Debates of May 9, 2007 (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just recently travelled back to my home and held a constituency meeting. I thought I would take this opportunity to relay the messages that I heard in the community at my recent constituency meeting.

May 2nd I had an opportunity to hold a constituency meeting in the Inuvik Centennial Library and, as at a number of my recent constituency meetings, the turnout was low, but it gave me an opportunity to have a good discussion with the people who did show up. A number of the issues that were raised we hear around this Assembly coming from other communities, but I thought I’d take the opportunity to highlight them here.

Elders' issues are one of the prominent things that came up in that, right from transportation to see the doctors or doctors’ appointments to seniors in public housing and the rent set up, as well as singles in public housing and that area. So it again was an avenue for people to raise their issues and speak to Members about what needs to be done and what they see as challenges they face. Hopefully as a government, as we sit down, we continue to work, and as I had pointed out, we’ll bring those issues to the table and hopefully work to try to resolve some of them, including all Members of this Assembly.

So I just wanted to stand up here -- I haven’t taken the opportunity to do a Member’s statement for a while -- and just raise the highlights of my constituency meeting. From those that think it was just me and my wife at the meeting, no, it wasn’t.

---Laughter

I had other constituents there, but the number was low who turned out. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but just giving the fact that you can come out, raise your issues and they will be raised in this forum. Thank you.

---Applause