Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do not think I will be forgiven by my fellow lawyers out there if I did not pursue this issue.

I just wanted to say I am going to spend some time over the life of this Assembly to make sure this gets implemented. I should probably not try to explain this, but there is a capital appropriation of $150,000. I have just been told the total budget is $200,000. Maybe I should have them repeat what was said, because I do not understand this math.

Is this system being implemented now? Is this money to put the system in place? How much is the whole project? Are we looking at implementing the system now? Where are we with this project? Maybe I should start from there. Are we anywhere near implementing PPSA?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am not going to have a general statement because I am going to save that for the main budget. I do have one issue that I would like to get some information about. That has to do with PPSA. I see that in your budget, only five percent of the interim appropriation is being allocated for this activity. Could I get information on what is being budgeted for PPSA, the registry system and where we are with that system?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What I am trying to get at is, I understand that we are all experiencing difficulties due to the high fuel prices. I want to let the public know that the Government of the Northwest Territories is not playing any role in adding to the hardship. My question is, the Minister mentioned the taxation on fuel is 10.7 cents and 6.8 cents. Has that amount remained the same regardless of the up and down fluctuations in the fuel costs? In other words, have we increased any of our taxation on the fuel costs?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to get clarification again. Is the taxation a percentage of a base price of the fuel or is it a set dollar amount? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister eluded to the taxation on the fuel price, I wonder if the Minister can explain whether or not the portion of tax that the Government of the Northwest Territories charges on fuel costs has remained constant from the time of the rise of the fuel price. I do not know if the Minister understands my question. I just want to know if the tax that the Government of the Northwest Territories is charging on the fuel has remained the same?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister responsible for Finance with respect to the high fuel costs. I realize that the Government of the Northwest Territories does not have control over fuel prices, but I must raise this question because I have been asked to do so by my constituents, who are suffering a great deal because fuel prices keep rising. I wonder if the Minister could advise the people out there as to what the cause of this is, and what, if anything, he is doing about it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a friend of mine sitting in the gallery. His name is Paul Smith. He is a former colleague of mine at the law firm of Gullberg, Wiest, MacPherson and Kay. I articled with him and he was also the manager of my campaign. Mr. Paul Smith, thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further, we have a Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Minister with a commitment to devolution of federal powers.

On the home front, Mr. Speaker, we have a government headed by a Premier with years of proven leadership experience and strong support in and out of this Assembly. We have a cohesive Cabinet that is working cooperatively and well together. We have a senior civil service with morale higher than any I have seen in a long time. And most importantly, Mr. Speaker, we have a strong group of Ordinary Members in this side of the House who are going to make sure the job is done right.

At the end of the meeting, Mr. Speaker, an older gentlemen came up to me and said, "I liked hearing about your vision. Make sure you hang on to it". I intend to do everything as a Member of the 14th Assembly to lay a solid foundation to make this vision a reality.

I would like to add one more thing. There is one cardinal rule I live by in making my dreams into reality time and time again. Dreams cannot be achieved by using negative energy. A vision is turned into reality when it is broken into manageable pieces and by going after them relentlessly with hard work and tenacity.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As you are well aware, the Yellowknife MLAs experienced a very productive constituency meeting earlier this week. The issues that were raised in that meeting have been reported already to this House by my Yellowknife colleagues.

There was something else that was said in the meeting that has had me thinking for the last few days, and I wish to bring it up in this House. After hearing answers about why we need devolution of powers from the federal government to do our job, one of our constituents asked a question. "You want all this power, but what are you going to do with it? Do you have a vision?"

As I indicated at the meeting, my answer is an emphatic "yes", Mr. Speaker. My vision for the future of Yellowknife and Northwest Territories is very clear. I believe we have the potential to create an economy that generates enough wealth to pay our way. As a "have" Territory, we can better take care of the basic needs of all our citizens and be competitive nationally and globally. I believe a plan for a healthy economy must go hand in hand with a plan for a healthy people.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I know that Yellowknife cannot do it without the Northwest Territories and the Northwest Territories cannot do it without Yellowknife. Some may say that this is not a vision but a lofty dream that people have been saying forever. Why should it be any different this time around? Well, I can tell you Mr. Speaker, that I am one of those blessed people who have personally experienced dreams and visions turning into reality time and time again. I feel it deep inside that great things are going to happen in this 14th Assembly. My observation so far is that the ducks are lining up, so to speak, to make this happen more than ever before, Mr. Speaker.

Division is behind us. We are seeing an intergovernmental process that will bring aboriginal governments to work with us on resource development and mutual governance issues. We have the resource industries willing and poised to invest a lot of dollars in oil and gas and diamonds. We have a Prime Minister interested in looking at the possibilities in the North with a fresh eye. We have a federal Finance Minister who is seeing the North as an investment potential and not a recipient of handouts. Mr. Speaker, may I ask for consent to complete my statement?