Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I had a text all prepared here with a wonderful Member’s statement, but I think I’d just like to off-the-cuff, briefly comment on the situation as outlined in the budget today by our Finance Minister.

I guess Mr. Ramsay has referred to the pace at which we spent money in the previous Assembly and to some extent I agree with that. Our current Finance Minister, who was not the Finance Minister in the last government, used to stand up in this House on a very regular basis and talk about the debt wall. Sometimes when we were in committee meetings and planning how we were going to spend our money, I used to get a mental picture of all the regular Members in a vehicle -- it was a convertible -- and on the door was written “crash test dummies” and we were heading very fast towards that wall that Mr. Roland used to refer to on a regular basis. In the driver’s seat was our Finance Minister at the time, but he had a blindfold on. Now, what I feel today about the speech from our new Finance Minister is that we’re all still in that car, all of us, our arms flailing. It still says “crash test dummies” and we have the debt wall ahead, but I feel like the Finance Minister has taken the blindfold off today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Member’s Statement On Comments On The Budget Address

Bill Braden

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can’t help building on the pictures that a couple of my colleagues have painted for us. I guess I see perhaps not a Cadillac or a convertible, but perhaps more like a pick-up truck heading toward this debt wall. We’re all in the back of the truck screaming, no. But you know, one thing that has changed is that we do have a new driver and I’m glad it’s Mr. Roland because he’s a journeyman mechanic.

---Laughter

---Applause

And he’s going to be able to find the brakes in time. Mr. Speaker, I too would like to reflect a bit on the message, at least one of the messages that Mr. Roland presented to us this afternoon in the budget address. Among the many bottom lines that we have to look at, the most significant one is, indeed, Ottawa. They have to look at their obligations to the North and, as well, Mr. Speaker, they have to look at the opportunities that are ahead of us and, indeed, ahead of the rest of Canada.

There are at least three things that we need to keep repeating. That the five percent cut to the base rate in 1996, which in effect amounted to $58 million a year hit on us, has to be restored. Mr. Speaker, we must make Ottawa appreciate and understand that the formula financing deal must be modernized and we have to take away those things, those parts of it, that actually penalize us when things might go our way. Thirdly, Mr. Speaker, Ottawa needs to be brought on board to help enable devolution to happen and show leadership to do this, to help build this North and help build this nation of Canada.

Now, our track record with Ottawa on these fronts has not been a good one, but our message is true. Mr. Speaker, we need to believe in it and we need to believe in ourselves. That is how we’re going to get our pick-up truck back on the road towards a better tomorrow. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Colleagues, I’d like to direct your attention to the visitors' gallery and recognize a former Government Leader, Minister and Speaker of the House, Mr. Richard Nerysoo.

---Applause