Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I stand before the House today as the Acting Premier of the Government of the Northwest Territories -- a position just days ago that I did not expect to find myself in. However, it is a position I assume with a great sense of humility and responsibility. We are, until March 31, 1999, MLAs and Ministers for all of the Northwest Territories. We must not lose sight of this collective duty as we confront the difficult tasks that await us in the days ahead. Whatever our position, whatever our title, we are all here to serve the people of our communities.

Mr. Speaker, we have a heavy agenda to deliver over the course of the next few weeks. We have an obligation to ensure we do so in a fair, mature and responsible fashion. Before we can address the complex political issues that must be resolved, we have an extremely busy legislative schedule. There are about 20 different bills that need to be debated and passed. There is a lot of work that must be done and done quickly. We have to roll up our sleeves and get at it.

Mr. Speaker, at the top of our priority list for the eastern Arctic is legislation such as the Division Measures Act and other bills which will:

*permit contracting back under new service arrangements;

*provide for transitional arrangements for both the Workers' Compensation Board and the NWT Power Corporation that will allow them to operate in both territories;

*enable professional organizations to operate in both jurisdictions; and,

*allow for the orderly transition to two new governments.

We must ensure all these critical pieces of legislation are put in place to get two new governments on a good footing. At the same time, we must set the stage for the creation of a new Western Territorial Government. We will continue to actively pursue the agenda for the new Northwest Territories. There are a number of urgent items on the agenda including:

*the ongoing negotiation of land claims and self-government agreements, as well as outstanding governance issues related to the ongoing relationship between public and Aboriginal governments;

*a new economic strategy;

*establishing a more equitable fiscal arrangement with Ottawa that will allow us to gain a greater share of resource revenues as well as an increase in the tax window so we can generate more own-source revenues: and

*ongoing efforts to ensure the federal government finally delivers on its long- standing unfulfilled promise to allow northerners to take control of northern resources.

These are the keys to building a strong foundation from which the new Northwest Territories can grow and prosper.

Mr. Speaker, we also have a responsibility to select a new Premier - a leader who will be able to carry out the vision for the north that we have developed together during this mandate. Now is the time for leadership. Because our business is the business of governing. It is about ensuring consistency and providing certainty that the people of the NWT will continue to be served by a strong and stable government. It is about delivering the social and economic programs and services that the people of our communities rely on. It is about instilling confidence in the local territorial and national business community that the NWT is a good place to invest. A good place to create jobs and generate economic growth. It is about

demonstrating to Ottawa that we are a mature and responsible government that can take setbacks in stride. This is a Legislature that can deal quickly and effectively with problems when they arise. A Legislature that will continue to move forward in preparing the new north for the new millennium. Mr. Speaker, these are the things that matter to our communities.

The people of the Northwest Territories fully expect us to honour our commitment to serve their needs and interests. It is a pledge I fully intend to fulfil during my temporary tenure as Acting Premier, and when I return to my ongoing duties as Deputy Premier and as MLA until the end of our term. Serving the people of the NWT is both an honour and a privilege - a privilege that can be taken away as quickly as it is granted.

Mr. Speaker, we face perhaps the most challenging and emotionally charged issue this House has ever had to address. That is to achieve an equitable and ethical resolution of the conflict issue. I want to make it clear to my honourable colleagues that we are obliged to set aside any personal prejudices. Despite all that has been said and reported on, we have a duty to develop a course of action that is both fair and balanced. I am calling on all of my colleagues to approach this work with an open heart and an open mind. It is critical that we not prejudge the outcome of the proceedings until all voices and all perspectives have been heard. The people of the Northwest Territories are counting on us to do the right thing. We must not let them down. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause