I accept.

Members, I would like to make a few opening comments before we move on. Let me say what an honour it is to have been selected as your Speaker. I would like to thank Mr. Krutko for his excellent work, not only as a Speaker for the first six months of this assembly, but also as Chair of the Board of Management, Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committee of the Whole of this and previous assemblies. I will have more to say to the House once the formal appointment has been made in the House later today.

I did not intend to make lengthy opening remarks as I am sure all Members and the public who are watching us today are aware of why the Territorial Leadership Committee is meeting. However, for the record, this is the second meeting of the Territorial Leadership Committee of the 15^th Legislative Assembly. The first meeting was held in December 2003 when we elected the Speaker, Premier and Members of Cabinet, by secret ballot.

Today we are gathered to elect one Member from the northern constituencies to fill the vacancy on Cabinet. This is based on the adopted custom of having two Members of Cabinet from northern, Yellowknife and southern constituencies. The northern constituencies consist of Nunakput, Inuvik Twin Lakes, Inuvik Boot Lake, Mackenzie Delta, Sahtu and the North Slave. To confirm the process for the election of a Cabinet Member you have in front of you, in addition to the agenda, a package of information including the guidelines and the procedures for the selection of the new Member of Cabinet.

The process for electing a Cabinet Minister will begin with a call for nominations. Only those Members from northern ridings may be nominated. Once a nominated Member has accepted the nomination, his name will be added to the ballot. Once nominations have been closed, each candidate will be allowed to make a 10-minute speech. There will be no question period for this process. Once the speeches have been made, the committee will commence voting. Members will receive their ballots at the Clerk's table, vote in the voting booths located at each side of the Speaker's chair and drop your ballots in the box in front of the table.

After all Members have voted, I will cast the final vote. Following that, the ballot box will be taken to the Clerk's office where the ballots will be counted. Once the ballots have been counted, the bells will be rung for five minutes and the committee will reconvene. I will announce the results of the ballot and either declare a winner or announce those names that remain in the ballot for the second vote.

At this time, does the committee agree with the process that I have just laid out?

Thank you. I will now open the floor for nominations. The nomination forms are in your package to use. Are there any nominations for the position of Cabinet Minister? Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wish to nominate the honourable David Krutko, the Member for Mackenzie Delta, for a position on Cabinet.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Does Mr. Krutko accept the nomination?

I accept.

Mr. Krutko has accepted the nomination. Your name will be added to the ballot. Are there any further nominations for the position of Minister? Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wish to nominate Mr. Norman Yakeleya, the Member for Sahtu, for a position on Cabinet.

Thank you. Mr. Allen has nominated Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Yakeleya, do you accept the nomination?

Yes, I do.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Yakeleya's name will be added to the ballot. Are there any further nominations for position of Minister? Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wish to nominate Mr. Pokiak, Member for Nunakput, for a position on Cabinet.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Pokiak, do you accept the nomination?

For the record, Mr. Chairman, I will accept the nomination. Thank you.

You have accepted the nomination. His name will be added to the ballot. Are there any further nominations for the position on Cabinet? Hearing none, I will call on the candidates to make their 10- minute speech. In order of speeches, it will be alphabetical by surname. Mr. Krutko, you are first. The floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. At this time, I would like to thank my nominator, Mr. Menicoche, for putting my name forward. Also, I would like to take this time to thank each and every one of you for having the opportunity to serve as your Speaker for the last six months. It has been an honour and a privilege and it's a job that I very much enjoy. I think there is a time and place for each of us to do our duty and to serve our people and the Government of the Northwest Territories. Serving the people is the most fundamental luxury that a lot of people don't have an opportunity to do. That's something we need to consider when we are elected into public office or serve on boards and agencies, but most importantly to serve the people of the Northwest Territories.

I have been involved in public service for over 20 years by way of band councils, hamlet councils, and hunters' and trappers' associations. Also I served on regional bodies. I was vice-president of the Mackenzie-Delta Regional Council. I served on territorial bodies, also. I was vice-president of the Metis Association of the Northwest Territories and also was a member of the Dene-Metis Secretariat.

