Thank you, Mr. Chair. When I ran to represent the people of Kam Lake, one of my commitments was to advocate for new infrastructure investment in all of our northern communities. At that time, I called for $24 million to be invested in community public infrastructure over a four-year period. Each capital budget, I recommended this funding be allocated to our municipalities.

Unfortunately, apart from an additional $2 million, $2 million in additional funding, there has not been much change in GNWT capital budgets, and communities remain under-funded to the tune of more than $30 million. This budget is no different, sadly, while investing in many worthy projects, and does nothing to contribute to the shortfall in municipal infrastructure funding.

Mr. Chair, after four years, I cannot accept that long-awaited action plans and strategies will solve a problem that only cash can fix. Our communities are tired of waiting for this government to live up to its own funding commitments and its own funding formula. This additional resource will create jobs, drive economic growth, and prevent local governments from raising taxes or reducing services for their residents. This budget is the last opportunity to invest in community infrastructure, and without any increases to CPI funding, I cannot support it on principle. Northerners expect their governments to live up to their commitments and keep their promises. This is our own community funding formula. This is no one else's. The fact that it remains, that this gap has not been plugged over our time in office, is unacceptable to me and unacceptable to my constituents.

The Minister knows he has the votes to pass this capital plan, but I will not be one of them. Thank you, Mr. Chair.