Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is not the first time I have stood up to speak on an issue such as this. As a Member of the 13th Assembly, I also spoke against making amendments to the Family Law Act. I find it distressing that in fact, this Minister has decided to carry this forward and this government has decided to carry this forward once again. I believe I am speaking for a large number of my constituents who do not believe this is necessary, who in fact believe this is an act against what they would consider family values and a significant change.
Now, it is one thing to say that as a government, we must follow the laws of Canada in enacting laws in the Northwest Territories. We can find examples of laws that were enacted by governments, and if those governments had opportunity to rescind some of those acts, they would do so. In fact, the damage has been done. We have numerous pieces of legislation that impact on the Northwest Territories in a very negative way when it comes to the people and the values of the people of the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister stated in questions about this that he has not contacted any aboriginal organizations, he has not contacted any other municipal governments or the people in the Northwest Territories besides an advertisement in the paper that would say, we are looking at these amendments, send in your comments. In fact, when questioned, he informed this House that this legislation had already been drawn up. Mr. Speaker, it was an empty notion of this government to ask people for their comments when in fact it is already done.
Many will stand up and say it is the laws of Canada and we must follow those laws.
Mr. Speaker, I speak on behalf of people in my constituency who do not believe this law is necessary. There are opportunities for all individuals across the Northwest Territories, regardless of their background and their choice of life and how they would live their lives. There are a few restrictions. The question is, where will this go? Right now, some would say, well, we are leaving the sanctity of marriage still on its own and this will not touch it, but what is next, Mr. Speaker?
Mr. Speaker, this is an avenue that is distressing to many people, many elders and people who do not believe this is appropriate, but their voice will not be heard because for the greater good of Canada, it is going to be put forward as the way to move.
Mr. Speaker, I speak in the sense of what would be best for families, for individuals and for us as people of the Northwest Territories and the values we hold.
Mr. Speaker, it is not the programs and services that make this land great, as we would call it. It is the people and their values. Sometimes it is good to have different values than those of other people in Canada. Other jurisdictions can change their laws and I would challenge this government to find a law that is the same in every jurisdiction in this one matter. Some laws are very minimal just to meet the requirement that has been set out. In fact, I believe the law that the Government of Canada has made has been made in a way that allows a fair bit of flexibility or interpretation by different jurisdictions.
Some will say that if we do not pass this, that we will be challenged on the Charter, and that much of the dollars that will be expended will be taken from important programs and services. Mr. Speaker, we have been challenged on different issues. There is always a threat in every law that we put in place that it can be challenged. Every law in the Northwest Territories, especially in light of the self-government discussions going on now, where they could say that our laws are interfering with the actions of aboriginal governments.
Mr. Speaker, I am aware that many Members of this Assembly would probably support this, but I have to speak on behalf of many of my constituents that this is not appropriate. It is time to put this away once and for all, and live lives in a sense that, as many of my constituents would say, as God had ordained it.
Mr. Speaker, we are going to be told again how people who choose as I have, for example, to live a life different from that of many others, which includes acknowledging that God is my creator. If I want my children to be taught in this way, I have to have them taught outside the normal functions of this government, because again, that has been declared unconstitutional to have my child taught a specific religion in a public school.
It seems that governments across this land have started to move further and further away from those values that were once held sacred to families and individuals, and have gone to those that can lobby and lobby hard, and know how to access resources and challenge governments through lawyers and whatever else. Mr. Speaker, knowing that is an avenue we face in the Northwest Territories, sometimes it would take legislators to stand up and say no to certain things and take the risk of that challenge.
To be different sometimes, Mr. Speaker, is not such a bad thing. This is not going to take away any rights. It might limit in certain areas what certain individuals in the Northwest Territories would want and consider to be equal to those individuals.
Mr. Speaker, many people can say that the programs and services within the Northwest Territories can be found lacking in the sense of how we have families and how individuals can make that a better situation, but I see this as another avenue of not really dealing with the issue. If somebody says, "Well we have individuals out there who can adopt a child, but they live in a same-sex arrangement. That is better than the family they were born into because that family is considered dysfunctional." Instead of looking at this avenue to fix the problem, why do we not work on the dysfunctional family to ensure that child can be raised in an atmosphere that is a healthy one? Then on top of that, Mr. Speaker, I am sure many would debate what is considered a healthy atmosphere to be raised in.
Again, Mr. Speaker, it is disappointing that we as a government would be bringing this forward and following other jurisdictions. Simple things that would come out to me, Mr. Speaker, I am sure many of us heard it as we were growing up from family members. When you would do something, they would say, "If your friends are going to play at the edge of the lake or jump off a cliff, are you going to follow?" I can use something as simple as that scenario.
Some would say this is the way to go because everybody else is doing it. Does that make it right just because everybody else is doing it? Is that not an acknowledgement of peer pressure that is being put on in the sense of governing laws and legislation? My family values are too strong, Mr. Speaker, to accept that this government would put forward legislation such as this. I cannot support this, Mr. Speaker, and I cannot vote in favour of this.
I hope that this government, as it goes through this process, will give due process to other individuals in the Northwest Territories to speak and raise their concerns to this Legislative Assembly. We have done it for the hotel tax. We have done it for the highway fee bill that came forward. In that case, many residents of the Northwest Territories spoke out against such legislation and this government listened. I would urge this government and the Members of this Assembly to give residents a fair opportunity to speak to this. If residents come back and say to this government that this is acceptable and we will do it, then we have our mandate.
I fear, Mr. Speaker, that once again the idea of a constitutional challenge will rule the day and cause this government to move quicker than I think is necessary, especially when it comes to seeing residents of the Northwest Territories have their input.
Mr. Speaker, I will live with the decision of this Assembly, as I believe all Members will, once you put your argument forward and discuss this issue. When it comes to a vote, once the vote is decided, we get on with business. It does not mean that I have to accept for my family and me and for those constituents that I speak for in Inuvik, that this is acceptable and that this government is doing what is considered in the best interests of the residents of the Northwest Territories.
In fact, I can have many of my constituents speak to the matter and say that this is not in the best interests in the long-term vision of people of the Northwest Territories. With that, Mr. Speaker, I will not be supporting this bill. Thank you.