Thank you very much, Madam Chair. The media was quick to pick up in the capital plan that there’s nothing for Yellowknife, and I’m glad.

---Laughter

Well, I’ve been at this table here for 10 years and finally the needs in the regions and communities have outstripped what’s going to be spent, most particularly for one fiscal year. But at the same time I’m not lost to the fact that inclusion of the Inuvik-Tuk highway has taken a lot of capital away from all regions. In fact, I think it’s like $70 million this coming fiscal year. So we have to keep in mind how many resources that takes away as we try to focus on the North.

At the same time, Members always say, well, it’s the first time we’ve seen this budget kind of approach. That’s not true and I think Mr. Premier pointed that out. We all work together on this budget. It’s a consensus-style government that we run. But it’s hard. It takes a long time for individual ridings or projects to come up. Sometimes regions get their special projects but you just have to be patient and hopefully eventually get yours, and I’m still waiting for mine, Madam Chair.

---Laughter

But it does take a lot of work. Most particularly I have been pounding on the table for Fort Simpson, to address the library concerns, and it’s finally made it in the budget but it took 10 years. So I thought I’d just share that with the Members. I’m pleased to see that.

As well, there are frustrations about ongoing projects such as the Trout Lake Airport. It should have had its opening this year but it may be deferred. But at the same time, we have to bear down and help manage these projects.

A stand-alone school in Trout Lake is a high priority for me and a high priority for the community of Trout Lake. We have some planning studies and hopefully we’ll work towards planning a new stand-alone school for Trout Lake.

Even though the bulk of the money is going to big projects, I’m pleased to see in Transportation that

chipseal got a little bit extra money. Most particularly, I’d like to speak about the section from Providence junction on Highway No. 1 towards Fort Simpson. I drove it several times this summer and it’s deteriorating, and we’ve had to come up with a plan to alleviate that. We don’t want to lose infrastructure that’s already there and turn it back into gravel is what I’m trying to say. So in my opening comments I would urge that we work towards that.

As well, in terms of highways, we’re also looking at some expenditure of Highway No. 1 from Fort Simpson to Wrigley that’s very, very much needed. It’s been neglected for years and years, and I’m pleased to see some expenditure in that area as we move towards our long-term goal of the Mackenzie Highway as a permanent highway.

Just with that, I’ll continue my job and work with committees and work with the Ministers, and advance the priorities of my riding and ridings of other Members, as well, as we work towards it. But at the same time, people cannot get everything all the time. Thank you, Madam Chair.