Mr. Speaker, eight years ago I supported this principle and at that time, I think we managed to get five Members or so to support it. Four years ago, like Mr. Dent, I supported it but I think we only got up to six Members. So, it's been a slow process. I'm going to stay consistent. I've felt very strongly for many years that this is the way we have to go. I think if we don't do something, there is more danger that we're going to get into party politics. What I see as the direction for the Northwest Territories -- both in the east and the west after division -- is not party politics but team politics. If team politics doesn't win then party politics is an inevitable fallback position, there's no doubt in my mind.
You need a system that transcends regional differences. Without some kind of approach that can rise above regional differences, the collective won't work. It is my belief that the individual parts are too weak to work, so we need something that can unify us. I think having the Premier choosing the Cabinet would go along with the path of having at least one cohesive force here in the Legislative Assembly which transcends, at least theoretically anyway, regional differences.
Now, I've read in the paper alarmist statements that, somehow, this is going to lead to some sort of a dictatorship but that's nonsense. The reality is, even with this new power, the Premier of the Northwest Territories will have one-tenth of the power of a provincial Premier or the Prime Minister. If we're talking about dictatorships, in fact we presently have 11 quasi-dictatorships across the country. It's called the system, by the
way, and we won't nearly approach that with this system. I think that was an alarmist statement.
There is the other factor of accountability, which I think is a valid factor, but the Premier still has major checks and balances to keep the unbridled power of the Premier in check. In this House, the eight Cabinet Members still need to find five colleagues to support them on every issue. And, rather than calling it a minority government, the way I look at it is as an ever-changing coalition government. The very nature of an ever-changing coalition government means that the government can never really be arrogant because of the different groups, issues and MLAs who may support the government. I think our system actually has some really good safeguards against a Premier running amuck.
We also have the ongoing safeguard that if the Legislative Assembly is not happy with either the performance of the Premier or of the team, they can come up with a vote of non-confidence for one or the other and take the Premier out. Mr. Speaker, I think it's very important to the next Assembly that there is a plan that people can agree on, that there is a strategy to implement the plan and that there's a team to ensure the strategy is carried out. I think that, unless we bring in this critical component, it won't be possible. You have to give the Premier that power. Otherwise, in my own personal estimation, the system is going to ultimately break down.
As the fight about division, the problems with division, the lack of money, and the different aspirations of the different regions take hold, the whole system as we know it can break down. The ultimate result of that would be the big cry for party politics in a lot of corners of the Northwest Territories. I fully support this and hope Members support it. I think it's a step in the right direction. With this critical component, I think there's a very good chance that the next government, the Premier and the Legislative Assembly, can lead us through the very difficult times we'll face in the next four years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.