Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, honourable Members, I would like to start by saying that this has been an education of its own. I came here with my eyes and ears open and my back to the wall. I came here with ideas given to me by the people of Inuvik. Some were accepted, some not.
Mr. Speaker, the main theme of ideas from the people of Inuvik was to change the way government does business. I believe that we have begun to do some changes, but many will still say it is not enough. There have been areas where we've started to do changes, Mr. Speaker. I would like to say that it seems that this 13th Assembly has come into a time of heavy skies, where the sun is hidden with the grey clouds of change.
There has been talk about division in this Assembly. I want to speak about division, but from a different angle. I want to talk about unity. I'm concerned that we're focusing too much on the things that make us different: East versus West, Dene versus Inuit, native versus non-native. The financial situation we are in is one reason why this is happening. The days when the government could throw money around are gone for good. We have limited financial resources, but also unlimited needs and problems. The budget process has really brought home to me how difficult the situation is. It is troubling to know that we can't keep one program without taking money away from some other program, and it's easy to understand how we can be at odds with each other when we're contending for pieces of a smaller pie.
The process of division is another area where people are being tempted into debating differences, rather than cooperating. The federal government has told us about the money that is available for infrastructure in Nunavut, they are telling us who should manage the capital projects. Groups in the Western Arctic are debating self-government, regional government, treaty rights and western constitutional development. I know we are supposed to debate and discuss important issues here and I know that all 24 of us are never going to agree on every single issue, but we have to rise above petty things, we have to rise above the concepts of "not in my back yard" and "my need is greater than yours.` We have to set an example of working together for the good of all northerners. Each one of us represents a portion of the 65,000 residents of the Northwest Territories; male, female, native, non-native. We will disagree and we will debate, but we have to work together. In many ways, we have done that and we are going to do that. But our goal has to be to make all of our decisions and our statements geared towards the issue of what is best for northerners.
In less than three years, division of the NWT will happen and we will probably be in the middle of two election campaigns. There is so much work to be done between now and then. It seems that very little is actually being done.
Mr. Speaker, we are quickly coming up to a point in the road where there is a bridge. We have to decide whether we are going to cross and how we will cross this bridge. As we are debating the ideas of how to get to the other side, we must be cautious of what is happening around us or behind us. Timing is also of significance here, because if we look back, coming down the same road is a truck built by the feds. It's big and its brakes don't seem to be working.
We need an interim Commissioner for Nunavut. We need an electoral boundaries commission in the East and the West. We need to start the process of revising our laws and statutes. We need to have a concrete set of proposals of how to govern the Western Territory after division. We need formula financing agreements with Ottawa that will ensure that both Territories will have sufficient resources to meet the needs of the northern residents.
Mr. Speaker, I do not mean to sound so pessimistic. In fact, I do see a number of examples of unity and togetherness around me, and I am grateful for those. The people of
Nunavut, for example, are more and more excited as we draw closer to the reality of their vision of their own territory. The dream of being in control of their own affairs is motivating them as nothing else can.
In the West, we are seeing the development of a partnership between western MLAs and the aboriginal leaders to advance the constitutional development of the Western Territory. We are also seeing the unity in the naming of the Western Territory. In fact, of all those who put forward suggestions of the name for the Western Territory, approximately 90 per cent, along with leaders in my region, agree on a single choice. Such togetherness is almost unheard of nowadays. Moreover, their choice will mean it will save a lot of money. We won't have to reprint stationary or change signs if we do keep the name "Northwest Territories."
Let's not contend among ourselves --and I've referred to the Good Book before and I'll do so again --the Good Book says avoid foolish questions and contentions for they are unprofitable and vain. Mr. Speaker, let's put petty differences aside. Let's use the time, talents and energy we have to work together to solve our problems, to take care of each other and build two new territories that will be places where northerners. can see their dreams come true.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, the 13th Assembly might still have a chance to see the clouds break and the sun once again shine on the people of the North. Mr. Speaker, it has been somewhat of a pleasure to be here during the initial number of months, but I will definitely be glad to get back home and hold my children once more. Thank you.
---Applause