Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are coming to the final days, hopefully, of what has been a very long eight-month process. A process that I can tell you fervently from the bottom of my heart that I hope is never to be repeated as long as I am in political office. I am sure anybody who has been involved with this could say the same.

There has been significant turmoil over the past few days. A lot of things have happened. Emotions ran high. The situation, at times, looked like it was going to end up where a lot of people did not want it to.

I personally spent a lot of time considering how to deal with the motions before us on the floor of this House and whether to make a decision to run for the vacant Cabinet seat.

As a member of the conflict committee, Mr. Speaker, I stand behind the report and its contents. The intent of the motion in regard to the Premier's office was to deal with the confidence issue and the ability of the Premier's office to continue to be effective in light of what had happened.

Mr. Speaker, the staff in that office are critical and are often the link, the key link for both MLAs and the public to the Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I have said in this House yesterday and I have said in other venues that the issue for me was never a broad case of confidence in the Premier and Cabinet and the work of government.

Mr. Speaker, the number I have used is that I believe over 90 percent of the things that government does, I support. We have differences on some issues, but we are supposed to. That is where accountability comes in. That is where the role of MLAs comes in.

Mr. Speaker, I do acknowledge that the Premier has done good work, particularly in the areas like the national front over the past two years, as we have raised the profile of the Northwest Territories.

Before making my decision this weekend to run for the vacant Cabinet seat, I wanted to get a clear sense from the Premier that he would take definite steps to address the motion to deal with his office.

Mr. Speaker, I have received that assurance. While I, like other Members, have questions about whether the actions announced and the new news will be sufficient to address the intent of the motion, I take the Premier at his word that he will place the best interests of the Northwest Territories first and show the leadership necessary to move past these difficulties we are currently engaged in and get on with the important work at hand.

Mr. Speaker, there has been confusion all around in the past few days. I said yesterday and I say again today that it is important to step back from that, take a look at the overall direction we are moving and look at how to restore public confidence while maintaining the momentum we have worked towards as a Legislature.

Mr. Speaker, I have confidence in the Premier and his Cabinet. Therefore, I have no hesitation in saying that I am prepared to put my name forward for consideration for the vacant seat and that I will be supporting this motion. Thank you.

-- Applause