Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Let me just say Happy New Year to my constituents, residents of the NWT, and all the Members of this House, firstly. I’d also like to congratulate the Prime Minister-designate Stephen Harper and our new MP, Dennis Bevington, on their election victories.

Just a point of interest, Mr. Speaker -- and I hope Stephen Harper is listening -- the community of Lutselk’e and my constituents of Tu Nedhe were the only communities in the NWT to vote a Conservative majority.

---Laughter

So I hope he remembers that.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, addressing and resolving many important issues in my constituency of Tu Nedhe will continue to be my priority in this Legislature. Namely, issues like still high unemployment levels, lack of training opportunities, and no noticeable improvements in living conditions or health, especially for elders and the aboriginals. Sadly, this is the same situation that many small communities are dealing with and this is the same message that they have been trying to desperately convey to our government for the last number of years. Although these concerns are heard in this House quite regularly by all the Members, we seem to be seriously lacking progress on making some positive changes in the timely manner that actually improves the overall living and cost of living conditions in these smaller communities.

Mr. Speaker, in previous governments, many Members had raised concerns on our government’s centralized, overgrown, overpaid, and underutilized bureaucratic system that is both plagued with old policies and practices, a lot of deadwood, and the seemingly perpetual ignorance for the issues for the small communities and their representatives bring to this House. It continues to be the case in this 15th Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, I believe it is time for some major shifts in our government’s organizational structure and attitude. What I am talking about, Mr. Speaker, is more decentralization. When this government started the centralization process in the mid-'80s, it was for efficiency and effectiveness. This worked for the five larger centres and especially Yellowknife, but new changes are needed that make this government more visible and accessible to smaller communities in our region, and it can be just as efficient and effective for all the residents, if not more. I’d like these changes to be made before this bureaucratic monster gets too big to move forward for the betterment of all residents, and, more importantly, before the questions and concerns raised by the Members of this House start falling on deaf ears. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause