Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Keeping in mind the time factor and the majority of events unfolding here today, I will keep my comments short.
I would like to begin by congratulating you, Mr. Speaker, on your election to Speaker. I am sure you will do a wonderful job. I would also like to congratulate the Member for Sahtu, the Honourable Stephen Kakfwi, on his election as Premier. I would also like to congratulate the other Members who were elected to Cabinet, especially my colleague the Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen, on her election to Cabinet.
I represent the riding of Hay River North, which is a very diverse riding. It has four very different and distinct areas. I feel I have a very strong mandate to represent this riding, which is a riding that is very politically minded, as was very evident with a 91 percent turnout at the polls on election day.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank all of the people of Hay River North who voted for me on December 6th. The trust, confidence and support they have afforded me will not soon be forgotten. I would especially like to thank Mr. Harvey Smith, my campaign manager, Mr. Andrew Taylor, my official agent, and all my workers for the hard work they have done in my campaign.
To my family, my wonderful wife Davida, my son D'arcy, my daughters, Michelle, Monique and Katrina, without whose love, encouragement and support I would not be here today. Especially my daughter, Monique, who worked tirelessly throughout my entire campaign. At the same time, she provided the family support to look after my two wonderful grandsons, Logan and Cordell.
Thank you to all of the people from Hay River in the gallery for coming out today to witness the events unfolding.
I would like to thank Mr. David Hamilton and all the staff at the Legislative Assembly for the help they have provided to me and the other new Members.
Mr. Speaker, in closing I would like to say how delighted and privileged I am to join the team that forms this new government, the first government of the new millennium, the government of this, the 14th Legislative Assembly. Thank you.
-- Applause