Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. For the past year and a half, I've been a Member of the Special Committee on Health and Social Services. As a Member, I've had the privilege and opportunity to once again visit parts of our wonderful Northwest Territories.
I wish to thank all Members of the committee with whom I have travelled and worked, and all the staff who helped arrange our meetings, conferences and travel. I also wish to thank all the people with whom I've met and talked, and appreciate the trust which they have demonstrated in us and in our system to make changes.
Mr. Speaker, I'd like to pass on some of my thoughts and impressions about our visits and meetings across the north. We have such a wonderful, beautiful, diverse country and the people who live in the various regions all identify with and appreciate where they live. However, they don't all live as happily and content as we are sometimes lead to believe.
The special report of the Special Committee on Health and Social Services which was tabled last week, identifies most of the issues and concerns raised by the people with whom we met. I know it doesn't cover every issue, but I am satisfied that the issues and recommendations, if accepted and implemented, will have some far-reaching and long lasting impacts on the quality of life of our residents.
Mr. Speaker, there is a lot of hurt and a lot of pain out there. People are now beginning to cry out and reach for help. They rely heavily, and in most cases too much so, on government programs and services. Much of our society is totally dependent on government. I believe it is up to this Assembly, with the responsibilities and authority that it carries, to take a good, hard look at what is recommended by the people of the north, and begin immediately to start resolving the issues. One of the first ways of doing this is to begin to give the people in the communities and regions the authority and tools to take over the governing of their own lives. Mahsi.
---Applause