Mahsi, Mr. Nitah. To the motion. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to speak to this motion. It truly has been a trying last few months. It has been the most difficult few months for me in this office. I wanted to talk about what has transpired here in the last few days because I am not entirely sure that the public has a good indication of what has been going on in this building.

We do have a process in place to deal with this affirmation, or not, of our confidence in the Premier. It was the will of Caucus that we ask this question on the ballot at the Territorial Leadership Committee. I want to be clear that the genesis for asking this question was not an attempted coup, as has been suggested by some Members in this House. It was an attempt, at least from my perspective, to get the Premier to deal with the conduct of his senior-most staff.

However, a lot has happened since then, Mr. Speaker. Every Member in this House has been heavily lobbied. I think the attendance in the gallery here today can attest to that. I also think people are very interested in something that has been ratcheted up to such a high level of profile.

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that Members of this House have been characterized as basically lurking in the shadows and engaging in backroom dealings. I do resent how this situation has been portrayed and how it has been played out in front of us in the media. For me, this entire thing has been about upholding principles. Principles that I think are very important and I think that has been lost.

We have to remember that the findings of the committee in the conflict matter uncovered unacceptable conduct by anyone's measure. That is a fact, Mr. Speaker. Action was required and, Mr. Speaker, it seems that as events are unfolding here, even as late as an hour or two ago, the Premier is now taking some action. I applaud him for that. However, we need to send a clear message to the public and to the public service of this government that those who work in this building are not above scrutiny and they are not above sanction from misconduct.

I did have a constituent call me and tell me, "You cannot put conditions on your support for the Premier." Mr. Speaker, I did. I am glad I did and it appears that those conditions are being met. Mr. Handley has asked us here today to stand up and speak in support of this Premier and I am prepared to do that. I have a lot of respect for this man and I think he has done a lot for the Northwest Territories and will continue to do so.

Mr. Speaker, I will reaffirm my position in Wednesday's vote. However, what I do resent is what I perceive as an end run of the process that Caucus had laid out in front of us. The suggestion to me that I am not to be trusted in a secret ballot is something that I resent.

I will be abstaining here today not because I do not have confidence in this Premier -- in fact, I do. I will be abstaining because I resent what has gone on here in the last few days and this attempt to undermine the process that we had agreed to.

I believe and I hope that the Premier will trust me in the secret ballot that I will support him. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. To the motion. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, it is about a year and a half ago now that we all got together in Fort Providence as 19 newly elected MLAs, a number of us strangers to each other, to sit down and take a look at what we were going to do with the coming four years. What kind of measurements, values, performance targets and objectives we were going to set for this 14th Assembly. We came up with a document called Towards a Better Tomorrow. Favourite reading for all of us here in the Assembly, I know, Mr. Speaker.

That document was not entirely the property of the MLAs in this group. It is a rolling document, a living document. We took statements and issues that had been worked out and illuminated by the Assemblies prior to us, I think going back two or three Assemblies, and we built on what they wanted to achieve. We came up, Mr. Speaker, with four priorities, things that we wanted to be measured on. They are short and straightforward and I would like to read them again in this House.

1. We propose that we develop self-reliant individuals, families, and communities working with governments towards improving social well-being;
2. Better governance through partnerships;
3. A northern-controlled economy that is balanced, diverse, stable and vibrant; and
4. Adequate resources helping all levels of government to become more self-reliant in meeting the needs of the people they serve.

Mr. Speaker, these were the pledges and the promises on what we said we were going to try and deliver on in the life of this Assembly. However, our performance, our record has been badly tainted, badly bruised, Mr. Speaker, by the events of the past few months and weeks. Careers and reputations have been smeared, battered. This is a record of a performance that I am not at all proud of.

When I came into this job, I knew things were not going to go perfectly all the time. That was fine. In our discussion about the conflict process report on Wednesday night, I talked about this as well and I said that what I believed was really important was that when things go wrong, it is how you manage them. That is the real test of your ability to lead, to take on challenges and hopefully not only survive but prosper in the face of them.

The performance of the past has hurt us. It causes me to ask a few questions about what is going on around us. We are consumed, as we have heard, not only in the past weeks and months but today, Mr. Speaker, we are consumed with a process and what is going on in this room, this legislative arena. There is a much broader and much more diverse constituency out there that we have to pay attention to.

I wonder, Mr. Speaker, can we still say that we have the support and the trust of the voters who put us in here? Mr. Speaker, do we still command some degree of respect among the 4,000 people who work for this government, its boards and agencies? By the private sector, investors, and risk takers, Mr. Speaker? The people who have put money into the ground and other people in the Northwest Territories with their own careers, their families, their futures? Are they still onside with the agenda that we talked about that we said we want to deliver?

Mr. Speaker, how is this crisis in confidence perceived by our partners in other governments, the First Nations, our community governments, the federal government and our provincial and other territorial neighbours? How are we perceived by those partners? They must look at us and feel and think, "Gosh, they are so lucky in the Northwest Territories." The potential that we have for wealth creation, for jobs and social stability has to make us the envy of just about every region in Canada, Mr. Speaker.

We have a young population. We have diverse cultures. We are trying to make headway and we are making headway in the areas of health and education and standards of living. We have billions of dollars in investment and thousands of jobs in diamonds alone. Billions of dollars and thousands of jobs in diamonds alone. Oil and gas in quantities that people still are not comfortable even estimating how much is out there. We have it at our doorstep, Mr. Speaker.