It has been a pleasure to serve the people in the Northwest Territories over the last 20 years. I have served nine years in this House. Some days were good and other days were bad, yet that's the cycle we go through in public life. There is never a consistent way of dealing with issues. Issues are dealt with by looking at them by both sides. There are pros and cons to issues. There are good sides and there are also bad sides to issues. It's to find that middle ground that we all have to strive for to do the best job we can for the people of the Northwest Territories.

I have had the opportunity to serve on public agencies in the Northwest Territories. I served on the Beaufort-Delta Land Use Planning Commission back in the late 1980s. That really gave me an eye opener on communities such as Paulatuk, Holman Island, Sachs Harbour and the Beaufort- Delta communities and really get an understanding of what land use to elders who aren't with us here today meant and the standards they would like us to follow in the future. I have had the privilege of also serving on the Gwich'in Land and Water Board, the Mackenzie Land and Water Board and

I have also served on the Northwest Territories Tourism Training Group, where I served as co-chair.

It's important that by serving on these boards and agencies that it builds not only stature with other people that you serve with, but builds a knowledge base that we all have to share with each other and not keep it in your own knowledge but to share it with other people, so they can also learn from those experiences.

The most important aspect of what I have been able to accomplish this year in the House...Coming into the Legislative Assembly during the 13^th Legislative Assembly in 1995, we had a drastic cut of 10 percent right across the board in our federal transfer payment. It was over $100 million. We had to make some tough decisions. We had to make changes to how government governs, and it did have a major impact on programs and services, the size of government. We do have tough decisions to make here again today in the 15^th Legislative Assembly. We have gone through this in the 14^th Legislative Assembly, where I also had the privilege of serving. I also had the privilege of serving on several special committees and also as the Chair of the Governance and Economic Development committee during the 13^th Assembly. I also had the privilege of serving under Speaker Gargan and also Speaker Whitford as the Deputy Speaker of this House, which was a real honour to be chairman of Committee of the Whole.

I think that we have to reach out now, and I have taken major steps by way of stating exactly where I wanted to go. It is a major shift for me. I was hoping not to make this move because I enjoy the role of Speaker, but I believe now the pressure is on us to do the right things. The 15^th Assembly has some tough decisions to make. We have to find ways of ensuring that those decisions that we make, we make with all 19 Members here, not only from the government side, but also from the ordinary Members' side. We always have to keep in mind the balance that I mentioned earlier in my statement. There has to be a balance to making sure that those decisions that we make, we look at them from both sides. Look at the pros and cons of what's good and what's bad, and exactly what's the best way of making these tough decisions without having a major impact on the programs and services that we do deliver, but also finding mechanisms of delivering these services in maybe a different manner, or maybe looking at exactly how the government structures have been in place for 20 years. Maybe it's time that we looked at governance in the Northwest Territories.

We have a major economic horizon around us, yet we are not seeing the real jewels of what's out there, which are the people of the Northwest Territories. The people of the Northwest Territories want more than just jobs. They want to not have to be in lines to receive income support, they want to have good housing. But in order for us to do that, we have to look at the whole area of government.

I think there has been a lot of ridicule about myself about being outspoken and vocal, but I think as politicians and as leaders, you have to speak from your heart, regardless of whether you're on this side of the House or you're on that side of the House. It has to come from where deep down you know it is the thing to do. I have always kept that as my go-getter to come up into this House, talk about issues and try to find solutions. I'm glad to see from a lot of the new Members here that they have a lot of the kick and spunk and spasm that I had coming in here in the 13^th Assembly...

---Laughter

...where I came in with blinders on, thinking I just got elected and I had all these great things that I had promised to my constituents, saying that I was going to make these. But then to come in here and find out that we had a $100 million deficit and we had to make some drastic changes, gave me a spin for a loop that I still have headaches from. I think it's that type of experience that makes us better leaders and better politicians.

