Mr. Speaker, it is an honour and a pleasure to rise in this House today to say that I am Canadian and I am proud of it. We as Canadians sometimes think that we do not have a perfect country. We think that there is a lot of problems with the constitution as it is today; but if it is such a failure, I think we are a pretty good success as well. Anybody that has had the opportunity to travel abroad to visit other countries are awful happy to get back home to Canada. Because once your feet touch Canadian soil, there is a sigh of relief and there is then, an ability to appreciate what we do have as Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, in early September we met with other Premiers in this country to discuss Canadian unity. We felt it is time that Canadians took the time to express from their hearts what they feel about this country. Is it worth saving? Is it worth fighting for? Is it worth working for? I think so, Mr. Speaker. I think we all should put that extra effort into working to save our country.
Mr. Speaker, some think that this process is a Quebec process. It is a process for Canadians and northerners to reach out to Quebec. It is not that at all. It is a process for Canadians and northerners to reach out to Canadians and other people in this country. It is a process where we can stand as leaders of the Northwest Territories and say to other jurisdictions throughout this country why we are so proud to be Canadians and why we are so proud of the country we have and to be a part of it.
Mr. Speaker, in September in Calgary Premiers agreed to kick this process off, but it is a people process. It is driven by the people, not only of the Northwest Territories, it is driven by all grassroots people throughout this country. We have the ability today, as 24 Members in this Legislative Assembly, to send a clear message to the rest of the country. I personally, Mr. Speaker, feel that Canadian unity starts at home, a united family. That is what it starts with. If your home is united then you move on to your community. We all know and we have all experienced what can happen at a community level if they are bickering amongst each other. They do not move ahead; they do not prosper; the communities stay stale; they do not move ahead economically and ultimately all the residents of that community do not have the same opportunities as others do that do work ahead together.
As a Northwest Territories, we know our only future, the only future that we can have is the ability of northerners to work together. If we can all set aside our differences as northerners and work together, you will see the north grow strong and free as it says in our national anthem. Recently, Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity to speak in southern Canada just to give some people a small snapshot of the Northwest Territories. I advised those people to look north because the north is the shining light of this country. The north is the last frontier in this country. We, as northerners, are very fortunate. You can walk or you can move around the Northwest Territories in any direction and see the beauty of our land, see the beauty of our water and see the friendliness of our people, as a Canadian, a Canadian ability that Canadian people can do. As the north, we are the last frontier in this country and we have a lot to offer southern Canada. We have a great opportunity in the Northwest Territories as being the first Legislature to pass a resolution or move forward on a resolution to set the tone.
As Members see the number one issue brought forward is on aboriginal people. The majority of Members in this Legislative Assembly, Mr. Speaker, are aboriginal. The majority of the population in the Northwest Territories is aboriginal. So to us it means very much that aboriginal people have to be at the forefront and aboriginal people have to have full participation in any issues or Canadian constitution amendment in the future. Aboriginal people and northerners working together will make the Northwest Territories a better place to live.
Some say that you should not take the time to debate or raise the issue of Canadian unity or constitution. I know that Canadians have constitution fatigue, northerners have constitution fatigue. We all know that if you do not raise that issue, if you do not have a unified country, you have nothing in the end. You do not have the jobs. You do not have the social programs. You will not have the health programs. You will not have the educational programs. A country that no longer exists will not be able to offer that. Nobody should fool themselves, thinking that if for some unrealistic reason, Quebec decides to separate from this country, do not any Canadian fool themselves and think that it will stop there. It will not stop there, Mr. Speaker. It will continue and pretty soon you will have no Canada.
We recognize the unique characteristics of Quebec, their language, their culture. We embrace them and we want them to be part of this country. We want Quebec to be part of Canada. We will respect their culture. We will respect their language. We will respect their institutions. We will respect their government. All we ask in exchange is for them to have respect for us.
The federal government as well has a very important role to play, Mr. Speaker. The Prime Minister stood in this Legislative Assembly when we opened this building. He stood in our House, and he promised the people of the Northwest Territories that we are an important part of this country, and he promised that we would be treated equal in this country. He promised to the Northwest Territories' people that we will have the devolution of powers to give us the tools so we can contribute to the country. We still wait today for those promises to be fulfilled. I have full faith in the Prime Minister and the federal government that they will fulfil those promises. The same as they will fulfil their promises to other Canadians. That is what makes our country great. That is what makes Canada, Canada.
We are unique in the Northwest Territories. We have a lot to offer this country. We are willing to work in partnership. We are willing to respect them and we will do it, Mr. Speaker, in a fashion that has mutual respect to us. Any future consideration, any future work on the constitution of this country, Mr. Speaker, has to have and will have full meaningful role for the Northwest Territories as well as aboriginal people.
Mr. Speaker, I can go on and on and speak about Canada because it is the greatest country in the world. We live in this country with mutual respect for other jurisdictions. I am a lucky Canadian. I had the opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to travel from one end of this country to the other. I know people living in eastern Canada. The maritime provinces are unique in their own way. So are people living in the Prairie Provinces. So are people living in British Columbia. We all know we are very unique living in the Northwest Territories. So with that, Mr. Speaker, in closing I say we have mutual respect for each other and we work together as Canadians. We will continue to build a good country, a vibrant country, a better country for our children and grandchildren. Thank you.