Thank you, Mr. Speaker-Elect. First of all I would like to congratulate you again on your election as Speaker. The election of a bilingual Speaker fluent in an Aboriginal language sends a strong message about our commitment to the strengthening and enhancement of Aboriginal languages and culture.
I also congratulate our new Premier-elect, Bob McLeod, on his election. Mr. Premier, in your speech last week and again reiterated today in the questions you answered, you committed yourself to more transparency and accountability in government. I think I can speak for the whole of the House in saying that we will support you in this initiative, and I look forward to working with you over the next four years.
Friends and colleagues, I seek your support as I put my name forward for Cabinet. I am committed to working through the consensus government system to realize the goals and visions articulated in our priority statement. We have set a new tone and direction for the 18th Assembly and I will be guided by the priorities that we have worked upon and agreed upon this week.
When I was elected on November 23rd, I was aware that there were many new responsibilities in my office, far beyond those of my constituency alone. That is particularly important for a Cabinet Minister who must take into account all of the wishes, concerns and needs of the whole of the territory, not only his region or town.
We need Cabinet Ministers who will look beyond the concerns of their riding, and I will, should I be selected to Cabinet, listen carefully to your concerns and advice, of all MLAs. My door will always be open to you.
I want to tell you a bit about myself. I was born in Ottawa and raised in various military bases throughout Canada and the United States. I have practiced law for almost 40 years, the last 31 years in the community of Fort Smith where I live with my wife, Anne.
In my career as a lawyer, apart from appearing in all levels of court in the Northwest Territories, I have served on the Human Rights Adjudication Panel, the Workers' Compensation Appeals Tribunal, Employment Standards Board and Legal Services Board. I was also involved in assisting clients in collective agreements.
Although I am newly elected to this body, I am not without experience in the public sector. I served for 14 years on Fort Smith Town Council, the last three as deputy mayor. I also had the privilege of serving for seven years on the Board of Directors of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation and was chair of the Audit Committee, which deals with such issues as budgets, for the last three years of my term.
I have also taught at Aurora College as a part-time instructor for 31 years. I taught mainly in Fort Smith, but also at the Inuvik campus on one occasion. I taught in the Business Administration, Renewable Resources and Social Services Court Interpreters programs.
This varied background, I believe, has given me expertise in several areas. I am able to deal with complex legal and regulatory issues. I am able to deal with and analyze budgets - we have very large budgets to deal with at the Power Corporations and somewhat smaller at the Town of Fort Smith. I have also had to deal with various educational issues, and as I mentioned, I have dealt with labour issues in negotiating collective agreements.
I believe that this experience would, should you select me to be a member of the Cabinet, give assistance in areas of education, finance and justice.
I spoke on Monday of some of the issues that were important priorities in the new government, issues of child care, justice, minimum wage, municipal funding. I know that you, my fellow MLAs, share many of these concerns. I believe that working together through consensus government we can achieve the lofty goals that we have set for ourselves this week.
I realize, of course, that there is a cost to many of the programs that we have spoken of, including the ones that I have spoken of, particularly daycare. While the fiscal outlook is not as rosy as it might have been a few years ago, I don't think this is time for excessive restraint. While we cannot spend ourselves back to prosperity, we should not abandon the programs which assist the most needy among us. They need a hand-up, not a handout, as I said the other day.
I was looking for where I got that quote and I think it was from Mr. Obama. I don't think it came from Mr. Trump.
---Laughter
I believe the programs such as universal daycare, increased minimum wage and housing will actually, in the long run, lead to a stronger economy.
I believe that I now have the experience, maturity and temperament to serve as a Cabinet Minister. I look forward to working with you.
When I walked out today at lunch, I saw something that I had not seen for the last two weeks: the sun. It is an omen. We have a great future ahead. I look forward to working with you. Thank you.