Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Health replied to the Budget Address and spoke to some of the comments that my honourable friends have made over the past week and a half. It is clear, Mr. Speaker, that this is not the ideal budget for anyone on either side of the House, and we have not achieved consensus on this budgeting process.
What is equally clear is that there is some confusion over what both sides want to achieve with this. The goal is simple: the best possible budget that invests in Northerners and ensures that their future is a sound future and that they can have confidence that the same opportunities that they enjoy today will be able to be enjoyed the next five, 10, or 15 years, along with enhancement to those opportunities, as well.
Today also we are joined by students from Aurora College, students from high schools who were looking forward to attending Aurora College and participating in some crucial degrees and diploma programs that are now at risk of not being delivered on. These are why Regular Members have stood up and taken the definitive action to say: we need to do a better job.
One thing I want to make perfectly clear is we have not taken any hard lines, Mr. Speaker. We have always been open to negotiation. Today I want to reiterate that we are open to discussing with our Cabinet colleagues the subject of the 2017 budget and make sure we can resolve this impasse.
The only clear intention that my honourable friends have taken is that we need assurances that this government is listening to our constituents and to the people of these Northwest Territories. We are not shutting down discussion, and we are certainly open for debate.
I welcome the comments we heard yesterday. I hope we have more fulsome debate in this House, so we can get a very clear picture of what both sides are trying to achieve and what the priorities of this House really are. Mr. Speaker, mine will always be serving my constituents and ensuring we have the best possible future for everyone in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
