Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I recall in 2023, when I was first elected to the Assembly here and I came in midway through an election, and I was not around when the whole budgeting planning process was starting to happen. Even though I came in, I brought in the wishes of what I heard from my riding and I put it all in the suitcase, and I went to the Premier of the day trying to get that luggage thrown on the train. And the train's halfway through its destination, and the Premier of the day had mentioned that she will do her best to try to get it onto the train. And needless to say that none of my issues never did get on that train. But having said that, in 2024 now, once we got back into this position as the MLA, I brought forward letters to Minister Wawzonek and dated back to March 15th of this year, and I highlighted everything that I could think of that I heard from my riding. It's a wish list, but it's a luggage as well. And also on April 29th, 2024, I also sent another letter to the Premier -- sorry, to the Honourable Caroline Wawzonek in regards to the Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh funding needed for the homeownership, etcetera. So I put that luggage together. Now the train's leaving the train station now on a four-year journey.
Even though we got to -- you know, we're dealing with a $50 million deficit this year, we still got hard times yet to come for the next three years. We still got another 150 next year and for the next three years. It's going to be a very tough time. But having said that, though, Mr. Speaker, I know I'm trying to address the issues in my riding in regards to housing and homeownership repairs and etcetera. That's what I've been hearing a lot. And so when I put this letter together and sent it in, it's my hope to work with the Minister and the Premier and the Cabinet and to look for ways to try to make this a reality, even the situation we're in right now. I always said that I know that the policies are very difficult to -- trying to get help for our people in the small communities, it's like I said the other day, trying to shoot an arrow into a dart board that's in Lutselk'e. But if we work together, we can do it together and we can make sure that we hit that bull's eye.
So, Mr. Speakers, it's the key here is working together. And with my colleagues here, we may have -- we may not always agree or disagree, and same thing with our colleagues on the other side. I served with the colleagues on the side too in the last Assembly. And the key here is continue to build relationships, build partnerships, most importantly work together, but at the same time we got to show respect. And to me when we do that -- because we got good teachings from our elders, and the key here is to listen and to look to bring out the issues that's coming from the communities and to look for solutions. And I think the last four weeks that we've been here it's been really tiring going through the budget process. And for me now as the chair, as the deputy chair coming in, it's been an experience, especially when we're going through the budget process. And so anyway, I know that the situation we're in, but I think we will get through it together and we have to have a balance. And so I look forward to continuing to work with the Cabinet, with my colleagues, in a respectful way. And, Mr. Speaker, I will support the budget. Mahsi.