Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to briefly discuss and speak to the issue of open government and transparency, terms that have been used in this House extensively in the last months and years. Mr. Speaker, as the Legislative Assembly we continue to have between 90 and 95 percent of our meetings in camera by my estimation. The House that we operate in today is but a small

part of our work. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, we passed, for example, four bills in this House without any discussion. That is because the work was done in committee prior to coming into the House. There was a lot of good debate, what the intent of the bill was, was discussed, the amendments were put before us and discussion centred on those particular very interesting issues, none of which see the light of day. Mr. Speaker, some of the issues we have discussed that I think would be of great interest to the people of the Northwest Territories, not in this House, but in other forms or issues like social pass, affirmative action, language strategy for the Northwest Territories that would support aboriginal languages and prevent them from becoming extinct, are examples of the many kind of interesting discussions and debates that take place, but the people never get to hear and they have no place in this House unfortunately.

My suggestion is that somehow we have to have a balance, somehow we have to be able to open up more of our meetings to the public so they can see what work is done, how hard we struggle with issues. Very clearly, there has to be a balance between confidential budget issues and personnel matters and the broader issues of policy development and legislation that are of, I think, huge significant interest to the people we represent. Mr. Speaker, I have raised this issue a number of times in this House and in other forms and once again, I would like to put forward if there is a simple option that we could work with and institute, I think, if it is done carefully it would help lift the veil that sort of hangs over us as a Legislative Assembly in regard to the issue of secrecy counterbalanced with the issue and calls for openness and transparency. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause