Yes, Mr. Chairman, I do.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the nomination. At this time I will decline to allow my name to stand. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to start by thanking my colleague and co-chair of the main Caucus, Mr. Ningark, for nominating me. I would like to also thank the Honourable Jim Antoine and the Honourable Stephen Kakfwi for having the fortitude and courage to put their names forward this morning and to give the people of the Northwest Territories a clear choice for Premier.

--Applause

Mr. Chairman, in selecting a new Minister, I believe there are key issues facing the government that we should focus on. This Assembly and Cabinet, have to address two fundamental issues, the need for stability and the need for leadership from all Cabinet Ministers and the Premier.

As we consider who should be the next Minister, we need to select someone who can provide leadership as part of an effective Cabinet. We also need to select someone who will provide stability in the remaining months of this government, because, Mr. Chairman, after what the Assembly has just been through, stability is an important factor in many ways. Stability so that the Assembly can effectively do its job. Stability for the public service. Stability for the people of the Northwest Territories, so they know the government is focused on working for them in a compassionate and committed way. Stability so our southern partners in government and business are reminded that we are effective and full partners in all our joint endeavours. Mr. Chairman, people, governments, business and capital are very nervous at signs of instability. We must demonstrate clearly that we have dealt with this issue and that we are a responsible and effective government. We need to continue with the efforts to ensure government is accountable, transparent and credible with high standards of integrity and conduct. We need to ensure the programs and services continue for all our residents.

Mr. Chairman, just to make a side note, this being the 50th anniversary of the International Declaration of Human Rights, that we get caught up in the business of the day here, that we have to step back and remember the people that we serve. An issue or fact that we must never forget, the trials and tribulations that they face and that it is our responsibility to help them deal with. We need to follow through and ensure that the lessons we have recently learned will be put into effect through the motion that was passed in this House. In the time remaining, it is time to carry through on issues and initiatives already under way and deal with as many issues on our agenda as possible to get to division on time and on budget. Each of us has many new ideas for the two new territories being created. In 1999 and beyond, we lay out a vision for the western government, a basic blueprint, that includes some of these ideas, if it be the will of the new Legislature.

Mr. Chairman, as much as we want to move on new ideas, we cannot forget the fact of stability and the need to provide stability through division to make sure we maintain the existing level of programs and services and complete as many of the initiatives and issues we now have before us. We have an advantage in choosing a new Minister this time, compared to when we first got here, for the most part, strangers to each other. We now know who we are working with. We have been working together for three years and know a lot about how we do our jobs.

Mr. Chairman, rather than citing my qualifications, I would like to instead provide a possible check list of things to look for in a potential Minister. Do they have the work ethic which will allow them to deal with the volume of work in the Minister's office? Can they bring people together on issues? Have they put forward effective suggestions for dealing with the program and policy issues? Do they have a demonstrated ability to work with all their colleagues in the Assembly? Have they demonstrated leadership characteristics in interaction with our partners outside of government?

Mr. Chairman, we need to have a Cabinet that can quickly work together to deal with the critical issues remaining prior to division. With such a short time left in this Assembly, we should be focusing on stability and leadership and not necessarily on trying to readjust the political balance or trying to set a whole new direction.

Mr. Chairman, over the last three years, I believe I have demonstrated the leadership qualities that would make up a good Minister and I would appreciate the support of all my colleagues when it comes to a vote. Thank you very much.

--Applause

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen that may be in the gallery, people of the Northwest Territories that may be watching and members of the press that are here today. I want to first of all congratulate our Premier-elect, Mr. Antoine. Congratulations, well done. All of us, I am sure, will support you heartily. I want to also give my sincere compliments to Mr. Kakfwi for the initiative to provide an interesting and very competitive race. I would also like to thank Mr. O'Brien for his expression of confidence in me, by putting my name forward as a Member of the Cabinet of the Northwest Territories. People have asked me if I would put my name forward, they were supportive. I have had support from my family. It has been a difficult question, Mr. Chairman, because it does require a tremendous commitment which I think all of us realize. We have been here some time, but I appreciate the support given to me by those who were interested in putting my name forward and encouraging me to run. Whatever happens at the end of the day, I am confident that we will all work together and move forward in this territory.

As we all know, Cabinet is teamwork. Each person must contribute to the ultimate goal of service to the people and the benefit to the people of the Northwest Territories. A Cabinet Minister must also be an individual, an individual who is strong and who can stand on his, or her, own two feet and be independent enough to deal with the many tough issues that Cabinet Ministers have to deal with, the tough decisions.