I know I've had to make a tough decision here with regard to what to do. I could have sat up there on that nice comfortable chair, but I think it's time that we have a government that has people on it that have a lot of experience and a lot of knowledge to offer to this new government, and I have that. I know for a fact that Cabinet meetings may go a little longer because I'm on it, but I think because of that hopefully we make some good decisions that we can all live with. So I think it's important that we, as leaders, and everyone here ensures that we have the people in the right place at the right time, and I believe this is my time to serve the people of the Northwest Territories in the Cabinet of the Northwest Territories. I know that I was considering this position for some time and I was hoping that the Speaker's role would have taken me a little longer, but things have happened and things are now before us where we're making this decision.

With that, I would like to let all my colleagues know who I am and I am definitely going to do the best job that I can on this side of the House, like I've always done for the last nine years as a Member of this Legislative Assembly. I have served my time and I've taken a giant leap from a comfortable chair to putting my feet in the fire over here. With that, I look forward to your support. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. I'm going to call upon Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all I would like to thank David Krutko and Norman Yakeleya for submitting my name for the Cabinet position. As I indicated during the 15^th Assembly when we first started, I was not able to consider a position for a portfolio like this for a Cabinet, but with the recent movement over the last couple of days and in contacting my constituents back home last night, with their confidence in me submitting my name for Cabinet, I feel right now that I can move forward with all Members here. I think it's a very important portfolio when you sit on Cabinet, that you represent the people of the Northwest Territories.

We all know we have a code of conduct that we have to abide by, and I believe in that strongly.

Just to give the Members some background on what I've done in the past: I was the mayor of Tuktoyaktuk; I was a councillor for three terms in Tuktoyaktuk; I was also involved on the board of directors during the Inuvialuit final land claim agreement. I also sat down with the Environmental Impact Review Board on the IFA. I've been involved with the local education authority in Tuktoyaktuk and the Tuk Housing Association, so I have a pretty good background in terms of small-term politics and I think it's very important and having a background in things like that might help out in terms of the long-term mission for the Northwest Territories.

Like I say, it's unfortunate that we have to sit down together and choose a new Member, but again it's something that the Members all agree to. There's not much more I can say, except I talked to my people back home last night, after the decision by the House, and I'm looking forward to your support. Again, I will help work for the people of the Northwest Territories if I become elected to Cabinet. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. I will now call upon Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you. I want to congratulate you, Mr. Speaker, on your recent nomination for the Speaker. I also want to thank Mr. Krutko and Mr. Pokiak for being nominated, and I thank Mr. Allen for nominating me and having the confidence in me to put my name forward.

I have given some thought to this, and last night I thought when opportunity knocks you go to the door and open it and see what's there. When I first got elected to this House, some Sahtu people asked if I would consider putting my name forward when I first came in November. They said that they wanted me to stay as a regular MLA because of the work they see going forward by the Sahtu people. Because of the events that happened, I talked to the Sahtu people again and the majority of them, close to 100 percent, said they should consider putting my name forward as a Cabinet Minister and it would be a good opportunity for me and for the people in the Sahtu region. So it's a real honour and privilege to be selected as a Cabinet Minister. Along with that privilege, there's a high degree of integrity of support and commitment from all the Members. I always looked at leadership as being some way that you are leading the people in the Northwest Territories. Leadership I take very strongly. I have worked many years in leadership. When I first got into politics, I didn't really know what leadership was all about. I understood there are different levels of leadership. I worked as chief in Tulita and with the leadership with the Metis and Sahtu Tribal Council. I had different roles throughout the years and I have gained a lot of experiences dealing with people. For me, it's having the confidence of people.

I want to say that I feel that I have the ability and skills to sit on the other side, should Members wish to go that way and to vote with confidence. I will do a good job if I were sitting on Cabinet.

I also have many experiences working with many different teams in the Northwest Territories. There are many issues. I was chief negotiator with the Sahtu land claim. I worked on issues of residential schools and with many different agencies and boards. I worked in the Sahtu region as a tribal chairperson and dealt with governments at both levels and the communities. It's really a relationship with policies and programs and trying to work with everyone you come into contact with. Being a people person is something I can bring forward to Cabinet in terms of having the people work with us in exciting times and also difficult times in terms of resources that we have, and also the amount of needs that people are asking from us as government to do to ensure that they have the quality of life they should have.

