Mr. Speaker, later today, I will be tabling the Mandate of the GNWT 2019-2023. The mandate will guide our actions as a government and serve to hold Cabinet accountable as we work to advance the priorities of the 19th Legislative Assembly.
The Northwest Territories faces unprecedented challenges. We have been elected in a time of global economic uncertainty, increasingly complex social issues, and multifaceted impacts of climate change.
In the face of these challenges, I truly believe that the only way our Assembly can fulfill its promise to the residents of the Northwest Territories is to work together in the true spirit of consensus government. I speak on behalf of all Cabinet Members when I say we are committed to a government that is open, collaborative, and cooperative.
The mandate is built from the priorities we set together as newly elected Members of the 19th Legislative Assembly in October 2019. It is strengthened by the input and advice we received from the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight.
I wish to thank standing committee for their willingness to work with us. Our shared commitment to cooperation and collaboration as Members of the 19th Legislative Assembly gives me confidence in what we can achieve over the next four years.
Mr. Speaker, I trust that all Members of this Assembly will see their insights, ideas, and suggestions reflected in this mandate. I trust that residents will see a set of clear and measurable actions needed to make progress within the life of this Assembly and to hold this Cabinet to account as we work towards achieving our priorities. I look forward to working together in advancing the priorities of the 19th Legislative Assembly through the implementation of the mandate.
Our mandate provides a path forward, yet it is not written in stone. We will encounter the unexpected, and we must be able to adjust course as needed.
Mr. Speaker, I spoke of challenging times and the need to work together to actualize our priorities. Working together cannot be done in the isolation of this House. We need to take the time to listen to those impacted by our services and to people working on the front lines of some of our most challenging issues. We all need to work together: Cabinet, Regular Members, Indigenous and community governments, and the federal government. We must remain mindful of each community's unique challenges and opportunities. We are committed to meaningful, positive change in the way this government does business.
Very soon, this Assembly will debate the budget and what that means to advancing our priorities. We must bear our overall fiscal situation in mind as we make decisions in the weeks ahead, and we must exercise caution to only commit to actions we have the means to achieve.
Mr. Speaker, there will always be more that we can do, but we know our needs outweigh our resources. This Cabinet welcomes the insight of Regular Members and looks forward to discussing how we can best apply our limited resources to achieve our priorities, but now more than ever we need to be realistic in our expectations, creative in our approaches, and focus on making the most of what we have.
The 19th Legislative Assembly brings together leadership from across the Northwest Territories, from backgrounds as diverse as our landscape and peoples. We have been called a historic government in terms of our gender balance. We have begun to foster effective dialogue between Cabinet and Regular Members, in the spirit of consensus government. We have expressed our desire and willingness to make the changes our people want to see, especially in the area of Indigenous relations, social outcomes, and economic outlook.
The 2019-2023 Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories sets the direction for how we can seize opportunities to make this a pivotal term in the governance of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.