A pipeline project, one of the biggest ever undertaken in the world, that the American government and the American customers are now saying is going to be a Canadian project first. It is here. It is on our doorstep.

We have hydro potential that can sustain us for generations and perhaps most remarkably, Mr. Speaker, we have gifts of clean water, air, land and wildlife resources so vast and diverse that it astonishes people who come and see it and experience it from other parts of the world.

Yet as we seek to capture these riches, negotiate the deals and make the partnerships and arrangements amongst ourselves that will make these potentials real for us, we have a crisis in confidence in our own Premier. Indeed, as other Members have talked about, in our system.

What are we doing, Mr. Speaker? Are we indeed trying to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory? We have so much here. The toll in careers, the cost to taxpayers, the loss of time and erosion on our real agenda is too high already. Nothing further, Mr. Speaker, can be gained from prolonging this. There is no purpose in examining or testing our already fragile government in other ways. If we continue to delve into areas of self-doubt, I think it really will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Mr. Speaker, I have already stated in the clearest possible terms my support and my respect for Stephen Kakfwi and the progressive agenda he has been leading in the past two days. His skills and strengths, the scars and the bruises he has collected in his three decades of northern politics are what we need now to bridge and connect the leaders of the aboriginal and federal governments with our community partners and with industry.

This endorsement, Mr. Speaker, is not without qualification. For me, that qualification, that concern is best expressed every day on the editorial page of the Globe and Mail newspaper. It prints this piece of advice and attributes it to Junius. I do not know who Junius was but I think he was a pretty smart guy. This is his advice: "The subject who is truly loyal to the chief magistrate will neither advise nor submit to arbitrary measures." To me, Mr. Speaker, this means that our leaders must demonstrate humility. They must have open ears, open minds, open hearts as they go about their duties every day.

Mr. Kakfwi and his team must never forget that this is a consensus government, that we are here to work together. It will take time to put behind us the damage and the hurt of the past few months. I stand here saying that I know we can do it. Let us get on with it.

Mr. Speaker, a lot of people have taken a lot of time to watch us, to read about this, to talk with each other, to talk with other leaders. They have expressed their opinions to us in many, many ways. I want to thank the people who have talked to me, especially my constituents and others around the North who have given me their time when I have contacted them. I will say it again: I know we can do it. Let us get on with it. I will be voting in public and in support of this motion. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Braden. To the motion. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

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

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. To the motion. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have been a politician for ten years -- I should correct that. I have been a politician for longer than that but I have been a territorial politician, an MLA for ten years. It still manages to astound me how we can take a molehill and turn it into a mountain.

We have been talking very seriously here today about the issues. I think we have to remember that this all started with an inadvertent clerical error. That is all it was. That is where this all came from; an inadvertent clerical error. All of a sudden, we are talking about issues of confidence.

I have had a number of constituents that have phoned and asked did we really need this process? Unfortunately, yes, we did. A government is based on trust and integrity and that came into question, subsequent to the allegations of conflict. Once those allegations were on the table, then the public deserved to know whether or not that worry about trust or integrity was founded or not founded. Thus we came to the report of the special committee on Tuesday with their four recommendations. On Wednesday, we discussed those recommendations. Three of those recommendations were passed, adopted by this House by a majority vote. The fourth did not need to be because Mrs. Groenewegen took action herself and resigned.

Mr. Speaker, like all motions, we only vote on the "be it resolved clause." However, must motions have one or more "whereas clauses" to set out the reasons behind the action that is requested? That is the way that I read the reports lead in to their recommendation.

In discussions last Wednesday, the Premier more or less told the House and the public that he had dealt with the issue and did not have to respond to the reasons this special committee had put forward for their final recommendation.

Mr. Speaker, I think the response from the Premier was troubling to a number of us. To me, his words, his tone and his manner seemed an attack on the committee and its report. Mr. Speaker, I believe the Premier has ultimate responsibility for the actions of those in his office. On Wednesday, I did not sense or hear any ownership of that problem. The Premier said he had dealt with the trust and confidence issues in his office. Obviously, because we are here today, Mr. Premier, not everybody was satisfied with that response.

The special committee had heard the evidence, weighed it and unanimously put forward their recommendations. So it should have come as no surprise to the Premier that some Members were upset when he said that he had already done more than he should have done.

Subsequently, I guess some Members must have called for his resignation. I did not hear that. It did not happen in any meeting that I was at so I am not sure, but he obviously felt that somebody was calling for his resignation.

Mr. Speaker, let us put that into perspective. How many times has a Member of the House of Commons suggested that the Prime Minister should resign? More times than I can count. The Prime Minister does not pick up his ball and go home because he feels that people do not want to play by his rules.

However, our Premier said that he "Could not survive and work with confidence when people threaten me every other month. That is not acceptable." Mr. Speaker, in most Assemblies, this happens every second day, not every second month.

Now, maybe part of the problem is that we probably have the most polite Legislative Assembly in the British Commonwealth. It is certainly the most polite in Canada. Does that mean that every time that one of us in this House does not support government action, the threat of government resignation will be tossed out?

