Mr. Speaker, people living in the western Northwest Territories have been talking about constitutional development for the Western Territory for a number of years, and they have always come back to the same conclusion.
In order to make some decisions about how they want the Western Territory to operate up to Division, residents need a starting point -- something to look at, something to think about, and something to talk about.
Mr. Speaker, it has been my pleasure over the past four months to serve as Co-chair, along with Mr. George Kurszewski.
It was also my pleasure at a ceremony earlier today to officially present our group's Draft Constitution Package to the Aboriginal Summit, to the Western Caucus of this Legislative Assembly and to the public. I will also be tabling this package with the Legislative Assembly this afternoon.
Building on the work and the previous discussions regarding constitutional development, this package, "Partners in a New Beginning: A Draft Constitution Package" is a result of long discussions and many meetings. And while we are presenting a document that represents collective discussion and ideas, the tabling of this document does not mark the ending of a project, but rather a starting point, and a turning point.
The aim of this package is to stimulate public discussion. From this public consultation, we hope to create a constitutional proposal for the people to ratify.
The package being presented today has two parts -- a proposed structure for the Territorial Government, and a draft companion Aboriginal Self-Government Agreement.
What we have attempted to do in this is to develop a partnership based on the concepts of Aboriginal self-government and the public Government of the Legislative Assembly.
I would like to stress that while the package highlights one model in detail, it also contains some other models of Government that we considered in the process of developing this package.
The model is not set in stone, and nothing is final.
As of today, we move into a new stage of the Constitution development process.
This package is now in the hands of the public to review, discuss and provide us comments, questions and ideas about what we have presented.
Starting in January, members of the Constitution Working Group will be going out to communities to meet with people, to hear their ideas and collect your comments on the Constitution.
Prior to that, people are encouraged to share their ideas in writing to the Constitution Working Group, or discuss their thoughts with all of the Members of this House and with representatives of the Aboriginal Summit.
After we have gathered public input, we will review the document again, and bring back a document to be ratified by the people of the Western Territory.
Mr. Speaker, in bringing forward this document today, it is appropriate to share with Members the outcome of a meeting I had last Friday in Ottawa with the Federal Minister of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Mr. Ron Irwin.
The focus of our discussion was the work of the Constitution Working Group.
The meeting was positive, and Mr. Irwin reconfirmed his support for a "made in the North" Constitution for the Western Territory.
But while support from Mr. Irwin and the Federal Government is an important step in this process, what is even more important is the support and input from the people who are residents of what will be the new Western Territory.
As residents of the Western Territory, we are all partners in a new beginning and a strong future for the North.
And, Mr. Speaker, I believe with this milestone today, we move one step closer to fulfilling the priority of this Legislative Assembly, to make both Nunavut and the Western Territory a reality.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.