Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today marks 266 days since I was elected to this House to represent the constituents of Tu NedheWiilideh and the communities of N'dilo, Dettah, Lutselk'e, and Fort Resolution. It's also 333 days until the next election. I want to reflect on my experience to date we had right into the final year of this Assembly.
Madam Speaker, as soon as I arrived here, I couldn't help but feel that the GNWT train already left the station and I and my constituents had been left out left behind. No matter what I do or try to catch up, it seems like there isn't anything that I could do to slow down this train. And what I mean by that, Madam Speaker, is that anytime I bring up issues of housing or anything like that, I put that into the train, it gets thrown out, because it bounces off the door because the policies that hinder our people from trying to improve their lives.
So Madam Speaker, this year's budget was $2.2 billion. My riding got $3.4 million, 1.7 of a percent. So that's concerning to me. And housing got $30 million for CIRNAC this year and next year, but yet we're fixing the public housing. And that doesn't make sense when we have a housing crisis here in the Northwest Territories.
Yesterday the Finance Minister said, in response to my questions around fiscal deficits, "I do not believe there are any political pressure on us to do or not do anything as a department are not tied to the political whims of any particular administration."
Madam Speaker, I respectfully disagree with the Minister on this point. I reject the notion that the priorities of elected Members are whims to be discarded when they don't fit into the planning cycles of the GNWT departments or the priorities of the deputy minister. Political priorities should be the most important consideration to everything the GNWT does.
The priorities don't come from political parties or lobbyists like down south. They come from our people, Madam Speaker. Your job as Cabinet is to deliver out the priorities of all 19 elected Members. Our residents expect results, and sadly progress has been barely filled on the most pressing issues of the day. If this is the foundation of our consensus system, then we are deep in trouble. Madam Speaker, I would have some questions at appropriate time. Mahsi.
Thank you, Member. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.
