Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman and colleagues. Congratulations to you, Mr. Chairman, for being our

Speaker-elect, and, certainly, congratulations to you, Mr. McLeod, for being our Premier-elect.

I’m here today before you to ask for your support in my bid as a member of the territorial Cabinet. Upon reflecting upon this important duty, I’m reminded of what we have done, and where we need to go and to whom we need to serve. There are challenges out there, but at the same time there are many opportunities before us as well.

For the past eight years I’ve had the privilege to be involved in the progress of the NWT. It has been a humbling experience, to say the least. Like every experience, whether it has been one of highs and lows, I can say I have learned a lot. As a Member of the Assembly, I truly believe in the commitment of the work we have before us, and I strongly believe that with the time before us, we can rise to the occasion in this new role we must play to improve the lives of Northerners. As such, I ask for your support to become a member of your Cabinet in this Assembly today.

Mr. Chairman, in offering my name and effort, I can say that I feel that I’ve taken principle stands as a Regular Member when the time was needed. I have to say, sometimes it wasn’t popular. I also believe that I am a good listener and can consider reasonable compromise for the greater good for our northern people. To do this job, I will need everyone’s help and advice.

If elected to Cabinet, I will work tirelessly under the principles of fairness and respect. I will work to improve the lives of Northerners with a clear goal when lending my support to community issues that do need an extra hand from time to time, especially in cases where all they are asking for is basic support and standards that rightfully should be theirs.

In this role I’m prepared to be honest with you, as I hope you will be prepared to be honest with me, and I will be reasonable and steadfast in what I can and cannot do. I’m not here today to promise you the moon, knowing full well it cannot be delivered. However, working together we can achieve more. More on the issues of cost of living to help people, more on poverty, more on those housing issues. We can do this together.

Over the past few days I’ve committed to many of you that I will work to open up a greater dialogue on your needs, as I will work hard to ensure your concerns are heard and fairly considered. I truly believe that we can work together in a partnership of communication and respect, which will empower the voices of your people, and added with your experience, we will get things done for Northerners. I have spoken to many of you about how I can help you represent your people, and I believe that we

can make those voices heard, those people from your ridings, when and where it counts.

Mr. Chairman, it’s no secret that I grew up in Fort Simpson and I have travelled many of the northern roads and towns extensively over the years. As such, I’ve never forgotten what it was like to live in a small community and to appreciate the struggles and the day-to-day challenges that are in those small communities. If I find myself in a Cabinet role, that understanding and appreciation that I can bring to the table is an asset which only experience can truly understand. So rather than just saying I get it, I can actually tell you I’ve lived some of it. I may live in Yellowknife, Mr. Chairman, but I have lived in the communities, and I’m committed to northern communities as well as big community issues as well.

Mr. Chairman, I’m a strong believer in the work being done here today by our government that supports the aspirations of local community and Aboriginal governments. In the role I assume, I will work to continue to support and recognize those partners, because we need those partners to move issues forward. We saw last week how important devolution is to those partners. We need to ensure that they are along with us and we hear their concerns.

In this role I will continue to support the government’s efforts to build capacity for our people, to address skill shortages and help bring opportunities to communities. As a Minister I would hit the road running and, wherever possible, I would get out into the regions to see where I could support your work. To do your work on your behalf, I have the full commitment of my family to take the time needed to learn the job and to learn it well.

In the same vein, I also recognize that I have much to learn from the experience of your wisdom and things that your communities are telling you.

The local communities’ MLAs bring a lot of good issues here to the Assembly and they cannot be ignored. Because of the wisdom that they have taught me over the days and certainly over the years, I will use that opportunity of the wisdom provided to me to help empower all Members of this building. I believe the empowerment of our communities is good for all the territory.

As well, we have a lot of work to do on housing. That has become the predominant theme in the last few days. However, our economy needs to continue to invest in our territory as we continue to grow. Without any doubt, we need all levels of government both municipal and Aboriginal, to help work together to find creative ways to improve the lives of all Northerners from our young and old. This work I am prepared to do and this work I am certainly eager to do.

Over the last few days I have used this time to take the opportunity to renew my understanding on many of the struggles and challenges that my colleagues here are challenged with day to day, be it in supporting youth, local community jobs, fighting addictions or even finding access to quality housing, just to name a few. I will do my part with the guidance of all Members in addressing these areas that I can.

I promised – and am committed to that – to raising the standard of living for everyone across the North. Now, over the years I have seen many good ideas which have been brought to the table. As a Regular MLA, I was always keen to know that, no matter what the outcome was, I felt it important that my issues received a fair audience for the ideas that I have been trying to bring forward. So, accordingly, I commit to you as a member of Cabinet, I will take the time to understand the concerns of the Members as they are asking them to be addressed. I will listen to the story they are narrating and I will do my best to support the change and challenges that they are seeking. With almost a month behind us now, we must get right to work for the regions that brought us here today. I believe that every moment before us is a working moment, an opportunity where we could improve the lives of our youth, our seniors, our families and even our communities across the territory. I believe we have many hopes and beliefs in common. Through partnership we can achieve more, certainly more than if we go it alone.

Again, the devolution discussion that we had last week is certainly one example where we can work in collaboration for a better territory in partnership and certainly build and mend those relationships.

I am a believer of empowering our young people, providing resources where it makes sense and sharing opportunity throughout the North that builds a stronger economy which, in the end, is good for the whole North. I am always personally moved when I see the hope in the eyes of our young people who want to be part of a good future that we can help build. When my community says that they need a youth worker to help them guide the next generation along the right path, I assure you I will be listening. I will be standing shoulder to shoulder with you.

In the end, choosing a member of Cabinet is about a confidence in the Member’s ability to work with others and use their experience gained to be both the solid member of the Cabinet team and in understanding the vital importance all Members play in the Assembly. At the same time it is also about a trust to know that someone will be there when you need them and they need you.

There are two core questions I will always have in front of my mind as we face issues together: What

can we do for the future of the North and how can we empower its people? The answer to these questions in my experiences here is found in a meaningful partnership and action together. That will be the cornerstone of our mutual success.

In closing, I humbly ask all Members for their support. If I have the honour to serve, I promise I will not forget why I am there. I pledge to be responsive and accessible to the needs of the Members as well as to the needs of the people of the Northwest Territories. Mahsi cho, colleagues. Thank you.