I would like to remind the government that a majority in this House opposed the hotel tax. There was nobody that called for the resignation of the government. There were no calls made there. I believe the majority of the Members of this House opposed the road toll. If that fails, I certainly will not be calling for the government's resignation. So why has this issue turned into a constitutional crisis? I am not really sure. It only had two important bills, the hotel tax and the road tolls, and those do not seem to be issues of confidence. However, a recommendation that the Premier deal with an issue of integrity and confidence in his office has led us to this point.

Mr. Speaker, time and time again we have heard about the importance of openness, integrity and honesty in government. We have heard the Premier say how important those things are to him. So after the report that the special committee came out, I think many of us expected to see some action.

Mr. Speaker, most of us have been around for a while so I do not think anybody really expected to see anybody get fired. You know, the typical government response is the sideways shuffle. A couple of people find jobs somewhere else, work in another department, they are on a special project but they are out of the Premier's office so that the public has the confidence in the system and the integrity of the advice the Premier receives restored.

Instead, we were told by the Premier that the actions which we took stand on are not going to be revisited and further on, that any actions he takes will not include revisiting these decisions. It is pretty clear that we were not going to see any further action.

Mr. Speaker, in my opinion, as it seems to have turned into an issue of confidence and we have to talk about our confidence in the government. In my opinion, most of the time this government has done the right thing. Most of the time, I have supported the government.

Things like the Non-Renewable Resource Development Strategy, Maximizing Northern Employment, critical investments in initiatives like looking at the hydro projects, the support for devolution, support for pipeline development, I have had no problems supporting the government when they have made calls to action to support them in those areas.

However, those issues are not what have brought us here today. We are talking about this motion today only because of the report of the special committee. I have to say that I was very troubled by the way the Premier has responded this past week. To me, it appeared that he was ignoring the concern of publicly elected representatives and sought public support.

I believe that he showed a lack of respect by setting up a press conference while the House was in session. In fact, we were still in question period when he was addressing reporters.

The Premier is now on a public campaign, citing behind closed doors calls for his resignation. That is not the actions I would expect from a seasoned politician.

Mr. Speaker, I do not believe that we should be doing this here today. I think that an experienced politician should have dealt with things in a timely manner. If this had been done previously, we would not even be debating this. We would have moved on last Wednesday.

Mr. Speaker, I am particularly concerned by the campaign nature of this whole process. I have a package of letters of support for the Premier on Friday. I do not know what we said to people to ask them to send those letters in, but I picked one and I called the author to see if they read the Report of the Special Committee on Conflict Process. The answer was no. I am troubled by that because the Premier's response to the report is, to my mind, the only reason this motion is before us today. I wonder if these demonstrations of support are being made without everyone having all the background.

There have been too, Mr. Speaker, a number of people who have expressed concern about the process that we have set for ourselves on Wednesday in the Territorial Leadership Committee. I have to say that I have no problem with a secret ballot in the Territorial Leadership Committee. We elected the Premier and the Ministers by secret ballot. In fact, when the idea of a vote by a show of hands was floated when we first got together, there was almost no support for that. If memory serves me right, even Mr. Ootes opposed it, even though last Friday he appeared to have changed his position.

So why should we have a secret ballot? Mr. Speaker, the process lost by the Premier is just one reason. I have heard from several Members that they feel threatened by some of the letters and calls that they have received. The Premier himself has said, "If somebody is going to take a stick to you and say, stay and do what I ask or I am going to club you, I am not going to react very well." No Premier in this country should be subject to that. Mr. Speaker, no Member in this House should be subject to that.

To avoid just that feeling, Mr. Speaker, one of the basic tenants of a democracy is a vote by secret ballot for our leaders. No matter how the vote goes today, I still want to see that secret ballot and confirmation on Wednesday.

Mr. Speaker, I want to make it perfectly clear that I have no desire to bring down the government. I do not see that as being productive. I really regret that we are here today talking about this motion. What should have been a minor issue and easily dealt with has now snowballed to this point.

So, Mr. Speaker, I want to make it clear that I will not vote against the motion, but I also want to make it clear that the actions of the Premier in the last week would be the only reason I am considering abstaining from the vote. It is important to our credibility that we be seen to be getting on with business.

So today, Mr. Speaker, if I vote in favour of this motion, it is because I want the government to move on and get past this issue. The issue should not have gotten this far in the first place.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to say that I hope the Premier will not use this destabilizing method every time he thinks someone is being critical of a government position. I will continue to support the vast majority of government actions, but I will always reserve my right to be critical when I think it is warranted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. To the motion. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have heard some good comments today from Members as to what they would like to see this government do in the future. They are using this time in the House to give some direction as to what they see as possible advantages here. I have to support something like that and there is a good purpose out of almost everything.

Initially, we are here to speak to the motion of confidence in the Premier. I have been receiving, as I have said in the past, some direction from my constituents at home. Based on the information they have and based on the information they have seen through the television system, they do not feel there is a need for the Premier to resign and that I should vote accordingly. The people in my riding who I have contacted have all encouraged the Premier to continue down the road. They have chosen this as the best approach to advance their role in development of the Territories. Mr. Kakfwi has not ignored or forgotten the Inuvialuit settlement region in his time as Premier and for that, the people of my riding are thankful.