The Minister's role should not be such that his or her service to the ordinary Members is lost, nor to his or her Cabinet colleagues. All of us, Mr. Chairman, have different skills, gifts and experiences to bring to the table. Many of our skills and gifts are the same, but some of us do have varied skills and they are all to be complimented. Those people that are running today, they are all very capable and very suitable candidates.

I think I have some skills developed over my lifetime that I feel would contribute to the smooth and efficient operation of Cabinet. In my younger life, I was a public servant for this very government. I spent many years here and learned a lot and appreciated what I learned through that. I was able to apply it to many other areas. Following my career as a civil servant, I was a businessman in the publishing business for about 20 years. My business background taught me how to manage money, employees and how to be of service to the public. Almost four years ago, I decided to change my career and enter politics. Let me just say that the combination of having been a public servant, a businessman and now a politician, I think are assets that can contribute very well to this government.

What are the skills of a leader, you might ask, that I consider important? Integrity, honesty, openness, but a leader is also someone who can direct government programs and redirect those programs if they are ineffective. Being a leader, is someone who can stimulate and direct government employees to implement the government's policies, an agenda set by this Legislature. We all know that Cabinet Ministers represent a broader constituency of people all across the Northwest Territories. They must be able to relate to a very wide spectrum of people across the north, but also relate with those on a national stage. They must be strong enough to be recognized, respected and perceptive enough to be approachable.

In the coming years, we will no doubt face many more difficult problems. Some of those problems are on our horizon today. We must address the problem of forced growth in our government. Each year, we are spending more and more money on the social envelope area, but the social lot of our people is not keeping pace. Our suicide rates are amongst the highest in the country and our substance abuse rates are amongst the highest. We have to address this concern. This concern has to be addressed in a very, very serious way.

It is no secret that alcohol, drug-related crimes and resultant social problems cost this government tens of millions of dollars. It is high time we acknowledge that it is our number one problem and we should address it as our number one problem to find solutions to it. We have to address the major concerns of our front line workers, the teachers and nurses and I spoke on that just the other day. One of the most important and effective ways to deal with our problems, both physical and social, is through economic growth and job creation. Job creation and economic activity has to come from somewhere. For me, it comes not just from the development of non-renewable resources sectors such as mining and oil and gas, but also from such industries as fisheries, forestry, harvesting and marketing of country foods, arts and crafts and tourism. The development of our renewable resources sector goes beyond mere economic benefits, but to the heart of most communities. Northern people have always relied on the land and animals for their survival and it continues to play an integral part of our economy today.

The best solution to our social problems is to get people jobs. Jobs for people in all of our communities. No matter what we offer people in the form of income support, education upgrading, social support systems, what people really want at the end of the day, is a job. Real jobs in such areas as the value added industries of our resources such as mining and forestry.

We have to have a Cabinet that addresses the issues that are out there. Issues like government contracting processes. Cabinet has to address the issue of morale in our public service and restore the security of their positions. Our employees need confidence in themselves again. At the same time, public servants have to know that at this time we cannot go into a wholesale expansion program and that in these continuing tough economic times they must, like all of us, continue to be more creative, more effective, more efficient.

In closing, Mr. Chairman, I would like to say that I do not shy away from a challenge. I do not shy away from the issues. I may not necessarily agree all the time with my colleagues on the approach to problem solving, but providing a different viewpoint is healthy. What is unhealthy is the stifling of viewpoints.

I am committed to be a very effective individual, if I am elected to Cabinet. I offer you my skills and commitment to make a positive contribution to the people of the Northwest Territories because they are the number one priority. I am asking those of you for support for a Cabinet post and I would be personally very honoured if you voted for me. We live in exciting times, Mr. Chairman. They have been exciting times here in the north and I am sure they will continue to be exciting and wonderful times for us all. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, for all northerners these are challenging times as we move to create two new territories. Over the last three years I have had an opportunity to work with every MLA in this House to the benefit of all our residents. I can go into a bit of my past and how I came to arrive here in this Assembly, but I believe the Members here who are going to select a new Cabinet Minister have seen the qualities in people already and, hopefully, that will lead to their decision.

I would be proud to be a member of a team creating a new Western Territory, while at the same time assisting our Nunavut neighbours in creating their own territory. I look forward to working with Cabinet colleagues and ensuring the division process is as seamless as possible.

Over this period of time that I have represented the community of Inuvik in this Assembly, I believe that I have demonstrated that I am a hard worker, that I am a team player, that I have no axes to grind and that my word is good. I feel I have the integrity to carry on with the Cabinet position.

