Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to take this time here today, Mr. Speaker, to thank a number of people and maybe more importantly, not to try to talk about the good things that I think this Assembly or I personally have done. I'll be seeking re-election, there is plenty of time for that and as it should be the voters that will have the decision as to whether or not I have done an adequate job.
Mr. Speaker, I do want to take the opportunity here to thank my entire family, all of who live in the Northwest Territories and are still here. This has been, certainly, and I can say without a doubt, the best four years of my life and everybody knows, I think certainly the people in this room, that this can be a difficult job at times but it is a wonderful job, it is the best job as well. The thing about family I guess, Mr. Speaker, that is so important, is that you are going to have good days, you are going to have bad days. You are going to have days when you haven't made the best of decisions and others when you have, but family, certainly my family have always been there with unconditional love and support for me and I certainly appreciate that.
We are in the limelight a lot of the time and are criticized quite frequently, rightly or wrongly, but I think the fact that my family is always happy to see me come home at the end of the day no matter how good or bad the day has been has certainly been rewarding for me.
I want to mention five very important colleagues leaving this House. Stephen, Jim, Jake, Tony and Dave Hamilton. You know, I have learned a lot from these five very important people, and I have learned a lot by watching them, their quiet leadership, the fact that they lead by example has been something that I have been able to watch and pick up and understand and appreciate. Certainly there have been many times when we've had disagreements, Mr. Speaker, fundamental disagreements, about issues and I think that this is something that a number of people in the public could talk to me about that have said there is such a disagreement on certain issues, how can you continue to come to work and work with folks day in and day out and put these issues behind you. I think it would be very difficult, Mr. Speaker, if I had any doubts about their commitment to the people of the Northwest Territories. We may disagree on issues extremely at times, but I have never doubted these five folks. I have never doubted their unwavering commitment to the people of the Northwest Territories and I think that's certainly what makes the difference and allows us to move past certain issues and continue to move forward, try to move the bars and ensure that our reach continues to exceed our grasp.
Mr. Speaker, I can never repay these five people for this, for what they have been able to do for me quietly. I guess about the best I can offer them is that should I be successful and be fortunate enough to come back to this House, I will in my own quiet way try to do what they have done for me and for new Members, if I can be of any help, I will certainly offer that as they have done for me.
I'd like, Mr. Speaker, to thank maybe most importantly the work on behalf of my constituents done by my assistant, Mary Anne Woytuik, who has been with me the entire four years. This is a person who truly gets up every day wanting to help people and it has made such a difference in my job and it has been inspiring for me. She continues to try to do better for our constituents. I appreciate that and this would have been so much more difficult without her. I want to thank her for sticking with me through these four years and certainly thank her for all the work she has done on behalf of our constituency.
I have made a lot of friends in staff in the GNWT over the course of four years. I have been fortunate enough to work with the people in this building, a very professional, committed group of people. I have learned a lot from them. A number of GNWT staff as well, especially in my role as chair of the Standing Committee on Social Programs and I have had quite a number of dealings with people in the social envelope departments and there are some excellent top shelf people working in this government and I appreciate what they are doing on behalf of all the people across the Northwest Territories.
I particularly want to mention two gentlemen who have worked closely with me on the Social Programs committee. David Inch, the Clerk of Committees; if he tires out he never shows but he never seems to tire reminding me of the same simple fundamental rules of chairing committees, always there with the cheat notes for me. It seems that something happens when you get into the chair of committee, you suddenly start to forget things like your own name and Dave Inch has always been there to help me and remind me and make me certainly look much better than I have been and I appreciate that. Robert Collinson, in research, as well. There are many nights, if we think it is difficult for us going home at 8:00 in the evening, I tell you we task our research people after we leave at 8:00 with coming up with volumes of work by 8:00 the next morning, they are not going home until much later, Mr. Speaker. I know that and quite often I don't think I acknowledge that enough, but I would like to thank Robert for his hard work over these four years.
I would like to thank all of my colleagues. I have made a number of very close friends here among the 19 of you, but especially let me say that I have new found respect, I think over the course of four years, for my out-of-town colleagues. I know how difficult session is now. I go to work in the morning when my young daughter is still asleep, I come home at night and she is asleep again. I don't dare wake her up so I can only sit there and watch her sleep, Mr. Speaker. But for the colleagues of mine who are from out of town who have to go away for weeks on end and come to Yellowknife and can't be with their families, it is amazing that they stay the course and are that committed, and I know that their constituents appreciate them for that.
Lastly, let me say thank you to my constituents for putting their trust in me. I didn't come into this job with a 10-page resume and 30 years of work experience, and they took a flyer on me, put their trust in me and I will certainly never forget that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause