Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the other focus has to be in creating healthy communities. I think those two go hand in hand because without healthy communities there aren't people to take advantage of a healthy economy.
So I don't think we have to have the left and the right ideological battle about what a government is all about. I think that here in the north we have to do both simultaneously. I think we are going to have to break some new ideological ground, because unless we get our people and our communities up to scratch we are not going to be in any position to take advantage of any economic benefits that might come to us.
We have said many times in this Assembly -- and I think it's very important in the next government and Assembly -- that education has to be a primary tool to achieve our goals. Education has to continue to be a focus.
I think one thing that is going to be very important for the next Assembly is that we can't allow constitutional development to dominate the whole political agenda. There are other forums for constitutional development. I think the government should be creative, should be helpful, should be supportive, but I don't think that we can afford the luxury of spending all our time here in the Legislative Assembly debating constitutional issues. I think people want jobs and people want to feel safe in their communities. They want community control. I think that's something that the next Assembly is going to have to decide very early on or the next four years could be wasted essentially fighting endless constitutional battles.
I also don't think we should reinvent the wheel. I think this government and this Assembly have done some good work. I don't think we should start over again on income reform and community wellness. I think we can build on the strategies that this government has started, so I think there is a very good basis out there that we can work on.
I do think, though, that we are going to have to revitalize and take a new look at our methodology for turning over powers to communities. I think there has been a lot of work done, there has been a lot of effort and it really hasn't worked for a number of reasons. I am not saying this to blame anybody. I am just saying that the times weren't right and it didn't happen. I think the next government is really going to have to look at a new way to focus their energies to turn over real powers to people in communities.
Lastly, and I think quite importantly, we are going to have to develop a very sophisticated, forward approach with the federal government. Inevitably the federal government is going to be trying to cut us back over the next four years. They are dealing with a major debt crisis. I think it's very important that we strengthen our Ottawa office; that we know exactly what we are trying to achieve when we deal with the federal government; that we have a very well-coordinated plan when we are doing it, together with a well-coordinated media strategy.
So, with that, Mr. Speaker, these are just a few ideas that I have that perhaps the government and the Minister of Finance might consider as they put together a transitional document. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause