Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by sending greetings to my wife and children back home.
-- Applause
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It has been some time now since we first took part in our first session of the 13th Assembly. I believe that we have all tried to represent our constituencies as best we can. It seems, Mr. Speaker, that the people of the north look to the government for solutions to all our problems. Mr. Speaker, we need to get the message out to our constituents that we, as a government, can only try to provide the necessary tools to help them in their normal, day to day lives.
Mr. Speaker, governments have tried to be the body to deal with all our problems, and it has failed time after time. I am not saying that governments have failed at everything. We have had some successes. Mr. Speaker, the message the government needs to start sending is one that nobody likes to deal with and it is time that someone starts to address this. Mr. Speaker, we have heard that it is very important that a solid foundation is formed early in a child's life. As I have said earlier, as a government we can only try to help by providing the tools necessary in building this foundation. Mr. Speaker, we cannot make decisions in place of parents and family members. Indeed, we cannot make any individual do what they do not want to do, but we can help them in some of their daily decisions by providing information in a timely way.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to end by quoting from the Good Book, Proverbs 22, verse 6: "Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it." Mr.
Speaker, I know that what we do as a government is only policy and programs, but it is the message we send along with those that can help in day to day lives. Thank you.
-- Applause