Last week in this House, I indicated I would vote by public vote versus a secret ballot, as that is the wish of my people. I said, Mr. Speaker, and I will repeat it again, that in this day and age of high tech communication systems, people at home, no matter how far away they are now, they do not depend on you to tell them what we have done in this House. They can actually watch you. They are suggesting to me that they do not want to hear how I voted, they want to see how they voted. That strongly suggests to me that I have to vote as they wish.

They have indicated to me, Mr. Speaker, that there is no need at this point in time to require the Premier to resign and that he should continue with the process that he has put in place. There are some good things happening in the Beaufort-Delta. We are finally reaching the point of agreement-In-principle on self-government. We are also seeing again a return in the oil and gas activity. Much of this people credit to this government through the actions of the Premier.

Those are good points and people feel that this is not the time to upset the band wagon. We are proceeding down a road and although people might want to jump on and off this wagon, it is not the time right now. We have a lot to do yet. We have only a short time to do it in. If we are to show any benefit out of this Assembly in the four years of this Assembly, we have very little time to do that.

As many Members have indicated, we have put a plan in place. We have to proceed down that road now. There is no doubt that there are going to be obstacles on that road all the way and there are going to be times when we do not all agree on everything. I believe that times like we had in the last week are really -- there is possibly some frustration involved, possibly some expectations that were not realistic -- but overall, I think the major problem is that we did not sit down and talk this thing out amongst ourselves.

We really did not have enough time to discuss the recommendations as they were put forward and to give people time to react to the recommendations, if they were accepted. There were a lot of people moving pretty fast here.

In the end of a situation like this where we are taking up a lot of time in this House, at the end to discuss issues as to our own attendance in this House and our own conduct in this House.

I think, Mr. Speaker, we could see some good come out of this in that if we proceed from here on with -- if it is the wish of the Assembly that there is going to be a secret ballot as well as public ballot, I have no problem with that as long as I have the opportunity to vote in public so that my people can see me vote. I have no problem with that.

With that, I will say that as an MLA and as a Minister, I will vote in favour of this motion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Steen. To the motion. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I speak in favour of this motion and to express and affirm my full support for the Premier. Mr. Speaker, I am certain of my view that he is the right leader of our time. I have no doubt that history will judge him as one of the greatest leaders of all time.

I also believe, Mr. Speaker, that history will judge this time as a critical turning point in our evolution as a mature economy based on a firm foundation of responsible constitutional democracy. I also believe that the vote on the confidence in the Premier is much bigger and more significant than the Premier's political future or the future of any of us in this House. I believe that the preservation and maintenance of our parliamentary democracy based on consensus governing is at stake.

Mr. Speaker, I support the Premier wholeheartedly because I know, without any question or doubt, that he is a man of integrity, intellect, vision, which is based on unflinching respect for the dignity of all people.

Mr. Speaker, I know that it comes from years of his talking to and learning from the people he has come across in all walks of life; in his service as a leader in this Territory for over 25 years, the self-reflection that it requires for leaders to delineate the standards for what is good, true and just.

Mr. Speaker, this is, in my view, a hallmark of a great leader and Premier Kakfwi has this. I trust my sense of judgment that he has it and I trust the people's judgment that he has it. I trust my very strong conviction that this is my privilege and duty to do everything that I can to support his leadership for the good of my constituents, for the good of our Territory and for the good of our nation.

Mr. Speaker, the e-mails and faxes and phone calls I have personally received over the last four days have demonstrated to me, in no uncertain terms, that my judgment of Premier Kakfwi's leadership is strongly shared by many, many Northerners from every corner of our Territory. The common theme that runs through all of these expressions is that he is the right leader and the right leader for us now, and numerous mentions of the words integrity, intelligence, vision and the sense of respect for the dignity of all people.

Mr. Speaker, we are a very dynamic Territory with diverse people, issues and regions. Let there be no doubt this kind of support and credibility that people have shown does not come without a great leadership and this should be recognized and celebrated as something we are lucky to have and we should be proud to have.

We only need to look at the gallery today to see the support for his leadership. His leadership touches and crosses all boundaries. I know I see a lot of leaders here and they are green with envy for the kind of respect and support that Mr. Premier has.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that he is a great leader on his own merits but he is also the right leader for our time. We are on the verge of becoming one of the most important and dynamic economies, not only in Canada but also in all of North America. We are on the verge of seeing the reality of the $6 billion pipeline project through the Mackenzie Delta. Bringing the scope of this deal together requires the capacity and resolve of an experienced leader, one who understands and one who can manoeuvre through the maze of a number of challenges right up there with the biggest oil producers, pipeline builders, investors, all of our aboriginal leaders and leaders of other provinces, the federal government, the US government and the relevant state legislatures.

The Premier deserves the credit for wrestling this item onto the national and international agenda and making it the NWT item in the minds of the leaders in the Yukon, Alaska, Ottawa and Washington, whether they like it our not. Let there be no doubt that this does not happen without credibility and leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I can name a number of other projects and items on our agenda. Many have mentioned devolution, resource revenue sharing agreements and all of the active land claim and self-government tables that are being worked on. We need to conclude these in order that we bring from Ottawa the resources and power we need to control our economy and our quality. We need it in order to bring stability and maturity to our young government. This will not be possible without the creditable and stable leadership at the top.

