Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I have to start by saying I somehow suspect and I wouldn’t expect that everybody completely appreciates my style, but I do hope that people listen to the words that I speak rather than look at the style that I present them in.

I want to say that I recognize that it’s a large piece of work here to consolidate these departments and I appreciate that. I think we were generally supportive of this and undoubtedly there are some kerfuffles that will be ironed out as we go here. I think it’s going to end up with some good efficiencies and the phrase that leaps out at me is stewardship over public funds. That’s what this department is really all about.

I see a net reduction of 10 percent and that’s probably not totally real given the $14 million loss in federal funding. So I don’t know exactly where this department really comes in. Next year we can start getting a good sense of that in a relative sense from year to year.

I see there are a lot of increases in different things. The Territorial Power Subsidy Program, of course, has been a concern to me and to many as it increases quite rapidly. I think, as a government, we’re wrestling on many different levels to deal with that situation. I’m looking forward to making some progress on that.

One thing that particularly caught my attention in the Minister’s opening remarks was ensuring that the Duty Travel Policy directives are clear, well understood and usable in order to properly control, monitor and report on GNWT travel. I have this brought up repeatedly from constituents as a concern and it’s a very difficult one. I appreciate that and I’d like to hear more about what the thinking is, how we can, indeed, finally get a handle on this and begin to actually control and manage it. Yes, if we can get a clear, transparent annual report out to the public, that will go a long ways in terms of our credibility with our public.

Leaping ahead through the comments to the reference to changes to our tax system that might advance our economic, social and environmental objectives. I think that’s something we need to do.

It, again, is a thorny undertaking but needs to be done. We have some short-term initiatives in place and undoubtedly we’ll be coming up with more. But I hope there’s also a longer-term strategy that’s got some critical analysis and thinking in it and it gets laid out and adopted, as well, during the life of this Assembly. Perhaps the Minister could comment on that potential.

Of course, devolution and resource revenue sharing is something we need to always be thinking about. I think most of us are on record with solid support for a heritage fund for the Northwest Territories. That’s all the general comments I have. Thank you.