Thank you, Mr. Speaker-elect. I just had to make sure I grabbed the right speech.
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Welcome to the 18th Assembly. This will be an Assembly of change and better government. Mr. Speaker-elect, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow Members in demonstrating their confidence in me by designating me to be the Premier of the Northwest Territories for a second term.
I would also like to take this opportunity to formally thank the people of Yellowknife South for electing me to represent them as their Member of the Legislative Assembly for a third term. They have placed their trust in me and my leadership and I intend to honour that trust.
I would be remiss if I did not thank my wife, Melody; my family: my son, Warren; his wife, Shannon; my grandsons, Carter and Cooper; my brother Michael McLeod; my niece Joyce McLeod; my niece Brenda Gauthier; and all my friends who are here today. Your support and patience is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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Thank you, as well, to Mr. Glen Abernethy for standing to be Premier.
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I know Mr. Abernethy to be a committed and experienced Minister who believes wholeheartedly in his duty to the people of the Northwest Territories. In the past government, he was responsible for advancing significant government priorities like anti-poverty and health system reform in a quiet and effective way.
Should I be confirmed as Premier, I look forward to working with Mr. Abernethy again and will be relying greatly on his insight, common sense and good judgment.
I also want to thank all of you who will be standing for election as Members of the Executive Council and congratulate those of you who will be selected by our colleagues to make up the next Cabinet. As Ministers, we will be entrusted with a significant responsibility by our fellow MLAs, and we will all have to work hard to maintain that trust given to us on behalf of the people of the Northwest Territories.
A clear message that I heard from voters during the election campaign is that they want to see positive change in territorial politics. They want to see a government that is more transparent and open to input from the public on priorities and decisions. They want Members of the Legislative Assembly to work together more closely to provide solutions. It is incumbent upon us all, as Members of the 18th Legislative Assembly, to give the people of this territory the kind of government they want and deserve.
I have already stated my own commitment to greater openness, transparency and accountability. I believe Members here share a similar commitment, and I am confident that working together we can forge a new style of government, one more in keeping with the expectations of Northerners.
It is also incumbent upon us to represent all residents of the Northwest Territories in communities, big and small. In our work here together, we must ensure that we take into account the interest and concerns of all residents. People in small communities must sometimes feel that their challenges and concerns go unheard. Making their voices part of the discussion will be an important goal for me, so we can ensure we are governing in the best interest of the whole Territories.
We have devoted much of this week to discussing the priorities that will guide the work of the 18th Legislative Assembly. I have heard many good ideas this week and seen a great desire of Members to make a positive difference for the people of the Northwest Territories. We have talked about addressing the high cost of living, settling land claims, investing in our young people, meeting the need for housing and about making the switch to alternative renewable energy, among many others.
We have also talked about the fiscal realities facing the territory and the resource limitations that will shape our work going forward. We know the revenue outlook for this government is flat at best and that we will have to make some tough choices together to align our expenditures with the money we are bringing in. That is not an ideal situation, but this is not the first Assembly to face this kind of challenge. Previous Assemblies have managed their way through similar situations and I have every confidence that we will as well.
Pending formal confirmation of the motion of appointment tomorrow, I am committing to working with you all to advance the priorities we have established together within the resources that we have. With challenges, there are always opportunities. I will be relying on Members and on my colleagues in Cabinet for their advice, input and direction on how we identify and make the most of those opportunities.
Mr. Speaker-elect, in electing the 19 of us to represent them, the people of the Northwest Territories have given Members of the Legislative Assembly both the opportunity and responsibility for shaping the future of this territory. As I look around this Chamber, I see the right mix of enthusiasm and experience, energy and new ideas to get that job done. I will be honoured to serve as your Premier and thank Members again for their confidence in me. Thank you.
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