Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This current government is being faced with many difficult decisions which will impact the people of the Northwest Territories for years to come. We are having to deal with such important issues as division, a new constitution, large-scale development and, less we forget, our deficit which is having a negative impact on many, many lives.
Mr. Speaker, the timing for us could not be worse. The task seems insurmountable. We are forced to resolve these issues for our residents and hopefully make the Northwest Territories a better place for all peoples. I am beginning to feel a sense of great distaste for some decisions that are being made. In a time when we should be unifying our people, we seem to be doing the opposite. We are degrading and dividing the people we are supposed to be representing.
This government has chosen to adopt a very paternalistic approach to aboriginal people which will only divide aboriginal and non-aboriginal. I draw attention to the socio-economic agreement this government has signed with BHP and the draft constitution as two examples of this approach. The socio-economic agreement contains clauses which require the company to hire certain percentages of aboriginals and northerners.
While I agree with the requirements to having a strong northern workforce, I have a question, Mr. Speaker -- what business is it of this government to require private companies to follow any form of affirmative action policy? Requirements such as this cannot help but degrade aboriginal people. We have aboriginal people who are more than capable of getting jobs on an equal footing to their fellow northerners. We have to stop telling aboriginal people by such statements, that they are not good enough. Is this what we are telling them when we protect jobs for them? You are not good enough to compete?
This can only cause racial disharmony and prejudice between the very people we are supposed to represent as a government. We have to have harmony among our people and we must do all we can to ensure that harmony in the future. We cannot afford to be prejudiced any longer and risk losing what we have gained.
The draft constitution has also raised feelings amongst our citizens of racial division. As a government, we cannot afford to sit back and allow our people to be divided along these lines. If we do, as a government, we will lose one of our responsibilities. One message that is coming back loud and clear is that this draft constitution does not give the people of the Northwest Territories an equal say. We are a government which is supposed to represent all its peoples. Mr. Speaker, I request unanimous consent to conclude my statement.