Thank you, Mr. Chair. At this time, Mr. Chair, I would like to congratulate you on your role as Speaker, and also I would like to congratulate the newly elected Premier, Mr. Kakfwi. And to all the other Members of the House, I look forward to serving with you and working with you for the next four years. I have had the privilege of serving in the capacity of regional politics, territorial politics and now here in the House, for some 15-odd years.

But I will have to say the toughest time I have served in any capacity for the public was the last four years during the 13^th Assembly. We had to make some crucial decisions on some very demanding choices with limited funds. I have learned that it is now time to turn the wagon around and head to more prosperous grounds.

We now have an opportunity to go from having to make the tough decisions with division, with bringing down a $150 million deficit to where we are now having an opportunity to see the potential we have in the Western Territory.

In saying that, Mr. Chair, I would like to assure every Member here that I am open, honest, and willing to speak for the people of the North, the people I represent in the Mackenzie Delta. I grew up in a small community, and I have seen the problems and the concerns those people have.

Most people consider family as immediate family, those people around you. But in the aboriginal community, a family is a community of people. I think when you come to issues and problems that you hear from the community, it affects everyone within that community; whether it is a death in the family, a problem with alcohol and drugs, or the effects that we have seen of boom-bust scenarios.

In the Mackenzie Delta, it has been over 20 years since we had the prospect of having a major industry sitting on our doorstep go bust. And I think it is now time to change that philosophy with the energy of this new Legislature and the people in this House, to work along with the aboriginal groups, the oil and gas companies, the mining companies, and most importantly improving the lives of the people we serve.

I have had the opportunity in the last four years to be known as a person that speaks for the little people, because in my heart I feel the pain, the suffering and injustices of those people out there who cannot speak for themselves.

I have the experience and privilege of serving in several capacities in the Northwest Territories for the last 15 years, from working with the people within the communities to being a member of the band council. From being a member of settlement council to the hamlet council. I was also elected to the Mackenzie Delta Regional Council with leaders such as Johnny Charlie and Freddie Greenland.

I think it is those types of experiences that made me who I am today, and I will continue to serve those people that have given me that privilege.

I have faced many challenges. I have served with the Dene/Metis claims process for seven or eight years as a regional land claims negotiator. I served on the executive of the Metis Nation of the Northwest Territories as the vice-president. Yes, we have gone through some troubled times through the negotiations of the agreement in principle for the Dene/Metis, and then to see negotiations lapse at the final stage of conclusion of the Dene/Metis claim. But I believe what has happened has happened for a reason. I believe it has made the people of the North more dependent and more resilient as individuals, and a group of individuals, to be able to do the things we are now doing in the North.

I went on to serve as a senior negotiator with the Gwich'in to settle that land claim. And after concluding those negotiations and having that agreement finalized, I had the privilege of serving as a senior negotiator of the Sahtu claim. That claim is now concluded and the process of self-government has started.

It is awfully difficult to put yourself in the shoes of people in the communities. For those people who do not understand aboriginal politics, the biggest shoe we have to fill in any community is a leader, a chief. They are the ones that face the issues day in and day out. They are the ones who receive the phone calls, they are the ones that have to call the RCMP, and they are the ones that have to call the nursing station when people feel they want to be heard.

I think that it is time we took the energy in this room and put the people in Cabinet that will serve for the benefit of all people in the North. We have the opportunity to move forth and ensure we do the best job we can. I, for one, would like to see the process change from the dependency of government to independence of people.

We have a chance to move forth with the economic opportunities that are on the horizon. I am privileged to have served in the capacity at the community level, the regional level and the territorial level, and now in this Legislature, to serve the people of the Mackenzie Delta and the Northwest Territories. But I feel everyone here in this room all have special interests and special commitments we have made to serve people. I for one will continue to do that regardless, of the capacity where I find myself.

In closing, I would ensure all Members here that I will continue to be up front, honest, and state vocally or otherwise the issues that I feel critical, important, and where direction has to be taken. I am a team player; I have always been a team player. When I feel that one person's opinion may have some merit, I will listen to that opinion. And when I feel strong enough that initiative has to be taken, I will go with initiative where I see the most positive results at the end.

So with that, I would like to state I wish for the support of the Members here to nominate and select me to Cabinet. I believe I have done a duty to the North, and I will continue to perform that duty by serving the people of the North in all aspects and in all the relationships that we have here by building a government that is strong and vocal. I will stand up for all people in the North. Thank you.

-- Applause