Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today the honourable Member from Nahendeh will be tabling a Draft Constitution Package on behalf of the Constitutional Working Group. Over the summer, Members of the Western Caucus of the Legislative Assembly have been working with the members of the Aboriginal Summit to prepare this package for consideration by the people of the western Northwest Territories. For the first time, Representatives, public and Aboriginal Governments came together, not to negotiate, but to work as partners towards a common goal. Although the Constitutional Working Group involved partnerships between two Governments, we also tried to involve those who represented other interests. We kept the Northwest Territories Association, the municipalities and the Status of Women and the Native Women's Association in touch with our work.
We move into the crucial consultation phase, where the Western Caucus has guaranteed a place at the table for these groups through the public Government side.
Mr. Speaker, when people see this package, they will have many questions. Why can we not keep what we have? Why do we need a partnership between public and Aboriginal self-government? Why are there guaranteed seats for Aboriginal Governments? Are Aboriginal people giving up their inherent rights to be part of this proposal? Why do some people get to vote for two representatives?
Mr. Speaker, members of the Western Caucus and the Working Group also had these questions. While we did not agree on everything, most of us agreed with the explanations put forward. We decided to give the package a chance. Hopefully over the next few months people across the Western Territory will also do that. They will raise questions and seek answers. Where they do not like the answers, we hope they will not walk away, but give constructive suggestions for how to make this package better.
The Working Group was operating under very tight time lines and focused energy on producing a concrete package. As a result, there are also questions which the Constitutional Working Group does not have answers for yet. For example, while most members have talked about the concept of "one person, one vote" in a ratification process, there are many ways that could be done. We will have to look at the details of this ratification process.
The members of the Western Caucus support a full consultation process to gather the response of our constituents for this draft package. We do not see the package as a final choice, but rather as a blue print which we can refine together. Learning from the comments and suggestions of the public...Mr. Speaker, I am seeking unanimous consent to conclude my statement?