Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am trying to warrant why I support the motion. I am using issues.
As a leader of this government, the Premier is responsible for the Minister's expenditures. These are not the only issues that concern me. What is of greater concern is the lack of inclusion of the Dogrib region in government plans and strategies, despite verbal assurances to the contrary. A couple of examples include the energy strategy and the Corridors for Canada document, which completely overlooked the North Slave. Because of this, I have come to the conclusion that things are not changing and will not change unless there is a change in this government.
Although the vote on Monday was recorded as a ten to five vote in favour of the Premier retaining his office, these numbers need further examination. I had to chair the proceedings, and was therefore ineligible to vote. Another Member was out of town, and therefore missed a vote. He had and continues to have doubts about the Premier's leadership. The people of the North need to know that there were in actuality seven Members who have lost confidence in the Premier. Because Cabinet voted as a bloc on this issue, it could be considered as one vote. Four Regular Members supported Cabinet, making the total in favour of the Premier just five votes.
According to our numbers in the House, if we had all voted, the actual vote for the Premier's continuation would have been 11 for, seven against. If we were to count the bloc vote as one vote, it would have been seven for and five against the Premier continuing in his office.
The conventions around Cabinet solidarity prevented Ministers from voting as they would wish. I have to say that this convention restricts them from representing their own ridings.
The main reason that I support an early election, Mr. Speaker, is that there were only two letters of support sent that asked the Premier to continue in his office.
Last year, when this question arose, there were 23 letters sent in. Mr. Speaker, this speaks for itself, that the people out there no longer have confidence in his office.
Mr. Speaker, I am in full support of dissolving this Assembly because I think it has lost all credibility. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.