The budget, as I’ve been reading it and picking up, doing some selective listening in terms of what I want to hear and how I see this affecting the North. The communities that I represent would have to wait to give an overall report. I’d have to wait to see where, in general, when it talks about specific expenditures in the Northwest Territories, there are some general statements made in the budget which I think the Minister has been listening to us. It’s very good. It’s a good, well-thought-out budget in terms of, as he noted, that there’s global economic turmoil happening across this great land here and that we

are somewhat reactive to. But I see ourselves, as the Legislature as a whole, we are taking not so much a reactive position, we’re more positive in dealing with the issue at hand.

Mr. Chairman, the issue I do have, and some comments I heard, is that some of the issues we deal with in our region, being isolated, in terms of programs, our services that make sense or could make sense and then not knowing what the impact would be, because most of what I’m hearing, some of the expenditures that are going to be in areas that make sense to the government in terms of the boiler system in some of the large centres. They’re going to experience that and have that. If there are areas where there’s a high cost of living and we acknowledge it and we want to do something about it, I believe the government and the Minister is looking at the area in terms of how do we reduce the cost of living in some of our more isolated communities. We’re not served on a highway system. All our products, all our supplies, materials, all have to be flown in. In my region we rely on a diesel energy source of power. Those are very expensive.

I guess, Mr. Chairman, when you look at the whole, overall, in terms of some regions have hydro, some have got some projects going on there, some have biomass initiatives going on there. They have all these things that pile up. For whatever reason, how they come to that conclusion needs to be discussed in here and see if we can have that in our region also. Hydro is very cheap in the southern communities of the Northwest Territories; very cheap. So why not, with some of the communities that we’re paying high costs of energy, have some of those programs, some of those initiatives refocused in our communities.

That’s what they mean by the “devil’s in the details,” on infrastructure spending, on spending in the communities, treatment plants, a lot of treatment plants, hydro initiatives, transportation infrastructure needs.

Mr. Chairman, if you were to take $50, spend it here in Yellowknife or some other community, down in Smith or Hay River, if you take $50 and spend it in Colville Lake or Good Hope or Deline, you would get two different types of returns. We are expected in the Sahtu to live within those means. When we come here people really appreciate the stores here because of the low cost and how they can get the extra supplies they need in their communities. When you come to those communities that have to fly in their groceries, sometimes once a week if the weather is cooperating, if not then you have to wait until next week. When you have to pay $21 for 10 pounds of potatoes in my community and look at what you have to pay here, this is where we have to really look at. Some communities in the North, for

whatever reason, are not receiving much attention. I’m certain, and I’ll probably get a reply from the government in terms of what they’re doing in some of our communities, but I think just from hearing and reading what’s before me in the budget address, I think some of these things need to be discussed further.

Mr. Chairman, the Minister has certainly prepared his notes and, like any other Finance Minister in Canada, is uncertain as to how the economic turmoil, the economic crisis is going to be dealt with in North America. For me, I feel very confident with his vision, the way they’re going with it. I’m not agreeing with some of the things to where you’re putting some of the projects, but I think you’re doing a pretty good job. He’s telling people in the Northwest Territories this is what we have and this is what we have to deal with.

This budget is a relationship with the federal government in terms of the type of dollars they give to the Northwest Territories. They tell us here’s $1.3 billion, go govern yourselves, go spend it where you think it’s most needed. I think a lot has to do with our relationship with the federal government in terms of how do we get them to look at this government as a partner in Confederation. But that’s at another table. I think the reality is that we have...I think the Ministers have certainly taken some of our views to heart and they’ve certainly had some good discussions as to how do we live through this economic crisis in the next couple of years to see how much we can benefit our communities. Again, it’s a difference of opinions as to where the funding should be spent and who needs it more, community A or community B. We put them in a difficult position, but we’re also here to see if we can better our communities.

There are other points I want to make but I think that when I look at this, the overall picture, I’m going to be asking throughout the budget on how it’s going to impact the communities that I represent, how it’s going to impact the quality of life that I represent, and if it’s going to make a difference in my riding in terms of having this budget being passed. I look forward to a healthy, passionate discussion. I’m going to look at the geographical expenditures on some of the programs.

Some of the things I like in the budget. I like what the Minister has put together with his other Ministers. I certainly know he’s listening because now he’s looking at the plastic bags. That means a lot to the people in our region in terms of dealing with the plastic bags. It’s a small one but it’s a big thing when you look at the environment. I know the Minister is going to continue to take notes as we have some discussions, and certainly I wanted to thank the Minister for his hard work in this budget

here. I know he put down some decisions that I may not agree with, but that’s up for discussion and I look forward to a healthy debate on the main estimates as we go through this. Thank you.