Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Legislative Assembly press release issued this morning announced that a Territorial Leadership Committee will be held on October 31, 2001, to fill a Cabinet post. Further, it says a yes or no question will be posed on our confidence in the Premier. The vote is to be by secret ballot.
My constituents should know that I do not agree with the process of conducting a secret ballot on the Premier's leadership. I strenuously object to the clear lack of transparency in it. We pay lip service to openness, to transparency and accountability. The people are not stupid. They will see through this and they will judge us harshly and rightly so.
There is no transparency in this process. None. Let us practice what we preach. If we are to have this vote, let the public have the opportunity to hear the question on Premier Kakfwi's leadership, why it needs to be tested, though I personally do not think this is the time for it. However, if it is so, then I am prepared to speak at length on this issue and so should all Members. Let it be open.
The process calls for the Premier to speak for 30 minutes then everyone votes. This is not, in my opinion, a fair process. In such a serious matter, he has 30 minutes to defend his political life.
Let all our electorates see clearly how we have come from investigating a bias complaint to a question of confidence in the Premier, against whom there is no accusation on the floor of any wrongdoing.
Let there be evidence before all residents of the Northwest Territories as to why this vote is needed at this point in time in our politics.
The people deserve to know this. Let each of us speak to this and then cast our ballots on the Premier's leadership in the open. That is transparency.
The Supreme Court Justice commented to me a while back, Mr. Speaker, his feelings of disgust that we still have leadership elections by secret vote. Poignant words from someone of the stature of the Supreme Court Justice. We owe it to the people for them to see how we...