Mr. Speaker, for me personally as a woman leader and a minority group in this Assembly, I know with certainty that Mr. Kakfwi is a champion with genuine respect for women and compassionate understanding for those who are subject to repression and abuse in all insidious forms. This is an important characteristic for any leader in my book and especially for the likes of Mr. Premier, who leads a very diverse group of people.

Mr. Speaker, some may say that we might have already missed a window of opportunity. There is a great deal of uncertainty in our global economy. I would venture to say that this is one of the most difficult places to govern. It is important for us to show unity and to give the Premier legitimacy and strength to speak and fight on our behalf during these difficult and crucial times on behalf of the people.

Mr. Speaker, I need to say that there is something much more than individual MLAs around here, or the people brought into this process, the conflict of interest process, that is at stake. The very survivability of our government system as a viable and legitimate system of government is in question. Let there be no doubt about it. As I stated to someone who sent me an e-mail over the weekend -- and by the way, I would like to thank all of those who wrote and expressed their views -- I wrote back to her that a serious assault on constitutional democracy does not come in a nice little package with a label that says this is a non-democratic action.

We have to be vigilant. We should be prepared in this House to defend it at all times through words and action. We are not here in our capacity as a private citizen but as a voice of the people, as spokespersons and a caretaker, a critical thinker and a courageous political actor on behalf of the people whom we represent.

For those who are afraid to speak because of intimidation or repercussions about their words and actions, fear not about the freedom to speak because you are well protected. In fact, that is the reason for our being here. That is what it means to be a public person.

I would like to quote a source of authority much greater than I who has said essentially the same thing that I was trying to say in this House during the debate of the conflict report. This is by Speaker Parent, Speaker of the House of Parliament -- I am sorry if I am not saying the French name correctly here -- and I quote:

There are only two kinds of institutions in this land to which this awesome and far-reaching privilege of freedom of speech extends, parliament and the legislatures on the one hand and the courts on the other. These institutions enjoy the protection of absolute privilege because of the overriding need to ensure that the truth can be told, that any questions can be asked and that debate can be free and uninhibited.

Absolute privilege ensures that those performing their legitimate function in this vital institution of government shall not be exposed to the possibility of legal action. This is necessary in the national interest and has been considered necessary under our democratic system for hundreds of years. It allows our judicial system and our parliamentary system to operate freely of any hindrance.

Mr. Speaker, a very wise mentor of mine pointed out to me over the weekend that this building faces out to the capital city as a symbol of our service on behalf of the people. The public has the right to know why we are throwing out the government which is supported by the vast majority of the people, and who are seen as doing a good job by many Members in this House. We look up at this building and see the windows all around us. These are there for the light of the people's spirit to shine on us, that we are not hidden in the back room where the people cannot hear or see what we are doing, who is saying what and why, and why we are doing what we are doing and why is it in the public interest.

Mr. Speaker, as I walked into this Chamber this afternoon, it brought tears to my eyes seeing the people who are here to watch us in the gallery and they have stayed. Especially our elders, who came from far away, we thank you. I only wish that we could have a life-sized picture of the gallery today and place them permanently there in those chairs so that we are constantly reminded of who sent us here and who we are working for.

We should also be reminded that our work is important. It affects people's lives and the way we use our power and privilege here has to be justifiable in the final court of opinion of the people.

Mr. Speaker, I have stated already in this House and I still believe this to be true, that when the dust has settled, we will be judged harshly for the path we followed with respect to the conflict of interest issue that has brought us here. Interestingly enough, the second half of the quote that I quoted from the Speaker of the House of Parliament speaks to the other side of the issue I was trying to convey, Mr. Speaker.

In referring to the parliamentary privilege we have here and the power that comes with it, I quote:

Such a privilege confers grave responsibilities on those who are protected by it. By that I mean the honourable Members of this place. The consequence of its abuse can be terrible in that some people could be slandered with no redress available to them. Reputations can be destroyed on the basis of false rumour. All honourable Members are conscious of the care they must exercise in availing themselves of their absolute privilege of freedom of speech.

Mr. Speaker, at the same time, I accept that there was an action and inaction that is not acceptable to any standard of morality and ethics that was covered in the special committee report. However, Mr. Speaker, it is my view that was never the question in my mind and I do not think that was the question of most Members in this House.

I have already stated enough and I do not want to get kicked out of this House again because I do want to finish my statement. Mr. Speaker, may I just say that the bigger question is whether or not, in totality of Premier Kakfwi's leadership over the last two years, what he has done and not done amounts to something so grave that it justifies removal from his office and the change of our government and our agenda at this crucial juncture. I submit to you, Mr. Speaker, that the answer is and it has to be, a resounding no.

I will close this by saying that there is always a silver lining to every unfortunate event and for me, this has been my opportunity to express in the strongest and best way I know how, my support for my leader, Mr. Kakfwi, who I believe is truly a great leader and the right leader for all of us at this time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Order, please. Thank you, Ms. Lee. To the motion. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is nice we have 20 minutes today. I am tired so I am going to talk slowly. I usually talk fairly quickly.

Mr. Speaker, a lot of things have transpired over the last six months and I have to say that I do not agree with everything that has happened and how people have been treated. This has been hard on a lot of people. I have noticed John and Christine Bayly in the gallery today. I want to say that I have the utmost respect for these people.

As they say, to err is human, and every person elected to this Legislature is human, at least I think so. It has been a rough weekend as I have contemplated what to do. I want to assure you that no solicited letters of support, no e-mails, no phone calls have affected my decision that I am going to tell you about here today.

