Thank you, Mr. Chair. I too would like to offer my congratulations to you on your selection as Speaker and to Mr. Kakfwi, our new Premier-elect. I would like to also thank Mr. Jim Antoine, the Member for Nahendeh, for nominating me.
I would like to say first that I have thought very long and hard before making the decision to seek a Cabinet position. I also consulted extensively with my constituents in Weledeh. I am pleased to tell you I have strong support from my constituency and from all areas including Yellowknife, Dettah, N'Dilo and the Ingraham Trail.
I first would like to tell you a little about myself. My professional background is as an educator. I have both graduate and undergraduate degrees from the University of Saskatchewan. In fact, I was the first aboriginal graduate from the Indian and Northern Education Program at that university. Thankfully, a lot of our northern aboriginal students have continued to go to that university and to others, and now form a strong core of teachers here in the North.
I have worked as an educator both in Canada and overseas. Before becoming a deputy minister with our government I was a superintendent of schools. I have been a deputy minister in the Northwest Territories for the past 14 years. I have had responsibility for a number of departments including Education, Renewable Resources, Housing, Transportation and Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. And I can tell you as a deputy minister, it is different on this side.
We are still dealing with the same issues. I am proud of my work record and achievements in each of the portfolios I was in and I am eager to contribute my experience and my ability to get things done in my new role as MLA for Weledeh and hopefully, as a member of the next Cabinet.
I believe in the Northwest Territories. My family lives here, my grandchildren live here. I think we have a very exciting and potentially prosperous future ahead of us. But we have to manage it right for the people today and for generations to come. We have the potential here to ensure that everybody has a decent lifestyle. But first we have to get our own house in order. We can only achieve this by working together.
We need to make progress in getting our system of government right. Our relationship with the federal government and with aboriginal governments is crucial. I believe as a critical first step this government must do everything it can where appropriate to facilitate the settlement of land claims, treaty entitlements and self-government provisions.
Until we achieve this, discussions on constitution, economic development priorities, resource revenue sharing and even rights of priority for training and employment will be difficult to resolve. Overcoming our social health and education challenges will be practically impossible without a new formula for resource revenue sharing. I think a renegotiated financing agreement with the federal government goes in that same package.
At the same time, as we are resolving outstanding land claims and aboriginal rights in facilitating the implementation of the existing claims, we need to continue on with negotiations with the federal government. We need to be creative in how we do this, of how we can open the doors for more input, then from just the 19 of us in this Chamber. We need more private sector input. We need more aboriginal input in that process.
While mining, gas and oil development will be the greatest contribution to our GDP, it is likely that most of our people in the Northwest Territories will be employed directly or indirectly in the renewable resources sectors.
I believe in non-renewable resource development because it can create much wealth and jobs. But at some point it runs out. I believe our long-term future is in the renewable resource sector. I am a strong advocate of the tourism industry. I do not believe our traditional economies are dead, as some people might have us believe. But we need to be more creative on how to modernize them to make them viable.
I will work hard to ensure we have a balance between the various sectors making up a good, healthy diversified economy, which will hopefully alleviate the situation we have now, where we have many boom and bust cycles. But I want to do this while ensuring jobs and benefits for all Northerners.
As was noted in the various briefings we had over the past few days, we have a population in the Northwest Territories that faces challenges on all fronts, especially in terms of education, health and social needs. Unless we can help overcome these challenges, economic development of jobs will not be a reality for a lot of people.
Preventable health and social problems are creating environments to dedicate too large a share of our available financial and human resources to managing this need. I believe in zero tolerance for violence and the need for legislation to enforce this principle. I believe in the necessity of investing more resources in prevention initiatives as the most practical way to cut down the costs resulting from abuse of alcohol and drugs and resulting human tragedies.
Politically, we have a unique form of consensus government. I will do everything to make it work effectively. Some of my views on Cabinet are: we need Cabinet Members to hear what we
say in the Legislative Assembly, and are able to include MLAs in planning and in the implementation of these priorities. We also need a Cabinet which can report back with good, tangible results. Cabinet Members need experience and expertise, but most of all a capacity to communicate openly with all Members and with the various committees we establish. We are not selected to Cabinet simply to push on with government in our own way, but we are expected to show leadership and be decisive when it is necessary. We need a Cabinet that is above challenge on ethical issues and on accusations of wrongdoing and favoritism. Cabinet has to be open and consultative if consensus government is really going to work. While it may be necessary at times to change spending plans, this should be communicated to the MLAs immediately.
I want to make our government work for the benefit of the people we represent. I have a lot of experience; I have a good record of getting the right things done on a timely basis. I have always lived by a responsible code of ethics. I am a team player, I listen and respect views, and I am honest with people. What you see is what you get.
I assure you I will not forget the people we represent. People in all of our constituencies have concerns, problems, challenges, aspirations, hopes and needs. We cannot let a day or even an hour go by without remembering they are the reason we are here. I believe government can make a difference, and government can, as people expect, get things done. We have unprecedented challenges in front of us, and on all fronts: financial, constitutional, economic and social. We cannot delay any of them. I am prepared to roll up my sleeves and put in the hours and commitment to getting on with the task. I look forward to your support in my quest for a position on Cabinet. Thank you.
-- Applause