As a Member for Nahendeh and the chair for the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight, I was honoured to be part of the very first pre-budget consultations last August and September. Regular Members initiated these consultations to give people a chance to speak directly to MLAs and to provide input for government business plans and budgets.

I know many people who shared their advice with us in the pre-budget process are out there anxiously awaiting the budget address and the government’s response to our committee’s report to see whether government is going to act on their ideas.

However, I wish to remind people that, as we said in our report last October, many of these issues demand long-term solutions and are far beyond what can be accomplished in one year’s budget and business plans. I think our constituents can expect to see immediate action on the few key issues in the 2006-07 budget, but it is in next year’s business plans and budgets that I will see the largest impact.

Government is often compared to a big ocean ship that takes a long time to adjust its course. As an MLA, I have often wished that instead it could be a high performance skidoo and turn on a dime without slowing down. It is hard for me, as well, to accept the slowness of change and to be patient, but, unfortunately, that is the reality of government.

Mr. Speaker, I say these things because I do not want people to become discouraged or disappointed or to think we are not listening. Last summer’s pre-budget consultations were only the first of what we hope will grow and become a regular and key piece of how we, as Regular Members, hold government accountable to the priorities of our people. We are building a new process from the ground up, and as we visit more and more communities over the years, we will continue to build on what we started. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Menicoche.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

Mahsi cho. Thank you, honourable colleagues. For now, Mr. Speaker, I want to assure people that although they may not see any dramatic changes in this year’s budget, we have set things in motion to put us on a better course for the future. We have not forgotten what the people have told us and they can expect to hear Members in this session, and in future sessions, continue to raise the issues that they brought to our attention. This is not the end of it, Mr. Speaker. It is just the beginning. Mahsi cho.

---Applause