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| My fellow Alexandrians, Dear subjects - We, Edgard the Second, by the Grace of God Emperor of the Alexandrians, present Ourselves here on this 20th day of January of the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Six to formally open the Imperial Parliament and to outline the priorities of Our Government for the coming term. I want to begin today by expressing my appreciation, on behalf of all Alexandrians, to those members who have not returned to Parliament. We thank them for their service to their constituents and to their country. I want also to offer a special welcome to all the incoming members of Parliament, the strong new voices that will sound in this place. They have been entrusted by the people to serve them, to represent them, to debate here and vote on their behalf. I say to you today: Make them proud. Today, the work of the 2nd Alexandrian Imperial Parliament begins. The elected representatives of this great land have again gathered in this chamber. As we stand and speak here today, as we engage in this ceremony of renewal, we are adhering to a tradition older than our country itself. On this day, Parliament is at the center of the national conversation. It must remain there. The achievements we forge in this place and in our nation will not be those of one person or one party. We act here and speak here on behalf of the people of Alexandria. Our accomplishments, our triumphs and so too our failings will become part of the collective legacy of our time. What are we as Alexandrians to pass on to those who one day will work where we do and live where we do? What kind of Alexandria will it be? Will we honor the sacrifices of the past by handing over an even better country for the future? If our answer is to be yes, and the answer must be yes, then we in this Parliament have a critical role to play in building a 21st century economy, in protecting and strengthening our social foundations and in securing for Alexandria a role of pride and influence in the world. I know a lot of people are wondering, in this chamber and across the country, if we can make this Parliament work for Alexandrians. If we can make co-operation not just rhetoric but reality. The people of Alexandria saw the endless arguing and bickering last session, and many grew disillusioned with the democratic reforms. They saw a Parliament with no rules, no order - a barbaric Parliament. In this Parliament, we feel strongly about our beliefs, and we express them with vigour. This is a place of passion and partisanship. That will not change, nor should it ever change. But in a Parliament that is almost equally divided, we all have a responsibility to make it work for the people. And we will fulfill that responsibility -- if we embrace and build on the democratic reforms initiated during the last session, if we are prepared to allow the partisan to give way to progress. As we pursue these goals, let us understand that nothing we want to do in our country, nothing we want to help do in the world, can be accomplished if we again allow ourselves to be caught up in the vicious circle of bickering. We were caught in a trap of our own making – a vicious circle in which our chronic arguing contributed to government gridlock, which in turn contributed to the erosion of the government's image, and then to greater malaise. We could not let that stand. We will not let that stand. I urge this body to work on developing a stable and concrete set of rules of procedure before handling anything else - an orderly and organized Parliament serves the people better and leads to greater democracy. When there's order, the voices of the people can be heard, because there is no unnecessary bickering. With order there is no time wasted. Alexandria is indeed greater than the sum of its parts. True national leadership recognizes the diversity among our provinces and embraces it as an asset, a source of creativity and innovation. But at the same time, true national leadership is about naming a destination down the road and helping to forge the national will and consensus to ensure we get there together. In conclusion today, let me say: On January 17th, each of you earned the privilege of a seat in this chamber and the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of Alexandrians and the life of Alexandria. The message of the election is clear: Alexandrians want us to do better as a government. We have heard that message and we carry it with us. The demand going forward is equally clear: Our government and all parties must make this Parliament work for Alexandrians. Always remember, dear MP's: What an incredible country this is. What a vast and diverse and magnificent land. And how privileged we all are to live here, to feel our bold national spirit, to contribute to our nation’s rise to excellence. That feeling never left me, not during the long night of election returns, not in the days that followed. That feeling has never left me. Our goal in this Parliament, in all our pursuits, must be to ensure that future generations of Alexandrians have every reason to feel the same way about their country. To feel the way we do. To experience that surge of pride, that jolt of confidence, that intangible but unmistakable feeling that we are all part of something special. The work of building an even better country begins today. Let’s get to it. |