Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to speak today about the recent federal election. I’d like to congratulate Mr. Dennis Bevington on his re-election as Member of Parliament for the Western Arctic. I’d also like to thank the other candidates who so greatly put their names forward to run: two former colleagues of many of us here today, the Conservative candidate, Ms. Sandy Lee, and Liberal candidate, Mr. Joe Handley; Mr. Eli Purchase of the Green Party, and Ms. Bonnie Dawson of the Animal Alliance Party.
What an election does, Mr. Speaker, is it gives the candidates an opportunity to debate the many issues that face this territory, and I would like to thank them for their efforts in that. Canadians now have a majority Conservative government in Ottawa.
I’d like to congratulate Prime Minister Harper on his successful campaign. As a territorial government, we are heavily reliant on the federal government to provide us with the financial resources to deliver the day-to-day programs and services we provide to the residents here in the Northwest Territories. That’s roughly $900 million on an annual basis, Mr. Speaker. Having a majority government, in my opinion, will be an opportunity to foster and grow our relationship with the federal government. Finally there is stability back in Ottawa. We know who we will need to work with over the next four years, and this is great news for our government to have that type of stability.
Three elections in six years was not conducive to us advancing major files in Ottawa. The residents of this territory have elected Mr. Bevington, a New Democrat, who will now be sitting in opposition, and hopefully Mr. Jack Layton, the leader of the New Democrats and leader of the official opposition, will allow our veteran Member of Parliament to play a prominent role in that opposition.
The reality is the Northwest Territories is the only province or territory in this country today without an MP in the governing party. That means, Mr. Speaker, that we must work that much harder as a government to get our issues and concerns addressed in the nation’s capital.
We have many big issues to deal with, such as the Mackenzie Gas Project, the Mackenzie Valley Highway, ensuring the $150 million commitment to the Tuktoyaktuk-Inuvik road gets done, devolution, and finding help for the urgent infrastructure needs for the residents of Northland Trailer Park here in Yellowknife. As soon as the federal Cabinet is sworn in, we need to ensure as a government that we’re able and ready to advance our concern and our issues with the federal government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
