Thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, I, along with the rest of my colleagues, have gone through a very difficult time. I would like to speak to this today and I can only speak to the way I feel.

Mr. Speaker, when I first decided to run for office, I had to ask myself some questions as to why I would want to take office in this Assembly and to what I thought I could add to the Assembly. I have lived in the Territories for 32 years, Mr. Speaker, and at least 29 of those 32 years I have been very involved in community organizations, community functions, helping out our youth to try and make life better for all the people of the Territories, especially Hay River.

When I asked myself, do I want to get into this game of politics and can I make a difference, I had to look at my principles, what had guided me for the last 30 years that I have been on my own. I said yes. I thought that the principles I have would help me out. I knew that I was hardworking. I knew I could face the constituents of Hay River and put my principles on the line, my work record, my involvement in Hay River, my involvement with the people, and have confidence that they would see those qualities and then would judge for themselves whether I was worthy to be part of this House. Mr. Speaker, I must say that I was overjoyed when they did give me that vote of confidence and I was able to become part of this Assembly.

I have had the utmost joy, Mr. Speaker, in meeting the 18 other Members of this 14th Legislative Assembly and working with them on many different projects. I have taken trips with Ministers. I have requested Ministers to come to my riding and to talk on issues and support for issues that affect my constituents and I must say, Mr. Speaker, that I am very happy with the response that I have had from the Ministers on the far side of the House. I am also very happy to say that I have had a very good reputation with most Members on this side of the House.

One of the first things, Mr. Speaker, that came to light when I got here and started doing this job was a notion that we should look at party politics. There were a number of Members that were very serious at looking and convincing other Members that we should go to party politics. I would like to set the record straight now, Mr. Speaker, and say that I was not in favour of that. I was in favour of consensus government. I was in favour of being an independent representative, to represent my riding and my people and to be able to speak honestly, openly and wholeheartedly about issues that affect my constituents.

Mr. Speaker, the Premier has asked for a vote of confidence from his Ministers. Mr. Speaker, we have heard time and time again in this House how good a job our Premier has done for the Territories, how open he has been and how much he is appreciated by the people in the stands. I wonder, Mr. Speaker, why he would need a public declaration of support from his Ministers, or for that matter, from the Members on this side of the House?

Mr. Speaker, I believe that confidence also involves trust. For me, trust is a two-way street. If a Minister is asked to publicly declare halfway through a term, that he publicly has to declare that he has full support for the Premier, or if I have to fully declare that, I think I would feel that I need that same amount of trust. I think my support for the Premier is being questioned.

When I first came to Yellowknife, we had to choose a Premier. Nineteen Members had to choose a Premier. Nobody to this day has asked me who I supported. I would suspect that probably 18 Members know who I supported. I have not to this day given the Premier or anyone else in this House any reason to think that I do not support this Premier.

I have enjoyed trips with the Premier, as I have said. I have gone to Washington, D.C. with the Premier, where he overlooked introducing me as part of the contingent. Did that bother me? Yes, it bothered me. Have I forgiven him? You bet I have and I look forward to taking more trips with the Premier.

Mr. Speaker, in the last few days, there has been information flying, coming in on faxes, on e-mail, letters, phone calls and, Mr. Speaker, I must say that one of the toughest jobs that I have had to do since I came here is to separate some of that information as to what is credible information and what is just smoke and mirrors and what the information was supposed to accomplish.

It has been mentioned, Mr. Speaker, a number of times today, that this government is based on process. To me, what makes consensus government a very good process is the fact that as 19 Members, we can get together, sit as Ordinary MLAs and discuss things that we would like to see this government go forward with.

My understanding of the process, Mr. Speaker, was that the Caucus process was confidential, where you could voice your opinion, give your ideas on progress that we want to accomplish and how we are going to do that and that was shared amongst our 19 Members.

Have we done something, Mr. Speaker, that has shaken that process? I guess, Mr. Speaker, those questions will have to be left to be answered, but right now there are some unanswered questions. Due to the things that have happened in the last few days, will Members feel comfortable in voicing their opinions and giving their ideas on things that we do as a government? Is there going to be further need for a Caucus? Has this left a mark on us as individuals?

I think we will be judged and we cannot avoid that. I am sure there are many, many more people watching on TV today who are going to judge us by what we say and how we go on from here.

Will this whole process do what the people of the Northwest Territories are asking that we do, restore confidence in this government? Will the Premier do the right things in the next few days that will satisfy the people of the Territories and indeed the 18 Members here? Will Members of this House feel or have to face repercussions from things that they have said today, in the past few days or in the next couple of days, for that matter? I certainly hope not, Mr. Speaker.

We have heard the Premier say that this is not about little things. This is about big-ticket items. It is about devolution, self-government, oil and gas, diamonds. Yes it is, Mr. Speaker. It is about all those things.

I want to say today that the Premier has had an active part and has worked very, very hard to bring all of those things about and put the process in motion to be able to gain those things. So have the rest of his colleagues, his Cabinet, and I want to thank them for that.

However, it is also about the little things. As a Regular MLA, I have to go back and talk to my constituents. They do not care about devolution. They do not care about oil and gas and self-government because they are worried about programs and services, that they cannot get to a hospital and get a doctor, they do not have the proper tools for educating our kids because we are not putting enough money that way. The little things are very big things to the ordinary people in the Northwest Territories. I think we have to look at the big-ticket items but we also have to look at the little items.

As an MLA, I want to be able to go back and speak openly, both to Cabinet Ministers and to the Premier, to my colleagues and to my constituents at home, and let them know that we have open government, we are able to express our concerns and our issues, our principles, and that people will see that at their face value.

I want to assure my constituents at home today, Mr. Speaker, that anything or any way that I vote in the motion that is before us now, the motions that are coming up tomorrow, later today, Wednesday, I want to ensure my constituents that my decisions are not based on personal gain.

In the media, I have said that I would be seeking a Cabinet post. I will not stray from my principles in order to get that Cabinet post.

As I have said earlier in my statement, my support for the Premier has been questioned. I hope that he heard the answer that I gave earlier in my statement. I hope that 18 Members beside me have heard that message. I want to tell the rest of this House, people in the gallery, that I am an honest man, I am a hardworking man. I have supported the Territories for the last 32 years. I intend to support the Territories for many years to come. I hope they will weigh those principles and the reason that I am standing here today talking to you when they decide who is going to fill the Cabinet post on the other side. I look forward to working with everybody for many years to come. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause