For the past few weeks it’s been my pleasure to travel around the province and meet with hundreds of New Brunswickers to get their input on the 2010-2011 Budget we will table in the Legislative Assembly on Dec. 1.

I truly appreciate the time everyone has taken to provide me with their thoughts and explain their priorities as our government continues to work towards self-sufficiency by 2026.

Also, I want to thank everyone who took the time to send comments online, through written submissions or through regular mail and fax.

As with all jurisdictions, we face some tough challenges following one of the most significant economic downturns in modern times.

But we are also confident that as we continue to build on our five-point Plan for a Stronger Economy we will not only have weathered the economic storm which is subsiding, but we will also emerge stronger than ever before.

Thank you once again to all who have provided input in the pre-budget tour and on our web site.