I see this government as a real leader in terms of having the uniqueness of consensus government. I think this will go a

long way and people can support us. Sometimes I see us as a light in the fog, like today. They know the light is there and it's a focus. We are in a unique situation because of the resources we have in the Northwest Territories and the unique process that we can work on with the federal government to keep some of our resources here to help our people. At the end of the day, when we look at it back home, how we are serving our people and how we are providing some level of comfort and satisfaction that they can support our government here, I think is a real key piece of support that the Cabinet needs from all our Members here that we can use to give a comfort level to our people.

If I am the successful candidate, I bring my commitment to the Cabinet. I have always done that in my life. Someone mentioned during the residential school work that if you fall down, you'll get back up. Make a commitment. The spirit that's inside makes my commitment strong. No matter what, you have to be committed. I look at that as our forefathers did. I think commitment to this place, whether as MLA or Cabinet Member, I will keep working strong and hard. That goes back to relationship building with all people in the Northwest Territories. That is key in terms of the success of our government. At the end of the day, if you have a process and programs to follow, it's the relationship with other people. Sometimes it's hard to tell people things; it's how you do it and how they look at you in terms of what you are doing to work with them. Empower people in the North to do the best they can. That's what I would like to bring to this level of government.

I am really honoured to be here because I was chosen by the Sahtu people to be here. At the end of the day, they have given me their permission to be here. I had asked the Sahtu people. I said that there was an opportunity here and I canvassed them. Like I said, the majority of them said to put my name forward and they would support me. I am really honoured to have the support of the Sahtu people.

Mr. Speaker, I want to mention the way I see Cabinet. The Cabinet, the Premier and the Members are my leaders at the end of the day. They are the government. You are my leaders. So far it's been really good to work with Cabinet. I have a lot of respect for all Members. Sometimes I question their decisions, but they make decisions as a group and they have discussions. Sometimes I think at night. Last night I went home and thought about my children. I thought about my little girl. We have families, too. Sometimes I don't think about that. As Members of Cabinet, I think you are a machine and we forget sometimes that we have families. For me, it gives me a different light. It has given me a chance to think about it. That's why I think people in the Northwest Territories, for myself anyway, have that perception. Members of Cabinet are also human, I should say. It's a learning process.

I am working in this field. I know that I am just learning the structure of the territorial government. However, I have been in politics for some time. I have made some tough decisions. As my honourable friend David Krutko said, he's also made some tough decisions in terms of being a leader. Sometimes you are not sure if that's the right decision, but I can attest that what is right for you and in terms of leading your people is by far something that can't be paid back.

For me, I would like to thank the Members for listening to me. I thank Mr. Allen again for nominating me. As a Cabinet Member, I think there are some opportunities for all of us to

look to, to work on and bring this government onto solid ground of leadership. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Each candidate has now had a chance to make their 10-minute speeches. Members are now asked to proceed to the Clerk's table to receive your ballots and to proceed to the polling booths. Mark your ballots and place them in the ballot box. Please proceed to pick up your ballots.

---Voting Commences

Are there any other Members who have not yet voted? Hearing none, I will now proceed to cast my ballot.

---Voting Continues

Colleagues, I now declare the voting process to be closed. The ballot box will be taken to the Clerk's office where the ballots will be counted. The bells will be rung for five minutes once the counting has been completed to bring the Members back into the Chamber. We will now take a break.

---SHORT RECESS

---Ringing of Bells

I want to take this opportunity to thank the Members for assembling so quickly when the bells rang. I hope that's an indication of future operations of this House.

Colleagues, it is now my duty to advise you that you have elected Mr. Krutko, the Member for Mackenzie Delta, as Member of Cabinet.

---Applause

Congratulations, Mr. Krutko. The appointment will be confirmed by motion in the House this afternoon. I declare that these proceedings are now concluded. We are now adjourned.

---ADJOURNMENT