Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d like to thank the Speaker for his opening comments. I believe that the operations of the Legislative Assembly are probably second to none in terms of professionalism and the support that Members get in the work that we do on behalf of our constituents. So I would like to thank not just the Speaker, but the Legislative Assembly staff for all of their help and assistance in the day-to-day operations that we are involved in here.
We have a wonderful opportunity to do things that are trend-setting and that are leading by example. I think that the initiatives that were announced in the Speaker’s opening comments today were certainly in that category. People out there may not know it, but we work long hours here. Sometimes in the winter we come to work in the morning, it’s dark outside and we go home late at night and it’s dark outside. The work is in a strange way, it’s very taxing. One of the occupational hazards I think of being in politics is that we look forward to those breaks and some of those choices and beverages and so on that maybe aren’t all that healthy. I know it seems like a small thing to Drop the Pop, but I think it will help Members in a way, a strange kind of a way, to help us make healthier choices. Because there is an inclination and certainly an ability when you get here working those kinds of hours, being confined in the building, I think sometimes we just consume too many things. We consume too many soft drinks, too much coffee and sometimes too much food.
Mr. Chairman, the environmentally sensitive initiatives that are also being spoken of here today in the opening comments are also very, very welcome. I hope that we will be the first Legislative Assembly on some of these initiatives that we will undertake in the country and it will be noted throughout the land, the efforts that we are making
to respect our environment and be good stewards of our environment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.