Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a couple of points I would like to make as we finish this up. Mr. Chairman, first of all we've been inundated with many media requests to speak to this process in the last few days and so much paper you can't believe it, but I think one of the main concerns that has been expressed by the North Slave Metis on behalf of Metis people, and I believe that they are raising some legitimate concerns, but I believe these concerns are more correctly put to the federal government. I would hope that both the GNWT and indeed the Aboriginal Summit if they see fit, would work with the Metis people and take their case to the federal government. I believe they do need to be recognized, their rights need to be recognized and I hope the federal government can see the light.
Mr. Chairman, my main concerns throughout this have been about process, and the Premier the other day in speaking to the bill asked us to use our best judgment and asked us to take a leap of faith. Well, I have to say, for me, Mr. Chairman, this is not about a leap of faith. I certainly support the agreement, I support self-government and I believe that it will be better for the Northwest Territories. I also support the devolution of authority to the GNWT from the federal government for very similar reasons, and I think that this agreement will do more good for the people of the Northwest Territories to have it passed than to not have it passed. But, Mr. Chairman, my concern has always been with the process.
As we saw today, committee just proposed an amendment to this bill and it was one that passed in the House. So to suggest that a public process and public consultation would have no affect since this agreement has already been signed, I don't believe that that is the case. I recognize there would be no changes made to this agreement, but to suggest that there could be no changes made to the legislation, to suggest that it is inconceivable that anybody out there in the public might have had ways to improve this bill, I don't think that's fair, Mr. Chairman. I don't know how many drafts this legislation went through, but I am guessing it was in the neighbourhood of 20 or more. Do we assume that the content and the text were identical through 20 drafts? Obviously that's not the case. Obviously there were changes, there were improvements made. It's important I think to have a sober second thought. If there is anything we can do to improve this agreement, I think the amendment strengthens and improves this legislation and I think that's the kind of thing that the public process affords us. So now having made my concerns known about process and accepting that a committee heard my case and you don't always carry the day at committee, I recognize that and I appreciate that. Having raised my process concerns, I am not left with the question of whether voting in favour of this legislation or voting opposed to the legislation, what would be better for the people of the Northwest Territories. Is more good likely to come from passing this agreement now and moving past this having made my concerns known about the process? Mr. Chairman, I believe that's the case and that's why I will be supporting this agreement.
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But I certainly hope we recognize that this is not the way constitutional development should take place. In the life of the next government, if they don't recognize the need to involve all citizens and Members of this House in developing all pieces of legislation, I think that would be truly a shame. There was a way to do this properly. There was a way to make sure that Regular Members and all people in the Northwest Territories were more involved throughout the process. I believe we need to strive to ensure that that is the case for the next pieces of legislation we see. We did nothing but raise the concerns and fears of people when, in our last days in government, we move quickly to subvert a public process and jam something through the legislature. Even where there is nothing to be legitimately concerned about, we raised concerns. To me, that seems absolutely the wrong way to go about building the very types of partnerships that the Premier spoke passionately about the other day.
Mr. Chairman, as I said, I have to support this legislation because I think more good will come of my support than otherwise. Thank you.
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