Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Technically there is no time limit on the reply to the Commissioner's address. My life is in your hands, but I will try to keep this brief.
Mr. Speaker, as March madness comes to an end, and we have passed our last budget, it is time to celebrate fiscal new year's, when all those lovely program budgets get replenished. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this time to use my reply to the Commissioner's address to state that that will be my last budget as I will not be running again in the upcoming general election. Band before I leave, Mr. Speaker, I will try to impart some wisdom on the priorities for future Assemblies and the remaining 150 days or so we have left.
Mr. Speaker, you may assume I'm not running because I am fed up with the GNWT and frustrated at how hard it is to get things done but, in fact, Mr. Speaker, I'm not running because I'm really starting to understand and appreciate the GNWT.
Mr. Speaker, as we saw yesterday with the carbon tax vote, I'm now voting with Cabinet. Mr. Speaker, I think it's time to get out of here. Mr. Speaker, I'm worried if I stay any longer, they might make me a Minister and then I'll be saying things like, well, first we need to complete a review, a "what we heard" report, four strategies and an action plan before I can make a decision on that. Jokes aside, Mr. Speaker, I remain radically optimistic about politics in this territory, and I believe consensus government has never been stronger. This Assembly has navigated conflict COVID, floods, and record inflation and the system held up pretty well, Mr. Speaker. Consensus government ensures that Ministers continue to have individual responsibility in their portfolios, something that is being eroded in party systems as premier's offices and prime minister's office centralize power.
Mr. Speaker, we have a Cabinet that works with Regular MLAs, something that is almost nonexistent in opposition parties down south. Mr. Speaker, even when our system wasn't pretty, it held strong and proved that the way we govern here is better than party politics and all Members have a voice. Now, certainly, Mr. Speaker, this is a lot we can improve about the system and I will speak to those things another day. But let us all remember that it's far more important than the system of governments is the people in the system. And, Mr. Speaker, I believe this House's priorities are in the right place.
Mr. Speaker, the key example is housing. This Assembly, with help of the federal government, has done more for housing than any other. I am truly proud of the pressure and nonstop advocacy to house our most vulnerable. It was the theme of this Assembly, and that can't stop, Mr. Speaker. It needs to be the top priority in the next Assembly, and the next, and the next. We got the ball rolling, but it needs to build momentum and it requires relentless advocacy.
Mr. Speaker, I also believe that many of the great work of this Assembly is in driving a culture change in the GNWT. Not an easy task, but I believe we in this House are all genuinely committed to ending a culture of backroom contracts being awarded to friends and to actually think about in how we review our policies and legislation using evidence and data. I believe we in this House are committed to budgeting in a coherent and sustainable manner. The nonglorious work that is at the heart of good governance has been strengthened by us all, and we must let it continue.
And so with that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleagues, all of the great staff, and my constituents. And before I go, Mr. Speaker, I would like to finish my priorities for the last 150 days by describing what my ideal fall looks like.
First, Mr. Speaker, I'm going to go to Walmart and I'm going to smile knowing that they are no longer a BIP'd company. And then I'm going to walk up to that cashier, Mr. Speaker, and I'm going to feel great that they have five guaranteed paid sick days, Mr. Speaker. And then, Mr. Speaker, I'm going to do some winter camping, ideally at a leased cabin that the Department of Lands lets people AirBnB now. And then, Mr. Speaker, in the fall, miraculously, nothing is going to happen to the clocks. The time change will not happen at all. And then, Mr. Speaker, I'm going to go to the DMV on a Saturday and finally renew my license after four years. And after I walk out with my new license, I'm going to look up at the Yellowknife skyline and take comfort in the fact that it is not all owned by one company because the GNWT has stopped giving so much money to Northview. Those are my priorities. That is my dream for the next 150 days. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, all.
