Good morning. Item 2, Ministers' Statements. Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I have an emergency statement.

Proceed, Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I have spent a sleepless night agonizing over the events of yesterday. I want to say to the Members of this House, especially Mr. Bernhardt and Mr. Pudlat, that it was inappropriate for me to send notes to M.L.A.s about a matter under discussion in the committee of the whole yesterday. I do realize that this could well be seen as threatening, although I want to say sincerely to Mr. Bernhardt and Mr. Pudlat and assure them that was not my intent. In fact it was I who felt threatened by the Standing Committee on Finance's actions.

Mr. Speaker, some Members may appreciate that I have been feeling quite a lot of pressure in this House with respect to my departmental responsibilities. That pressure has been affecting me and my family. I also did feel frustrated that, as a Minister, I had no way of speaking out for my constituents, either before the S.C.O.F. or in the Assembly on the matter of the Iqaluit museum.

Sending notes to M.L.A.s was the only way I could think of to allow the interests of my constituents to be known. However, Mr. Speaker, it was inappropriate and I regret having done so. So after much agonizing and consultation with my Cabinet colleagues, although this decision was my own, I have decided that the only honourable course for me is to resign immediately as a Member of the Executive Council.

I want to say that it has been a privilege and an honour for me to serve as a Member of the Executive Council since 1981. I want to thank the Honourable Nellie Cournoyea and my Cabinet colleagues in this 12th Assembly for their support and congeniality. I also want to say thanks to the deputy ministers of Health and Social Services, David Kinloch and Blair Dunbar, their hard working staff, and the Chairs of the Workers' Compensation Board, Brian Roberts and John Hill, with whom I have worked, and their staff, for their hard work and support for me in the difficult issues that these portfolios and assignments have brought. I think we were making some progress and I very much regret having to let them down by stepping down. I also want to thank my faithful and hard working Executive Assistant, Ernie Comerford, my secretary, Geela Qaqqasiq, for their hard work and, most of all, my wife and family who have been behind me all the way. I am grateful for that. They are my most important asset right now.

To my honourable colleagues in the Legislative Assembly, I would just ask that you allow me to participate in the activities on the other side of the House, as an equal. I do not have to be a psychologist to know that there are some hard feelings directed my way, but I hope I will have a chance to redeem myself and continue to participate in this Legislature, albeit in a different way from the one I am used to, to represent my constituents and also to consider the common good of all the people of the Northwest Territories.

I hope, Mr. Speaker, that this action on my part will end the spirit of rancour and animosity that I think has impaired the business of this House somewhat in the past year. I hope we can find ways to work together and show more goodwill than I have felt, at least, in my position on this side of the House. Mr. Speaker, I am taking the course of action that I think is appropriate and necessary and I hope that this explanation and expression of regret will end this matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Patterson. Item 2, Ministers' Statements. Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to give an emergency statement on the same matter.

Please proceed, Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to say to the honourable Member, Mr. Dennis Patterson, that a lot of us have a great appreciation for the long years of service that he has offered to this House as Minister.

Over the last few days, three more important portfolios were assigned to him in a very difficult time. Many of us over the past years have had the privilege of operating a government that had a lot of money. The financial situation across Canada and in the Northwest Territories was much more elastic and allowed us to make many more mistakes and allowed additional resources to make up for some areas we might have missed. However, we are no longer in that situation and we are not alone.

I want to thank Mr. Patterson for accepting those difficult portfolios and doing an excellent job as a Minister. However, we all conclude that in this Legislative Assembly certain actions are inappropriate. We understand that and we have to judge according to those particular actions. What the Minister did was inappropriate, and it was unfortunate because I believe it reflected on a situation that was tenuous in the best of instances. I would like also to say that being a Cabinet Minister is a very important part of this Legislative Assembly and we all get attached to and concerned about the kind of job we do, as this Minister has done.

However, as I said before, it is unfortunate and it was an inappropriate action. I admire the honourable Member for taking an honourable stance and doing the right thing. Thank you.

Item 2, Ministers' Statements. Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Members of the western Caucus met Wednesday evening with the Committee of Political Leaders to discuss constitutional development. We all agreed that in light of the 1999 schedule for division, western constitutional development has become a very important issue requiring M.L.A.s and political leaders to work together to ensure that a credible process is established to develop the Constitution for the west.

Western M.L.A.s and the Committee of Political Leaders are working on a common plan and budget for the next stage in this process which we hope to table in this House later in this session. It is also agreed, Mr. Speaker, that the transfer of more authority and responsibility to the communities can and must remain our immediate priorities, even as the work on territorial constitutions continues.

Members of the western caucus have asked me to affirm our continued strong support for the fast and effective implementation of the community transfer initiative in all regions of the Northwest Territories. One caveat on the initiative was registered by the President of the Metis Nation of the Northwest Territories, Mr. Gary Bohnet, who is concerned that the interest of the Metis may be overlooked in some communities or regions. We recommend that the government take into account the concern and aspirations of the Metis in communities when transfer agreements are being concluded. Another issue is finding an acceptable definition of community. Several groups want the definition of community to include regions.

I want to thank the members of the Committee of political Leaders and the western caucus Members for realizing the need to work cooperatively on this vital issue. I expect that this is just the first of many such meetings over the coming months and I am confident that we can set a process...

Your allotted time has lapsed, Mr. Koe.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Koe.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I expect that this is just the first of many such meetings over the coming months, and I am confident that we can set a process in motion, which ultimately will result in political arrangements for a Constitution for a western territory which is acceptable to all of us. Mahsi Cho.

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize in the gallery and to welcome to the Legislative Assembly, the newly elected Mayor of the town of Inuvik, Mr. Paul Komaromi.

--- Applause

Also, the Deputy Mayor, Mr. Tom Zubko.

--- Applause

Item 3, Members statements, Mr. Zoe.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Item 3, Members statements, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to make a short statement as the chairman of the Nunavut Caucus. Mr. Speaker, the Nunavut Caucus has been meeting, dealing with and discussing the events that are taking place. We are more than pleased to be working with the western caucus. However, Mr. Speaker, we will be meeting with our partner, the T.F.N., shortly. Once we have met with the T.F.N., at the appropriate time and on behalf of the Nunavut Caucus, I will be making a Member's statement. I appreciate the cooperation that is coming from the western caucus.

We have a lot of things in common with the western caucus, such as transportation, and the economy of the N.W.T. I know we are going to have a very good working relationship. According to a statement made by the federal government some time ago, if the native people are not able to work together, then they are not ready to govern themselves. Mr. Speaker, I say we are able to work together and we will be able to work together in the future. We will progress as partners, because we are going to be living side by side and we have a lot of things in common. Thank you.

Item 3, Members' statements, Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I stand to apologize to my constituency. In one of my constituencies a person who was born in 1920, recently died of cancer. I do not have his name at this time, so I cannot mention his name. I wish to send my sincere condolences to his family; he has lived a long life. He used to hunt during the coldest months of winter and he helped a lot of people in Sanikiluaq, so I wish to extend my condolences to the people of Sanikiluaq. I also wish to tell my constituency that we can be given the strength to go forward. Although our loved ones have departed from this earth, we all have strength from God. I am sorry to hear that person recently passed away. However, we will have to keep going in this day and age to work towards our future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Pudlat. Item 3, Members' Statements. Item 4, Returns to Oral Questions. Mr. Whitford.

Item 4, Returns to Oral Questions. Mr. Arvaluk.