Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be speaking as part of the motion. I do support the motion, I believe that it summarizes well the concerns that have been raised in this House over the last few days by members. I think that it touches on almost all of the key issues that MLAs have raised on behalf of their constituents in the House and I know we can find $18 million more for education. There are many priorities of this government, but I think what this motion says is that it is the highest priority of this Legislature at this time to find this additional 6 percent, put it back in, $18 million for education. I, for one, will be willing and more than happy to sit down with Members and Cabinet Ministers and look for that $18 million because I believe we can find it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week in this House when I spoke about the need for value for money audits so we can identify where this government is perhaps wasting money, Mr. Todd had no sooner sat down, his microphone light went out and he said let us pull those contracts in Hay River that we are paying a premium on, those manufacturing contracts. Just now, Mr. Steen referred to business incentives at the end of his response to the motion.

Again, Mr. Steen sat down and without the benefit of a lit up microphone, Mr. Arlooktoo said, manufacturing. Everyone knows that the majority of manufacturing in the Northwest Territories takes place in my riding and I am getting sick and tired of these threats that every time we talk about saving money somebody sitting at this side of the table wants to talk about Hay River and wants to talk about manufacturing. That is my point of order. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to consider my motion today that I gave notice of early regarding the conflict of interest.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS the Members of the 13th Legislative Assembly have the authority and responsibility to recommend the appointment of a person to serve as Premier and head of the Government of the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS the 13th Legislative Assembly on November 22, 1995 through Motion 2-13(1) recommended to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories appointments to the Executive Council;

AND WHEREAS the 13th Legislative Assembly selected the Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Don Morin, to be Premier and head of the government;

AND WHEREAS the Conflict of Interest Commissioner has ordered that a public inquiry be held into a complaint filed against the Premier;

AND WHEREAS the position of Premier and the Executive Council as a whole should be held in high regard by the residents of the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS it would be in the public interest that the Premier take the necessary action to allay any concerns of territorial residents until the public inquiry is concluded and a report tabled in the Legislative Assembly that he step aside as Premier.

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, that this Legislative Assembly requests the Premier, the Honourable Don Morin, to relinquish his responsibilities as Premier until the public inquiry into the conflict of interest complaint filed against him is concluded and the report tabled and dealt within the Legislative Assembly;

AND FURTHER that the Deputy Premier assumes full responsibility for the day to day management of the Government of the Northwest Territories;

AND FURTHERMORE that the Honourable Don Morin remain as Minister without portfolio, but not attend meetings of Cabinet and the Financial Management Board.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I would feel this situation would be much different if it would impact negatively on the operation of the Government of the Northwest Territories, but I have every confidence in the Deputy Premier and the Cabinet Ministers that they can carry on. It is also an opportunity for the Premier and Cabinet to reinforce and strengthen the image and public perception of integrity, objectivity and impartiality in this situation. The Premier is here to advance the image of impartiality, and as I stated earlier in my statement, the report dismissed three allegations, but will proceed with eight through public inquiry. They cover a broad number of areas. This is a tough issue for all of us to deal with, I know, Mr. Speaker, but I feel that those in the public sector have a responsibility to set the tone and feel of what should be considered right to the public.

I have listened to people from my constituency on this matter and I felt it is important for me to listen to them, to make a judgment call and bring forward this motion as a result. This is the highest office in the Northwest Territories and, therefore, our standards must be maintained at an extremely high standard as well. I believe that if the Premier were to step aside for this interim period it would not affect the government operation negatively and, in my opinion, would be in the best interests of all. At the appropriate time, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking for a recorded vote on this matter and I would ask the Premier if he would allow Cabinet Members to vote on this issue in a free vote. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, feel that the public perception on this matter has to be dealt with and, I believe, that the right thing for the Premier to do is to step down at this time and allow the public hearing to take place and the government to continue to operate without any indulgence by the Premier as the head of this government, but also allow the public to feel that we are allowing this process to be a fair, flowing, public process without any involvement by the Executive and that it is an open process. I think the government can continue to operate with the Deputy Premier at the helm, but I believe we have to allow public perception to be dealt with in regard to a matter in which former complaints were held where the Minister at that time did step down and relinquish his seat until the inquiry was completed. I would like that same process to happen in this instance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.