As a matter of fact, I do have to say that I had a problem with the tactic that has been used in going out into the public because I do believe that it has shown a lack of respect for the Members that have been duly elected to this Legislature.

This motion before us today is about confidence in the Premier. When I was a fairly newly elected Member to the Legislature, I was bemoaning something one day. I have probably told you this before but I went to the Premier's office, who was then a Minister at that time, and was complaining about something. His answer was so quick and it was so true. He said, "You know this government is not about you." I have never forgotten that because it is true. This government Is not about any one of us singly. This government is about the people of the Northwest Territories and the people that we serve.

Having said that, this motion of confidence talks about a very, very key person in that role we carry out in serving the interests of the people of the North. I have worked closely with Premier Kakfwi over the last two years and, until recently, he supported me. People need to know though that I was a compelled witness in a process that was put in place by the majority of Members of this House. It has been referred to today as a roller coaster ride and it has been that. However, let us not forget that it is a process that was embarked upon by a majority of Members of this House.

The process, whether people think it needed to be carried out or not, has put a tremendous strain on many relationships. I want to say today that I do not hold any ill will towards the members of the committee. They had a very, very difficult job to do. As Mr. Dent has said, this seems to have started off as something so small and so insignificant and turned into such a big thing, but again that seems to be the nature of things in politics.

Mr. Speaker, sometimes we have occasion to come across people and we are able to gather an insight into their spirit. When we are allowed and make the effort to see that spirit, we sometimes see something very special and maybe something quite different from what is on the surface, something that is beyond strength or weakness. They are usually people that we care about and can probably disappoint or hurt like no others. In the stress of the recent circumstances over the past three months, some very hurtful things have been said and done. If we allow them to consume us now, the effects could be enormous.

I admit that after the weekend, I came here this morning to do battle with the Premier. I believe I could do it with upright motives and good cause but when I walked by his office today, I saw him in there and I took the opportunity to go in and speak to him face to face. I was not there long before I apologized to him for all the things that have happened and he also asked me to forgive him for some of the things that have happened. I made a choice of my will to do that.

I want to say that this is not about politics. It is not about government. It is not about keeping a score. It is about a good principle to live by and to believe in. It is the principle of forgiveness. I think there is an opportunity here for a lot of us to perhaps take a look at that. If we could turn back the clock, a lot of things could have been done differently.

I was asked by a reporter last Friday, is there anything that you wish about this? I said do not get me started on what I wish because I would go right back to the first day that I sat down with the original Conflict Commissioner. I can tell you, there is a lot of stuff that I wish had been different, but it is not.

So I realized today that I value my relationship very much with Stephen Kakfwi and too much not to move beyond what has transpired because I know a little bit about him, his past, his accomplishments and his family.

Mr. Speaker, I care very, very much about the North and as much as Premier Kakfwi for me, to a large extent, captures the North and embodies the people of the North, I want to say that I care very much about him.

So my decision to support him today is very personal. I hope that he will continue to make every effort to uphold high standards of honesty, openness, transparency and integrity in our government, continuing to show the utmost respect for the Members elected to this House by their constituents.

We know that after we serve in government, and especially in Cabinet, that it takes time and effort to build productive liaison with Members and to learn about the needs and aspirations of their constituents. This is a unique setting in a work environment and it really requires tireless commitment. Regardless of the outcome of the vote today, there is a lot of bridge mending that needs to be done if we are going to have a productive next two years.

Mr. Speaker, I just would like to say that I hope that the Premier, with the renewed mandate that I am certain he is going to get here today, will continue to rely on his own instincts and his own judgment because I think they are good. Sometimes in these positions, we come to rely on input from other people too much. Sometimes we have to go back to our own instincts and our own moral compass and our own sense of direction and trust that and rely on it.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I just want to say that I will be supporting the motion for confidence in the Premier. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. To the motion. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to take an opportunity to speak to this motion, recognizing that much of the things I wanted to say have already been spoken. I think it is important that I use the opportunity to represent the views of my constituency of the electoral district of Inuvik Twin Lakes, and perhaps of many other electoral districts in the Territories, since I am probably one of many Ministers who travel into the communities to hear first-hand what is important to the people of the Northwest Territories, not to myself.

I would like to share with you as well that in the context of what other Members have expressed today, in my personal political doctrines, I feel it is not only the Premier who needs a vote of confidence here today but we as Members, because we have taken it upon ourselves to begin debating whether we trust one another, whether this House has the integrity to continue to govern as we have the last two years.

I take it from my own statement, where I said it is in the bailiwick of the Premier to determine what level of discipline he applies to his staff. I said likewise, I think he would say the same thing to me, if staff have breached the conduct and the requirements that are set so highly in this house.

I refer that to a statement by my honourable colleague for Yellowknife, Brendan Bell says, "I continue to support him today, contingent on his ability to act on the fourth recommendation, which was to restore integrity to this government."

He further states that:

I will make my decision based on the Premier's action between now and Wednesday. If in fact I decide that he has addressed my concerns adequately, I would certainly support him on that ballot because I have never had a problem or a quarrel with this Premier.

Mr. Speaker, neither have I. I believe that each one of us stands up in this House and debates on the principle of political ideology and not on personal vendettas nor difference of personal opinions. I, as a Member of this Cabinet, have never been easily swayed, although I am often the most the quiet Member in the Cabinet room. I have been supportive of my colleagues across the floor as well as here because I stand before you on a regular basis as a Minister addressing the committees.

When the people of Inuvik Twin Lakes ask me how it is going, nothing is more rewarding than when I can appear before a committee and come back to my office with good results and good support. In fact, through the business planning process, we will have good things happening for the people of the Northwest Territories.

So I say today to you in support of all of us, we have to move forward. It is too bad that this had to derail us for a bit, but I think we are going to come out of it a little stronger as a unit, as a group of people who are indentured to represent our constituencies.

It saddens me, yes, that there are some victims, but I think we are such a small pea in the pod in this world of victimization that we should be able to reconcile it fairly quickly and work together.

I said to you last year because no one knew me, being newly elected two years ago, I said that one of the advantages I have standing and running for Cabinet was that I was new, although I spent 24 years, as my colleague would say, articulating in the Mackenzie Delta where there can be some pretty vicious politics of its own. Nonetheless, I feel after discussing all the matters with the political leaders of Mackenzie Delta, specifically from Inuvik Twin Lakes, I can now reaffirm my support for the Premier's position and his office. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the time my colleagues have taken to listen to me. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Allen. To the motion. The honourable Member for the Sahtu, Mr. Kakfwi.

Mr. Speaker, in keeping with the recent tradition I would like to start off with sending greetings to my wife Marie, my daughters, Kyla, in London, Ontario; my daughter, Daylyn, in Fort Smith; and my son Keenan.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank everybody who has come out today because you have made a difference. The people who have written, the people who have taken the time to phone, the people who have sent messages, the people who have stopped me wherever I have been since last week.

I am not the easiest person in the world to approach. I will never see myself as a populist, but I have been overwhelmed and deeply moved by the concern and the support and the encouragement that I have been given. I want Members here in the House today to share that with me.

It is a good thing when people come out of their homes and take the time to tell us how they feel and what they are concerned about.

The message I have received is a message that what we started doing two years ago and the things that we set out to do, people understand them. They know what it is and they are concerned that we might not finish what we started. They have blessed the work that we started, the work we are doing now. They are telling me what this Legislature and this Cabinet have started to do two years ago, and have gone so far to accomplish, is supported and they want us to finish.

The message is there. People feel that what I have done with you and on your behalf, with your support, is good. It is an exemplary piece of work and they want me to stay. We are doing a good job and we should continue.

There have been many, many things that were done but one of the comments was, I believe CBC made the implication that, "Well, it is just Dene chiefs that are coming out to support."

Mr. Speaker, one of the most difficult people to get any acknowledgement out of, in my business, are Dene chiefs, Metis leaders, aboriginal leaders. They are concerned about their big issues, claims and self-government. We have asked them over a number of years to reach out to us so we can be partners, so we can achieve some goals together. That is why they are here today. They are reaching out, saying do not let go.

Of course, it is not always difficult to maintain those partnerships but they are there. This is what I helped bring to this Territory.

Mr. Speaker, I have had a truck ride up through Yellowknife yesterday afternoon. Distracted, quiet, my son came with me from Latham Island. We drove right through downtown and he never said a word until we were just approaching the Northern United Place, when he said, with his feet up on the dash board, "So, Dad, what are you going to do tomorrow?" We had a laugh. My son has been my companion for the last few days because even he knows what is going on. That was the big question. I want to say today that all the people that have come out, all of you here, I want to thank you because you have made a difference. Sitting here has helped me resolve even more what it is I want to do.

I want to serve. I want to finish my job. I am proud to make that offer. I know the support is here. It is out there and it is in the communities. It is in the Beaufort, it is in the Deh Cho, it is in the Sahtu, it is in the Akaitcho communities and I am grateful for that. I have asked for a public demonstration of support so we could show, as a Cabinet, that we are together. We have been separated. We have had doubts about each other but we want to demonstrate to all of you and to the public that we are back together.

I wanted an opportunity for those of you that we are prepared to do that to show the rest of Canada, industry, business and our communities that beyond our own constituencies, we also care deeply about other regions and other constituencies, that we are prepared to move ahead together.

I have had many, many letters of support and many, many messages. I want to share a couple of them with you. Yesterday, I was home briefly with my family and I received a call, the first one and the only one maybe I will ever have in my life from a very prominent person in the history of the Northwest Territories, Commissioner Stu Hodgson. I literally fell off the little stool I was sitting on and I told him that. He gave me a message that was positive and supportive, like a voice from the past.

I have had a discussion with Bill Erasmus, National Chief of the Dene Nation, a person who I have had many, many fundamental disagreements with -- with chiefs, Mr. Speaker, I want to point out something to Members here. When we had differences as chiefs, aboriginal leaders, and especially in the 70's, 80's and 90's, it was fundamental. It was about the rights of our people; rights, land and resources. The most fundamental things that people have to grapple and struggle with, that cause wars around the world. Yet with all of them that I have had disagreements with and differences, many of them are here today. If they are able to overcome those fundamental disagreements we have had over the years, surely we in this House can get beyond ours.

I mentioned Mr. Erasmus because it has been touching to me to hear him say the things he did yesterday morning to me and I thank him for that.

I also wanted to mention my son because he phoned on Friday and he said, "Dad, I phoned the radio talk show." I asked him what he said, and he said, "I told them that you should stay on as Premier because I love you and you are my dad." I thought that was really getting to the point. I never got to hear the transcript but I surely wanted to hear that.

Every one of you that has called, every one of you that has written or left messages, I will be trying to respond. I will be sharing every one with the Members of the Legislature here.

I reached out last week because I needed help. There is no other way to describe it. I have been an elected person since 1983, Minister, president of the Dene Nation and now Premier. I will not complain because nobody asked me to take this job on. I asked for it. However, last week I was stumped and I needed help.

I thank everybody who has responded. It has been positive and uplifting. To those Members in the House here who have had differences with me, who have set them aside to step forward and support me, I thank them. I want to thank Jane and I want to thank Mr. Miltenberger and every Member of the House here who has supported me. I want to tell the Members who have decided not to vote, who have said they support me, I respect that. Today, I am prepared to continue serving. I will try to do it to the best of my ability.

I want to thank Mr. Bayly, who has been here since the 70's to work with our communities and our people. I want to thank him. I have the greatest respect for him. He set aside a very good law practice and folded up his business to come and work for me and it has been recently a disaster. I am very sorry for that.

I want to acknowledge Lynda Sorensen, who has worked with me so many years, who has also suffered. I hope that she stays on to work for me and with me as my executive assistant on my personal staff, whatever I choose to call her.

These are difficult times. I know that. I tell you that over the last few days, I have been disillusioned a bit. It is difficult sometimes to be positive and keep going all the time. It is not like me to ask for help. It was spontaneous and because people responded, because people cared and because people have come out today, it has made a difference. It means what I am doing is important, what you have asked me to do is important and people are aware of it.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I thank Members for their support and I am prepared to continue serving the people of the North as their Premier. Thank you very much.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. It is now my duty to inform the House that with the reply of the mover of Motion 11-14(4), Mr. Handley, this will close the debate on this motion. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since the Premier was able to pass greetings on to his wife and his family, then I too want to pass on greetings to my wife who is sitting up here today. Welcome.

-- Applause

I listened carefully to what everyone had to say this afternoon and have made a lot of notes. I did not hear any lack of support for the major programs and initiatives that the government has undertaken over the past two years. In fact, I heard a lot of words of support for what we are doing as a government. If that certainly is not the reason for us being in this situation, then what is it?

Mr. Speaker, my sense in listening is that this is all, or largely about, Premier Kakfwi's response to recommendations in the report, and particularly about the response to one recommendation. I have heard comments about actions that have been taken since that time, so I suppose those have come into play as well. However, we have to ask ourselves, is that really enough that we would want to, if not throw the government off its agenda, at least cause a major hiccup in what we are doing? Are there not other ways that we can resolve this and work around it?

I do not think we want to disrupt the strategy that we are on as a government. I have to say that I believe Mr. Kakfwi and the whole Cabinet and the Regular Members and all of us as an institution have really taken great strides in getting the Northwest Territories on the map.

I have heard a number of people say it is very difficult to make this vote in public, that somehow this should not be a public vote. It would be better to be a secret vote. I have a little bit of difficulty with that and I would ask that Members think about it. Every day we take votes on bills and other matters on behalf of our constituents because we want our constituents to know how we are voting. We know that we are not voting for ourselves personally. We are voting on behalf of the people who put us here.

Certainly it would seem to me that on something as important as a vote of confidence in a Premier, surely that is something you want to be clear to your constituents on how you have voted. You want them to know that you have represented their interests.

I understand that there may be some reluctance because some people feel that there may be retribution if you vote the wrong way. I hope that if Members are feeling that, because we vote every day on issues, if you feel there is retribution being taken because you did not vote to support a bill, because you did not vote for my highway bill -- or Mr. Steen's highway bill, not mine -- our highway bill...

-- Laughter

...or my bill that I sponsored on the hotel tax, that somehow I am going to get even with you. We do not operate that way. If we start to, then I think we had better talk about it because that is not what a public government is about. We all feel strongly about a transparent and open government. Well, let us be transparent and open. Let us vote on behalf of the people that we represent. Let us let people know how we vote on this matter as well.

Some people said they did not want to vote because they were thinking of throwing their hat into the ring for a Cabinet position. I guess that one throws me a little bit because I am not sure why someone would want to be on Cabinet if they did not support the Premier. When we were elected two years ago, we knew who the Premier was. Before we threw our hats in, we had to know and make our own decision: do we want to work with the Premier or do we not want to? I ask you to think about that.

I agree with the recommendations, I believe from Mr. Krutko, that we do need to review our policies and procedures to make sure we do not spend so many days on this kind of thing again. I fully support that and I will do everything I can to ensure that we do that.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is time to put this matter to a vote and put it behind us. As we do, I think we all need to look at what do we want our legacy to be as the 14th Assembly, collectively and individually? Is it a legacy of one where we kept our shoulder to the wheel and worked to do the best we could on behalf of people? Or is it a legacy that, as Mr. Braden has said, we have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory?

Mr. Speaker, it is time to vote on this one and, Mr. Speaker, I would ask that this be a recorded vote. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Handley. A recorded vote has been requested. Is the House now ready for the question?

Question has been called. All those in favour of the motion, please stand.