Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We all recognize that the division of the Northwest Territories in 1999 is a fundamental change to the make up of our country. For the first time in fifty years the map of Canada will change. While the views and opinions of elected representatives have been important in the road to division...two very crucial decisions where northerners entrusted only to the people of the Northwest Territories. The decision about whether to divide at all and end the decision about where to divide were both too important and too far-reaching to leave to elected representatives, alone.
These decisions could be made through the free equal and democratic vote of all northerners. We now come to another such critical decisions. The constitution that will be established for the new western territory will be of critical importance to the democratic development of the government of this part of Canada, and therefore, as with the division and boundary issues it is too important to be left solely to the elected representatives of the people. While our views and opinions will be very important, the final decision must be left to the people.
That is why I appreciate the reassurance of the Honourable Premier, yesterday, in responding to concerns that my Honourable colleague from Nunakput, the Premier outlined the principles that will guide the ratification of a new constitution and his response, the democratic process, to bring in legislation on the ratification of the constitution and the principle of one person, one vote, which is a direct consequence of the principle that all people are created equal. These are critical principles of democracy that we must abide by in order to retain the confidence of the people of the Northwest Territories.
The next few months will be crucial in this process. The famous British author, Huxley, once said, the survival of democracy depends on the ability of large numbers of people to make realistic choices in the light of adequate information. While I have the faith in the ability of all residents of the western territory to be able to make a realistic choice in the matter of a new constitution.
Over the next few months beginning with the release of the proposed draft of the constitution last Wednesday, we will ensure that all residents of the new western territory will indeed have that adequate information to permit them to make a choice which will guide their government for decades to come.
I look forward to the day when all adult residents of the western territory will vote to decide how they will be governed. I thank the Premier for reassuring my colleagues, that all northerners, that the principle of democracy are now, and always in will remain, the foundation of our structure of government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.