Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to begin by taking this opportunity to thank the commission and their chairman, Mr. Bourque, for the significant contribution they have made to the western constitutional process. The mandate of the commission was challenging and the commission should be acknowledged for their tremendous efforts in developing the principles and recommendations in their final report, Working Towards a Common Future.
I know that Working Towards a Common Future is based upon extensive public consultation. I have had many people comment on how impressed they were with the level of consultation which took place. I recognize too that it is a starting point from which we are moving through the next phases of western constitutional development.
I have to say though that I have some reservations about some of the recommendations and principles found in this report. I wanted to mention them now. After the release of the commission's interim report, I appeared before the commission last spring to share my views on some of the initial recommendations. Obviously, the commission felt that my remarks were overshadowed by some of the other presentations they received, because I did not see in the final report, anything which I had put into my presentation to the commission.
For the record, I would like to state what some of my concerns are today. In general I think the central government proposed by the commission has too little authority. I believe we need a strong and unified central government to negotiate with the federal government. After all we are only 30,000 people here, or we will be in the new territory after division. I think I only need to point to the most recent federal cuts to grants and contributions. We just passed a motion unanimously today condemning the federal government for their cuts to grants and contributions which are affecting all people in the north. I think this demonstrates the necessity of presenting ourselves as a single powerful voice to the federal government.
There is much greater strength in unity. It is a real challenge to try and achieve that. I recognize that. However, a centralized government with a reasonable amount of control, I think, is necessary to make the most efficient use of limited funds. For instance, in the field of economic development, I would believe that territorial-wide initiatives would be much more effective at attracting new development, new enterprises in the north, and helping us to compete with southern markets. I think we need to find some way to stimulate the economy. It is becoming painfully obvious that the federal government is doing their best to off-load their fiscal obligations to the people of the north.
I am concerned about the commission recommendation regarding a district order of government having the sort of jurisdiction that was recommended. I am concerned because I think it might lead to a divided western territory. I am not sure that we are, any longer, working towards a common future.
I think it is very important, from this point on, to have an open and honest debate on the constitution of a new western territory.
clear to us and we are going to have to pay a great deal of attention to.
The other challenge we are facing in the next phase of this process is coming up with a constitution that accommodates the goals of aboriginal people and self-government and the others who live in this territory, and coming up with a constitution that can achieve ratification. We saw what happened in October and I think that set the stage for a very difficult time ahead of us to come up with a constitution that can achieve ratification. I know one of the recommendations you put in is there has to be some method of involving all people in the western territory in the ratification process.
Mr. Chairman, to close, by raising these concerns today, I do not mean to take away from the magnitude of the commission's work. I think the fact that they were able to come up with this report in the time period they did, and I know from the compliments I have heard given to them on the consultation process, they did a great job. I thank them. They have given us a very important starting point, and there is a great deal of work left to do. I would like to thank the commissioners for appearing before us today and giving us the chance to discuss their recommendations. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.