Thank you, Madam Chair. I just believe that a balanced approach to budgeting is important. You can't have it all one way, though. It has to be kind of balanced because your outputs when you're doing business with people within the territory and you're working for the members of the NWT, there's so much lack of infrastructure in the tiny communities and regional centres that those cannot be ignored. And if there is not enough staff that are qualified to make sure those deadlines and those projects are completed, then what is happening? You know, we have all this staff per capita, with bureaucratic staff in the territories per capita, to other individuals in the territories, it's phenomenal. So actually, you know, you wonder how is this -- how is the thinking going -- you think about it, and in a business world that would never happen.
One of the things that I am very concerned about is the homelessness in Fort Smith. And it must be addressed. You know, we came up with an innovative idea of tiny homes for a pilot project so the person actually would have a small home, that are homeless, and they take care of it and they look after it themselves. And those kind of ideas have got to be taken seriously. If you're just going to put them in another place where it's another burden to someone else, that's not going to build their esteem; that's not going to build them up to be a better person; it's not going to -- it's a really not a win-win situation. And I want the Cabinet and the Minister of Finance to rethink some of these issues.
And I think -- you know, and we talk about housing across the territories. I was able to visit a couple of communities this summer. You know, we went to a few and even in Lutselk'e, you know, you look around the community and, you know, you find the people very happy but, you know -- and with what -- with what they have. And, you know, compared to everywhere else, it's not enough. It's -- you know, you wonder how anyone could actually survive in a community where you don't have choices. And, you know, so we have to think a little bit differently because we serve a different population in the North. Where, you know, cost is phenomenal; you know, there's not a lot of infrastructure and people look forward to projects in their communities and in the regional centres, you know. And I am trying not to take away from Yellowknife. We're not trying to take away anything from here. Nothing shuts down here. But many times there are things that do shut down in our areas for lack of persistence from people who do not do their jobs in some offices. So I just want to make sure that, you know -- I like the balanced approach, but we also got to be very aware that in the business world, this would not take place, that you have the money, you spend the money, and you make money. You know, and if you don't start thinking in that way -- and, you know, I don't agree with some of my colleagues' aspects with regards to the Taltson Hydro Expansion. Yellowknife needs that Taltson Hydro Expansion; that's probably why it's going ahead. You know, Fort Smith is fine. But, you know, I'm very happy and I supported it 100 percent, 150 percent, 200 percent, because that's the way things are going in this world. And for greener energy, it's the perfect energy. Thank you, Madam Chair.
