Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last night we had the opportunity to debate and make decisions on the Boundaries Commission and I thought it worthwhile today to just review what transpired for those who did not have the opportunity to be here in the House last night. Like most
people, they watch it on television. I think it is important for me to just go through the process.
First, Members had the opportunity to make general statements. In following that, I introduced a motion to add two Members to this House for Yellowknife, as recommended in the Boundaries Commission Report. That motion was narrowly defeated, Mr. Speaker. Following that, Mr. Dent introduced a motion to add one Member to this House for Yellowknife and it was a compromise we felt could be accepted by Members. However, that motion was also narrowly defeated. To me it was a dark moment for the democracy of this House, Mr. Speaker. The logic and justification was there to proceed with the recommendations of the Boundaries Commission, I think that will prove to be true down the road.
For one Member it was a case of knocking Yellowknife. Knocking Yellowknife seems to be a sport. I think it has to stop. We do not knock other areas, we do not knock other constituencies. We have to stop that. We cannot relate a $1 million grant to Giant Mine as a contribution to Yellowknife. That is not a contribution to Yellowknife, it is to save our economy because it contributes $19 million to our economy if it continues, whereas we lose that through taxation and so forth if we do not have that particular mining operation.
Upon defeat of that motion, Mr. Miltenberger introduced a motion to change the boundaries in the City of Yellowknife. Again, a very unwarranted move in my opinion. I was disappointed by this jury rigging approach. I said what I meant yesterday and I meant what I said. I am saying again today, a group of Yellowknife citizens are going to launch a court action and they will be proceeding with this to challenge what happened yesterday, Mr. Speaker. There will be a meeting for Yellowknife citizens who are interested next Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m., the location is yet to be announced. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
--Applause