Thank you, Mr. Chair. MLA colleagues and NWT residents listening, I am grateful and humble to be re-elected for a third term and the opportunity to stand my name for premiership of the Northwest Territories.
As the MLA for Nahendeh, I have represented six communities for eight years, with commitment, dedication and energy. I would do the same for all 33 communities and Members of this Assembly.
Earlier this week I put an ad in the newspaper, calling on all people of the NWT to get involved in this Premier’s race. This is the kind of creativity that I will bring to this office. I am not afraid to think outside the box. I am not afraid of change. I don’t think you are either. I believe in a new, vibrant, forward-looking Premier and Cabinet that can engage all residents and stakeholders in our North. I am committed to this change.
I believe that I can bring change to this Assembly and my vision is a strong, united North that everyone wants: a North for this Legislature, Aboriginal and community governments and the people of the NWT working in partnership to create a place where we respect each other, the environment and the land; a North where large and small communities can prosper; a North that values
individuals, their uniqueness; a North that meets the needs of its residents by providing quality health care, good housing, transportation infrastructure and excellent education.
To accomplish this vision, we need to have a strong Legislature with a strong leader, one that works together in a positive way to build consensus and move forward within this Assembly. I believe I can be that next Premier of the NWT. I have proven myself to be a team player and a consensus builder during my term as MLA.
For the past eight years Premiers have come from the larger centres in this Northwest Territories. I believe that a Premier from the region will bring the small communities’ perspective into the governing affairs of the Northwest Territories and it is healthy to do so. I also believe that our consensus style of government demands that we do have alternate premierships from the regions and small communities and balance it off for the larger communities.
Consensus government is a unique system, one that is our own, and as MLAs, we all need to believe and work together to make this style of government work for us and the Northwest Territories. My approach as Premier will be to bring the issues to you – the Members of this Assembly – whether it is health care reform, the requirement for legislative change, or the need for new programming or fiscal restraint. You all have to be part of this solution. I will listen to your recommendations and implement decisions based on the agreed to approach. Communication is a two-way channel. The Premier and Cabinet need to properly listen to your concerns and those of your constituents, and in turn Cabinet and Ministers and the Premier must provide you with timely and proper information.
My vision: my team includes all 19 MLAs working together for the common good. I look forward to that.
During the 16th Assembly I raised an issue about
the lack of consultation on the Devolution Agreement-in-Principle, and now it is one of our main issues as we move forward. I do believe that devolution is good for the Northwest Territories and our residents. However, an agreement-in-principle that does not involve our Aboriginal governments is destined for failure. We have to build on the meeting of last week wherein our Caucus and the Aboriginal governments met. I am committed to work with Aboriginal governments and to recognize them as governments. However, an agreement-in- principle without the input of all our Aboriginal governments will further erode the relationships between this government, the communities and the people of the Northwest Territories. We all need to work together, this Assembly, Aboriginal
governments and people of the NWT. Only then we will see success and reap the benefits of our lands and resources.
To facilitate this process, I am proposing an Aboriginal devolution commission established within 120 days of the new government. The purpose of this commission would be to bring Aboriginal governments together to review the agreement-in-principle, propose recommendations, provide input, and I believe that this process will allow our Aboriginal governments to know that they have our respect that we can work with them. Having them at this table would allow us to move forward on this important initiative of devolution. I am also further proposing an Aboriginal liaison officer working directly with Cabinet to achieve this goal.
Our fiscal reality will mean that we need to look at costs, effective and efficient programs and services to meet the needs of our residents. This is a significant challenge for us. As a government and for the people of the NWT, we will need to ensure that the funding we approve for programs and services will accomplish our goals set out. We need to maximize the benefit of every dollar spent. I am committed to working with you and the public service to ensure that investments are making and are paying off, and that we are getting the expected results from each of these programs and services. We simply must instill a mindset of continuous improvement in all of our affairs in government.
Poverty is one of the big issues facing our residents. Questions around what Members would do to reduce poverty in the NWT were prevalent throughout the NWT elections. We know that this single issue is foremost in many MLAs’ minds. I believe a new government needs to make a commitment to action on this issue. I believe solutions to poverty in all of our communities must involve everyone: businesses, industry, non- government organizations, Aboriginal and community governments, the Government of Canada and the people themselves. I am committed to working with each of you to come up with solutions. I am further committed to resourcing these solutions and to working with other organizations to find ways to reduce the cost of living and increase the quality of life for the people of the NWT. Together we can find sustainable solutions.
In the 16th Assembly a lot of NWT residents were
upset on how government managed the review and creation of the new and revised Wildlife Act. We all agree that this act needs to be reviewed and revisited in this 17th Assembly. However, I want this
act to go through an extensive and open consultation so that all residents and stakeholders are involved from the start and ensure a transparent process.
I also agree and see that the GNWT must do more to reduce its carbon footprint. I would like to see an implementation plan and the creation of a taskforce recommend to this Legislature actions stemming from our greenhouse gas reduction target strategy. Not all can be achieved, but we simply must keep up with the rest of the world in this regard. In order for our residents to reap the benefits of our economy, we need an educated and trained workforce; a workforce that is best in the world when it comes to knowledge, skills and abilities. This means that this Assembly will need to examine the programs currently being offered to our children, youth and adults to ensure that they are meeting the needs of the people and employers of the NWT and beyond.
I propose that increasing our graduation rates in our schools is a first big step, and it is a measurable and attainable goal, colleagues.
I believe in better development. I further believe that we need to ensure that our environment is inspected and the people of the North benefit from the non-renewable resource extraction. Sustainable, planned and manageable development is the key to development of the Northwest Territories.
I have been a strong advocate for the Mackenzie Valley Highway extension including a fibre optic link as necessary, and supportive of the Mackenzie Valley Gas Pipeline Project. I also strongly support the federal initiative of the Inuvik-Tuk highway, which will make northern communities less isolated, create jobs and be open for more positive development. We need to come up with a balanced approach to sustainable development, one that protects the lands and the people but also encourages continued participation of industry in our territory.
Every Assembly has struggled with roads, schools and housing for our residents; this Assembly will be no different. We will be asked to find solutions to our infrastructure in our territory. This is a sizable issue, but with your input and your collaboration, we can find solutions. For example, in our biggest community, Yellowknife, we have Northland. It’s not really part of government, but government can play a part in that, as well as in Norman Wells where we’ve got gas issues and have to change everything over. I believe we can look at solutions. Together we can identify and meet the needs of our residents. We can do it.
The Government of the Northwest Territories needs to promote a healthy lifestyle for all our residents. We need to educate our residents about the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle and the benefit it will also have to our health care system. To do that, we must have our government strategy for the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.
We do have the current Foundation for Change strategy, but we must continue to believe in it and continue to implement its goals and objectives, and I ask you all, we must make this decision.
In addition, I know and see the need to improve the delivery of health care to smaller remote communities, and return central programs and services so that it can properly serve all the residents.
As Premier, I would expect all my Cabinet Ministers to conduct tours to each constituency within the first two years of their mandate, to listen and understand the reality of the Northwest Territories communities and regions. As Premier, I intend to lead by example and commit to do that as well. In addition, I will commit to visit and meet with all Aboriginal governments within the first six months of office. This will contribute to creating strong partnerships between the Government of the Northwest Territories and Aboriginal governments.
On the same token, we also need to improve our lobbying effort and relationship with the federal government. I will properly staff our NWT bureau in Ottawa and make this part of an intergovernmental engagement strategy, which will include all Members of this Assembly, to raise the presence of the Northwest Territories in Ottawa and influence positively legislation and policies to reflect the Northwest Territories needs.
Together we are a strong team, a team that can move forward towards a strong and united North. However, in order to do this effectively, we will need a strong and focussed Premier who will be able to rally support, seek consensus and effectively communicate the government vision to our fellow Northerners, to our partners, Aboriginal governments.
With my dedication, commitment, leadership and energy, I strongly believe I can be the leader of change in the 17th Assembly.
The people of the NWT are unique. NWT is a unique territory, one that is rich in culture and heritage. As a government, we need to sustain its uniqueness by protecting and encouraging the people of the NWT to revitalize the languages and cultural practices that make us unique.
We need to support the revitalization of the Aboriginal languages. We need to improve our youth’s understanding of our traditional ways. We need to support artists, our writers, filmmakers, song writers. It is through these endeavours that we will showcase the NWT as a strong and united North that is rich in culture and diversity, a North we all can be proud to call home.
More so than many of the Assemblies that have come before us, we need to be strong and
focussed, and consider all the impacts of any decisions we make. As the old sports proverb goes: “There is no ‘I’ in team.”
Individually we cannot do this, but as a team we can be change agents for the Northwest Territories. I’m committed to working as a team to bring the Northwest Territories – your home, my home – forward towards a strong, united North. As your leader, I know I cannot do this alone. We all need to work together effectively and cohesively to accomplish what lies before us.
I am a team player. I listen, I work well with others and I am a consensus builder. I also strongly believe that communication is a two-way process in which we must be genuine and respectful. By doing so, we will build a strong Northwest Territories and this team will be ready to face any challenges put in front of this Assembly. This Assembly and the people of the NWT want a change in the NWT, because if nothing changes, nothing changes.
I am glad for your open minds and hearts as I made my speech to you today. When you vote later today for your Premier, vote for commitment, dedication, leadership, energy. Vote for a Premier who will commit to you to make the NWT strong and united. Vote for a Premier who believes in change and is not afraid to think outside the box. Vote for Kevin Menicoche. Mahsi cho.