Mr. Chairman, just over three years ago, when we were electing our Cabinet, I chose not to run because at that time I did not feel that I had the needed experience. Instead, I chose to concentrate on what I knew best and that was community issues. I believe I have shown that to be correct over the years. However, Mr. Chairman, after the three years of working in the Assembly as an Ordinary Member and as a Member of the Social Programs Committee, I feel I have acquired the needed experience to help complete the transition to two new territories at a Cabinet level.

As Chairman of Western Coalition, I have always strived to work cooperatively with the GNWT and our Nunavut partners to create a smooth transition to two new territories, while at the same time working to establish an economically viable new Western Territory. In many ways, the Western Coalition provides an example of what can be achieved when political, aboriginal, business and community leaders work together towards the common goal of creating a strong new territory. From my time as Chairman of the Western Coalition, I have gained a good understanding of the challenges of division and how these issues impact on the people we serve.

While division is an important issue, it will come to pass. We must, however, look forward and look to the future and see how we can take advantages of the opportunities that are presented to us. Economic development, Mr. Chairman, especially in the resource sector, must be taken advantage of. If elected to Cabinet, I would work hard to promote economic development in all regions.

As many of you may note, I have not pursued knocking on doors and going the traditional route of seeking your support before we have come into this arena. I have not operated that way in previous ways of doing things and I do not feel that it is time to change my method of doing things. I feel that my experience and those who have worked with me at this time will know that I stand here and you can look on or work together and know if you support me or not.

I think you all know me well and know that I am approachable. I am understanding and hard-working and, if elected to Cabinet, I will work hard to bring stability to government as we enter the final phase of creating two new territories.

While I live in the west and work hard to create a new, viable Western Territory, I also recognize that Nunavut will be our neighbour and, at times, an important ally. I am prepared to work with Nunavut on the future issues of common interest.

Mr. Chairman, we have all been through difficult times. We have all tried to work for our constituencies. The work effort that I put into protecting my constituency I would carry forward to working with Cabinet as a team player in trying to ensure that the people can look forward to a stable and open and honest government. I look forward to your support and I wish all the other Members that have entered into this much success. Thank you.

--Applause

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I would like to start by thanking Mr. Evaloarjuk for nominating me for this position in Cabinet. Mr. Chairman, I find the proceedings here a lot different now than they were three years ago when we ran for the same positions. I find myself more knowledgable of issues and what is very important is I find myself very knowledgable of the other Members' abilities. I find that through working with them on committees, I have gained experience and knowledge from them as well as, hopefully, I have passed on to them some experience and knowledge that I have gained in my lifetime. Through that, we have developed amongst ourselves confidence in each other and we are in a better position now to know who should be representing us and the NWT residents on Cabinet. Who we think would be a good candidate and who would fill in the gaps in Cabinet. There is no doubt, Mr. Chairman, at this point in time, that Cabinet has a lot of experienced Members.

I am not suggesting at this point in time that this is not happening because we are not properly represented on Cabinet. It is just obviously the advantage of having representation on Cabinet that is important. In the past, we have had good representation, such as Nellie Cournoyea, from the Beaufort, Richard Nerysoo, and Tom Butters. There are a number of them. We need continued representation such as that in Cabinet.

Mr. Chairman, I have a fair amount, in my past experience, of practical experience to offer Cabinet, and I also have a lot of political experience to offer. I think that almost any portfolio, I could say that I have had some experience in life in dealing with that type of portfolio and the responsibilities of the portfolio. I do not know whether it is important at this point in time that I go into describing them all, but I did three years ago. I did identify to the Members that I have had experience as a hunter and trapper, I have had experience as a businessman, I have had experience in working in the construction and transportation fields. I have also had 13 years as a Justice of the Peace.

I do have experience dealing with the public and I think that over the years I have gained an honest reputation. I hope that the Members here as having worked with me for the past three years have seen that in fact, I am an honest person and a fair person. I am also very practical person. I think that those are maybe the strong points that are needed on Cabinet at this point in time. I am not suggesting that the Members that are there do not have it. But I am suggesting that those might be some strong points to add to Cabinet, to assure the public that there is going to be fairness, integrity and openness in Cabinet. I would assure the Members in this House that I will continue to press towards that. That would be very obvious that we can work very closely together and we can work in a friendly atmosphere rather than an aggressive atmosphere. I would really like to see that. That is what I have to offer, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am up against some good people here and I am sure that they are fair people, so I would offer to vote for one of them if they all will vote for me.

--Laughter

With that, Mr. Chairman, I thank the Members and I will thank you for your support in this. Thank you.

--Applause