Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, approximately three years ago, we the Members of the 13th Legislative Assembly, appointed Anne Crawford as the Conflict of Interest Commissioner of the Northwest Territories. Her qualifications were that she was a practising lawyer, residing in the Northwest Territories, further she had previous experience as a Conflict of Interest Commissioner for the Northwest Territories. Not all Members of this House supported the appointment of Anne Crawford, but the majority did. The fact is, Mr. Chairman, Anne Crawford was appointed the Conflict of Interest Commissioner for the Northwest Territories by the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories.

The job of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner, among its many duties, is to interpret and investigate allegations which are brought before and decide if these allegations are sufficient to conduct an inquiry. Everything went well with the appointment for approximately two and a half years. Then the MLA for Hay River, my colleague, Jane Groenewegen, brought allegations of conflict of Interest against the Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Morin on February 16, 1998. On November 24, 1998, the Conflict of Interest Commissioner released the results of the subsequent inquiry to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. All residents of the Northwest Territories now have access to that report. The report of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner is damning of the actions of Mr. Morin. Within 24 hours of the release of the report, the then Premier of the Northwest Territories, resigned. On the day of his resignation I was a Member of the resource committee meeting in the media room. Rumours were already floating of an appending resignation. I was pleased with those actions, it was a good start.

A good start for government to begin the process of healing a broken trust. At the Premier's news conference, I was surprised that he did not resign his seat. I had assumed from the rumours that the resignation was for the Premier and his seat as a Member for Tu Nedhe because of the damning degree of the report.

Mr. Chairman, I was one of the MLAs who defeated a motion to have Premier Morin remove himself from office during the inquiry process. I was convinced by the Member for Tu Nedhe and other Members that the charges were trumped up and without substance. In future, Mr. Chairman, I will automatically demand a Member in a similar situation, step down during the process.

At the outset of the inquiry, Mr. Morin called the Conflict of Interest Commissioner biased and asked Anne Crawford to remove herself from the process. Now the report has been delivered and Mr. Morin says that the report is biased and full of inconsistencies. The fact is, that the residents of the NWT are now $1 million poorer. Mr. Chairman, I did not need the Conflict of Interest Commissioner's Report to know that Mr. Morin should resign and did the only thing he could do. For the record, I voted for Mr. Morin when he ran for Premier.

I lost my confidence in Mr. Morin's leadership of the government of the Northwest Territories at the beginning of the inquiry. The report for me, nails that coffin closed. Mr. Morin spoke earlier today in his statement, and I understand how difficult the past year must have been for himself and his family. However, Mr. Chairman, even under attack a leader must always lead and conduct himself with dignity. Mr. Morin's dignity as the Premier of the Northwest Territories went out the window early in the process of the inquiry. First it was his request to videotape his accuser, Mrs. Groenewegen, to show his constituents, but worse, he wanted to operate the camera himself. Mr. Chairman, these actions are not the actions of a leader of government, not one I can support.

Mr. Morin has now asked the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories for a judicial review of the findings of the Conflict of Interest Commissioners Report claiming among other points, bias on the part of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner. I do not need the results of that review, I have had feedback from more constituents in Yellowknife South on this issue than I have had on any other topic that has come before this House in the past three years.

I have heard individuals in this building, and indeed noted experts in the topic of conflict of interest legislation, say that the language used in the report was in some areas harsh. Let me assure Members of this House that the comments I have received from the public on Mr. Morin's actions both during the inquiry and as a result of the inquiry, make the language in the report seem modest.

In closing Mr. Chairman, we retained the services of Anne Crawford, to perform a job of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner, and I accept that report and I will have more to say on this topic when each of the seven recommendations of the report of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner's are dealt with in this House. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Henry. Are there further comments on Tabled Document 37-13(6), Report of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner? Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Ootes, are you making a motion to report progress?

Thank you. Are there any other Members who wish to make a comment at this time? You will have another opportunity on Monday. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you. There is a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is not debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried. I will rise and report progress to the Speaker. Thank you.

The House will come back to order. Good evening. We are on item 20, report of committee of the whole. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Tabled Document 37-13(6), Report of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner, and would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the committee of the whole be concurred with. Thank you.

Thank you. Seconded by Mr. Henry. The motion is in order. To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried. Item 21, third reading of bills. Item 22, orders of the day. Mr. Clerk.

Mr. Speaker, there will be a meeting of the Special Committee on Nunavut Legislation at 4:00 p.m. this afternoon, tomorrow morning, at 9:30 a.m. of the Standing Committee on Infrastructure and at 10:00 a.m. of the Standing Committee on Resource Management. On Monday morning, at 9:00 a.m., the Standing Committee on Government Operations and at 11:00 a.m. of the Ordinary Members' Caucus.

Orders of the day for Monday, December 7, 1998:

1. Prayer

2. Ministers' Statements

3. Members' Statements

4. Returns to Oral Questions

5. Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

6. Oral Questions

7. Written Questions

8. Returns to Written Questions

9. Replies to Opening Address 10. Petitions

11. Reports of Standing and Special Committees

12. Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills

13. Tabling of Documents

14. Notices of Motion

15. Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills

16. Motions

17. First Reading of Bills

- Bill 28, An Act to Amend the Social Assistance Act

- Bill 32, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4 1998-99

18. Second Reading of Bills

19. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

- Tabled Document 37-13(6): Report of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner

- Bill 19, An Act to Amend the Public Highways Act and the Motor Vehicles Act

20. Report of Committee of the Whole

21. Third Reading of Bills

22. Orders of the Day

Thank you. This House stands adjourned to 1:30 p.m., Monday, December 7, 1998.

--ADJOURNMENT