Thank you, Mr. Chair. I open my remarks today by thanking all the Members for taking time to look back at what we have accomplished to date and to talk about what as an Assembly we have left to do. I am going into this review process with a clear and open mind as I see this as an opportunity to have a healthy and productive discussion. All Members of Cabinet are looking forward to hearing what you have to say. Eighteen months ago as a group we agreed to an agenda for change. That has been used to guide the decisions and actions of this government. Times have changed since we first set that plan. We have refined and refocused our priorities to reflect those changes.
Division, however, remains the same. We have secured the financial future and are now actively working to improve our economic conditions. We are improving the social conditions in the north by focusing our priorities on children and youth and by making improvements in the education system. We are working at all levels of government to give more control in decision making powers to our communities. We are shifting health care so our focus is more on prevention than treatment. We have amalgamated government departments to make them more efficient and cost effective. We are working with all of our partners to ensure we have a successful and smooth transition with the creation of Nunavut and Western Territory. We are taking action on aboriginal issues through self-government negotiations and social initiatives. We are working to take control of our own future, and we are being heard at the national level. We have all come a long, long way.
We have accomplished more than we could have thought possible and we can be proud of that, but more importantly we should recognize what can be done when we work together. When I ran for Premier, I made it clear, I felt the Premier of the Northwest Territories has to be a team leader, and I am honoured to lead a very dedicated Cabinet team. Finance Minister, John Todd, has shown a willingness to lead us through some very tough decisions that have allowed us to balance our budget and secure our future. He never hesitates to speak out either with Cabinet and House colleagues or with his federal counterparts to protect the interests of the north. He has often taken a great deal of personal criticism in the process, but lucky for us all, John is like the energizer bunny. He just keeps going and going and going.
--Laughter
When Manitok Thompson arrived at her first Cabinet meeting, she appeared to me to be a little bit nervous. But I have seen her grow in her role as the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs and in her role as the Women Secretariat. She has tackled the community empowerment initiative. She has demonstrated she is a true leader, and we should all be proud to have her as a Member of the Cabinet team.
Our Deputy Premier, Goo Arlooktoo, is another new kid on the block, but he is wise beyond his years. As a new Cabinet Minister, Goo probably wondered what he got himself into, but he has come to fit the role as if he was born to it. He is a quick learner. He listens to everything and everyone. I have watched him grow to become one of the strongest leaders in the north, and he has only just begun.
Kelvin Ng, carries one of the most challenging loads of all the Ministers. Still with all of the issues we face in Health and Social Services and in Justice, he continues to work and a lot of work without complaint. His genuine caring for people combined with his sharp business sense has made him the right Minister for those two departments at this time. He has great insight and deep compassion and he understands he may have to make some decisions that may be unpopular with a few in order to improve the quality of life for all.
Charles Dent, is a Member of Cabinet team who has been a solid performer through thick and thin. He has never let the government down and never let me down. He is often the voice of reason when we are dealing with difficult issues. He helps us find the middle ground, the compromise that helps bring parties together. His sense of fairness can also be seen in the work he is doing to improve income support system and to increase opportunities for our children and youth.
Jim Antoine, is a little young to be an elder, but if he speaks, he always has a message behind his words. He handles himself with a great deal of honour, and he commands the respect of people who work with him. In his role as co-chair of the Constitutional Working Group, he has helped to build consensus in a wide range of groups and opinions. Jim has been juggling some difficult complex files, but through his patience and persistent attitude, he is making a difference and he will make a substantial progress in the long run.
Finally, Steve Kakfwi is known to many of us for his passion and expertise on constitutional issues. While he continues to give us a perception on these issues in his role with Cabinet over the past two years, Steve has also shown us another side to himself. He has overseen the amalgamation of three major departments, and he is now part of a dynamic team to make sure diamonds are this government's best friend. No matter what Steve is working on, he is still out there negotiating and challenging people's thinking. Of course, now he sometimes negotiates with the caribou and the polar bear.
As a whole the Members of Cabinet have tried to listen and do everything possible within our fiscal reality. A big part of that listening process has come through the valuable working relationship we have with the standing committees. The standing committee structure is a different level of team work that helps us ensure that we are making the right decisions. In the true spirit of consensus government working at the committee level no matter how far apart we begin on some issues, we always work to find a compromise and to ensure our decision is the best one possible for our people. From there we take our decisions to the next level, that is as a team of leaders in this Legislative Assembly to do what is right to best serve our citizens. Building on our team work as an Assembly, there is one important other team, the Public Service of the Northwest Territories who through their hard work help put our plans in place and move ahead. I think it is important we recognize and acknowledge their efforts and dedication. Overall I know that some of you may not agree with some of the decisions we have made or with the way we have done things, but there are no right and wrong answers. We can only do what we believe is the right thing at the right time and I believe the thing is that we respect each other and continue to trust in each other just as our constituents trusted in us.
Since I became Premier two years ago, I have only one regret that is that I do not have the amount of time I would like to visit and to listen to my people. Every time I go home to my riding, I hear what we are doing right and what we need to change and that has helped to guide me. I would like to thank the people of Fort Resolution and Lutselk'e for their ongoing support. In closing I would like to add that in general we do not have enough time or for that matter enough money to do all of the things that we would like to do. Two years ago we faced an uphill battle at all levels, economically, socially, and politically. While we still have much to do, we are winning the war, and we are making a difference. We have 18 months of hard work left, but April 1, 1999, will be a day of celebration for all of us if we continue to work together as partners in this Legislative Assembly with the Public Service and more importantly with the people we serve.
Just in closing, Mr. Chairman, I want for those new Members who were elected two years ago, none of you would believe how much you have accomplished with this government as all 24 Members. Never in the history of the Legislative Assembly, in any Legislative Assembly, would be able to accomplish what we have in the last two years. So I encourage Members to continue to work together, represent your people, with that I look forward to this review. Mahsi. Thank you.
--Applause