Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it has been a long six weeks. Mr. Speaker, I came here six weeks ago with many concerns. From my perspective, we have made progress.

There were issues around communication and how consensus government is working. We have

embarked on a process to bring more clarity to how we communicate and work together. As I’ve shared in the House before, consensus government has many good aspects, but there are also some anomalies that undermine the spirit and intent of consensus. Some of these are processes and some are entrenched conventions or attitudes, but we look forward to more work and dialogue on this as we collectively consider the principles of consensus government.

I came here with very serious concerns about the direction of the proposed changes to the Supplementary Health Benefits Program and the impact of these changes on seniors, persons with disabilities and those families who have members with chronic health conditions. Those proposed changes are being taken back to the drawing board for further analysis and consideration and that is a good thing.

I came here with many concerns around the direction of the Board Reform Initiative. This is another initiative that created a lot of concern and input from the public, which is a good thing. The input is a good thing and that is active democracy. Again, the approach to board reform, I believe, has been altered to not throw out the fundamental of looking for efficiencies, but a more consultative, bottom-up, as opposed to top-down, incremental approach to potential changes.

I came here with serious concerns about our government’s approach to the unsolicited proposal for the NTPC merger with ATCO. I am reasonably assured that the sequencing and this review, along with several others related to the supply of affordable and reliable energy to our residents, will progress with involvement from Regular MLAs and the public. I look forward to the results of these reviews.

Some disappointments are related to the fact that I don’t think we found any really tangible initiatives on behalf of northern residents and of businesses to address the cost of living and the conditions of these economic times, but there is still time for those and it is not too late.

I would tell you that I am somewhat disappointed with the lack of enthusiasm from the other side with respect to the milk subsidy and the return of the housing subsidy from ECE to NWT Housing Corporation, but I do sense that the door is not completely closed on those as well.

Some have referred to the interaction between Cabinet and Regular Members in a negative context. I see this tension and the back and forth as a necessary reality...

I would like to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement, Mr. Speaker.

---Unanimous consent granted