Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Madam Commissioner, elders, Mr. Premier, congratulations on your election yesterday, ladies and gentlemen of the 13th Assembly, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to thank the honourable Member for Nunakput for nominating me for this Cabinet position. I am very honoured that the people of Nahendeh have sent me to the Legislative Assembly again; this time by acclamation. Mahsi for your confidence and support. I will, once again, try the best I can to represent you in this House.
Mr. Chairman, I became a Member of this Assembly four years ago. At that time, I sought election as a Member for Cabinet. Fortunately, I was not selected at that time. I say "fortunately'' because looking back, I know that I gained valuable experience throughout the last Legislative Assembly by sitting as an ordinary Member of the Legislative Assembly. I learned a lot about how this system of government works. I gained valuable experience as a Member of several committees and as the chairman of the powerful Standing Committee on Finance in the last Assembly. I needed this experience in the Legislative Assembly and government in order to work effectively as a Member. I now know that this experience will be an asset if I am given the opportunity to serve this House as a Member of Cabinet.
Last time I stood as a Cabinet candidate, I went into my background: my university education and experience at the community level as chief of the Fort Simpson Dene for 14 years, as well as my involvement in the Dene Nation organization since 1973. Therefore, I know the issues and concerns at the grassroots level in the Northwest Territories. This knowledge is what I have to offer to this Cabinet.
This time I am going to focus more on the issues. I represent a riding where there has been the powerful and fundamental concerns raised about the legitimacy of this government. Most of you are familiar with the Deh Cho proposal. Many of my constituents feel the same way that the Inuit do in their pursuit for division. They do not feel that a centrally-based government in Yellowknife can reflect their needs and aspirations. They are committed tobringing government closer to home. They believe that to do so effectively, their inherent right to self-government must be recognized and protected. I believe that it is possible to construct the constitution for the western NWT that does reflect this distinct right of aboriginal people, as well as building on the distinct forms of government found in the aboriginal cultures. The greatest challenge of the new government and all MLAs is to build this constitution. We can no longer fail to come to an agreement on a western constitution. Should we fail, we are raising not only the possibility of further divisions within the West, but a less smooth division in the East.
I offer you my skills and commitment to making the positive contribution to this challenge. I offer you my ability to work as a key Member to bring about the critical consensus that is essential to good government. Our time may be limited. The federal government has launched its aboriginal self-government policy, but there are only two years left in Mr. Chretien's Liberal Party's current mandate as the Government of Canada. The red book, which sets the policies for this government, lists the inherent right to self-government as one of the key policies and we are running out of time on that.
The Royal Commission on Aboriginal People is moving ahead with consideration of new concepts and now is the right time totake advantage of the enthusiasm and commitments that will be generated when the final report is released.
We also need to set the stage with the significant changes that will be coming when Nunavut is formed in 1999. I fully support the division of the Northwest Territories, but I am concerned that the Government of the Northwest Territories is not well prepared for the transition that is going to take place. As the former co-chair of the Special Joint Committee on Division and chairman of the Standing Committee on Finance, 1know that
In education, we need new approaches. The infrastructure is in place, the schools are there, the teacher education program is initiated and working and the new Education Act has been passed. Now it is time to concentrate on quality of education. We can achieve this by giving communities, not only bureaucrats who work in this department, but the people in the communities, greater control of how schools are run and about what happens in the classrooms.
We have to continue to work towards changing the level of violence in our society as well in our schools, in our homes and in the workplace. We have to boost our local economies through northern preference programs, buy-North initiatives and acompletely revised and more effective business incentive policy; one that doesn't conflict with the terms of the land claims agreement in the West, as well as the Nunavut agreement.
Mr. Chairman, there was an economic conference in Fort Simpson for the Deh Cho region right after the election. We looked at ways to improve the economy of the Deh Cho. The number one priority identified was for healing of our communities. Way up as priority number two was the need for people to be better educated. Without capable, healthy, educated people, the best business incentive programs in the world will have little or no impact.
Mr. Chairman, we have to think about change within this Assembly as well. Our constituents must have been shocked and probably dismayed when they saw the goings-on in the Chamber the last time. Our relationship with each other has to be based on respect. I have always tried to be fair, honest and open with all the people I deal with. That wouldn't change if I'm elected to the Cabinet.
I believe that I can offer a lot of strength by working with all this government is not making enough progress. We have to honourable Members,, .1aking sure that the necessary changes pick up the pace in our discussions about dividing government assets and resources. We have to pick up the pace in our dealings with Ottawa to make sure that the financial arrangements are sound. We have to pick up the pace with the western constitutional process and the aboriginal bilateral talks.
To arrive at a new constitution, we need to work closely with organizations that represent aboriginal people. Too often, the position of the past government pushed these groups away. Too often, it resorted to insults and finger pointing. That has to change.
As the chairman of the Standing Committee on Finance, I pushed hard to make sure that the Deficit Elimination Act had real teeth and offered real solutions. Without a doubt, the GNWT is going to have to change the way it spends our money. Our bureaucrats are going to have to downsize, consolidate and reduce duplication. It is time to fight the focus on cost-efficiency.
With our small population base, I can't agree with any of the taxation proposals I heard before and during the election. I voted against the payroll tax when it was brought forward in the last Assembly and I still think it isn't a very good idea.
are made and that they are made in a way that benefits all the people of the Northwest Territories. I am pleased to ask you to consider me as a Member of the Cabinet for this 13th Legislative Assembly. Mahsi, Mr. Chairman.
---Applause