and again I would like to recognize the Premier and his Cabinet for their guidance. However, there are many areas that I feel that this government has come short to deliver. I would suggest that this government has not truly addressed the issue of transparencies. In some cases this is true. However, it rather depends on who the request is for and what the issue is. I would also suggest that this government has not provided what they have stated over and over again, that this is to provide an information highway for all the communities. The contractors have simply not provided the information or equipment to meet their own timetable. This area is very important for the outlying communities, which today does not have those important tools.

This government must look at their current policy for the request for proposals. This can, and I feel, has been a method that this government has used to ensure products and other services are purchased from one supplier. This takes away all the fairness and equity that the tendering process is to have. We are now talking about private/public partnerships. This again could be a rather dangerous process that could easily give the bigger businesses of the Northwest Territories and the south much more say and opportunities than what could happen to the smaller companies that do not have access to the money to enter into those types of arrangements.

When sitting here we have heard many announcements about the millions of dollars being injected into the economy and to provide training. However, I have not seen or heard these dollars are going into the communities. The work must go on out there, and very few are taking advantage of these dollars. This must be changed. This must change. I have not seen any new business start up in my area as a result of these added dollars. I feel that this government has come a long way to providing an efficient, organized spend-thrifty government. I would like to again, congratulate Members for this but must realize we cannot rely on big business to provide for our self-sufficiency.

At least a small business and ordinary members of this community that will make a difference must start small. Local businesses are the ones that will employ our residents to provide for a long term solution. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.