Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. While we had an exceptional day yesterday with our much touted hold-the-line budget, it is still not faring well for my constituency. We continue to focus on huge projects that take away our financial resources and ability to take care of our other regions and communities. We must ensure a balance.
I have stood up here time and time again to let government know we need to replace schools in our small communities like Trout Lake, and fix our Highway No. 7, which will only help our North with tourism and industry. Our budgets are often painted as a great thing, but we need to ensure budgeted programming money gets spent in the communities. It does no good to have a program only to create a job, often in Yellowknife, which reduces programming dollars.
I am concerned, as well, about our passive restraint policy, which means departments are pressed not to expend funds if they don’t have to. Often this means that departments are commended for being under budget, which is not a good thing for small communities that desperately need programming because of the cost of delivering programs.
Finally, the Mackenzie Valley Highway north of Wrigley has to become a priority of our government. I and several colleagues see the value of this. We have to start our strategy and our planning in this fiscal year. Mahsi cho.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
