Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, it is an honour and a privilege to stand in this House today. It is my last day to be in the House. I just want to say that I appreciate the opportunity to reflect today on my three terms in office as an MLA serving the people of Nahendeh and the Northwest Territories and Legislative Assembly.
I made it public that I wasn't going to run again. I did that on June 24th at Kakisa during the Deh Cho Assembly and I did it in my language because leaders and representatives of most of the communities that I represent were there and I did it in my language because I figured that they elected me so I wanted them to hear first in our own language. So it would give an opportunity for whoever is thinking of taking over, it would give them enough time since June to consider it and rearrange their affairs so that they would probably try to take on this position. I will leave this House with the personal satisfaction of having assisted in improving the lives and the prospects for all the people in the Northwest Territories.
MLA Charles Dent and I entered this House together in 1991. We moved from the Yellowknife Inn to this new Assembly building and as I move on to other challenges, I can wonder who aged the most over those 12 years. Mr. Speaker, although the Member for Frame Lake may have acquired more white hair during his three terms, I want to remind him that I came to Yellowknife as the father of four and I am leaving here as a grandfather.
---Laughter
In my previous political careers as well, Mr. Speaker, in the communities as a chief, living in the communities we don't have occasion to wear a suit and tie and I remember when I first got elected in 1991, I was told that I had to come here and wear a suit, and I knew I had a pretty decent sport jacket in the closet so I dug it out and the sleeves were rolled up and there was a bit of red and green paint on it, so I asked my wife Celine what happened to my jacket and she said well one of the kids used it for a Halloween costume last year.
---Laughter
So I had to clean it off and that is how I showed up here. Since that time a lot of things have changed. We have learned how to dress and I guess we call the suit and tie our work clothes here. Mr. Speaker, in my second term it was a compliment from the Member for Thebacha who always comments on this side of the House that as Ministers we look like a bunch of undertakers. So we must have deemed a new style befitting the position of Cabinet at that time. I cannot forget the fashion statement made by my colleague from Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko, who provided the new style, I think it is called the Dene Disney Chic.
Mr. Speaker, at the beginning of the third term, we witnessed different dress styles from the new crop of MLAs, including my friend and colleague, the tall and lanky Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. So when Mr. Allen showed up, he was wearing a very short tie and our fashion guru from Thebacha made a comment correlating the length of his tie and the next day Mr. Allen showed up with a very long tie. Since then he has learned how to dress very well.
In all seriousness, Mr. Speaker, the past 12 years have been very challenging and also very rewarding. We did not scare at the difficult issues, we met them head on, we met fiscal challenges, we created two new territories, we encourage and support huge economic development projects, we negotiated land claims and self-government agreements, we have protected vast areas of land and built a very strong case for devolution of responsibilities and resource revenues from the Government of Canada. We are on the right track and the future government must bring home more of the bacon.
It has been a very great honour to have had an opportunity with the dedicated colleagues here in the House. Premier Stephen Kakfwi, who is also not going to be running, will be pursuing other walks of life. I have always took their approach as my role in Cabinet with him as Premier that I was working with Stephen Kakfwi and taking on the different challenges that came our way.
Joe Handley goes to work too early for me, something like 6:00 or 7:00 and he stays late and is very dedicated and he will probably continue to do that. My colleague Mike Miltenberger has been a very quiet commentator and given very quiet, solid political advice and he tries to beat Joe here every morning at work and he is a good asset to this government and to the Legislative Assembly.
Another person that is going to leave is Jake Ootes who was here for eight years, the last four years as Cabinet Minister, and he is also dedicated and was very committed to his work and he will be missed in this Legislative Assembly.
My colleague Vince Steen has been a solid Cabinet Member. He repeats and looks at everything and asks a lot of tough questions in Cabinet and you have to be ready to answer him.
Our friend and colleague Roger Allen from Inuvik Twin Lakes has been a solid support and we come from a similar background so we understand what we are talking about when we talk about small communities, aboriginal, we are also involved in business so it was a pleasure meeting and working with all of them.
With the political and business leaders we have worked very closely with them. I have really enjoyed my time in Cabinet and working in all of the areas, and also with all the different residents from across the North. In our travels to the different communities, attending different conferences, it was always very enjoyable to meet people in the North. I see it as we are all working together to shape a Northwest Territories that will serve the best interests of the generations to follow. Our residents that live in the communities, and I must say that in all the communities, our infrastructures are in place, there might be an odd one or two that needs it in place but generally what we have done over the last four years and even before that, we have put in really good infrastructures in our communities.
I had the opportunity to travel to other parts of this country, even into Alaska, and about four years ago when I was in Alaska, there were about 200 communities in there that still had honey buckets compared to none in our communities. So we have done really well in terms of putting in really solid, good infrastructures in our communities and our people are enjoying a better standard of living. They have access to a healthy environment and country foods. Residents have a growing number of interests in employment and business opportunities that we have never seen before and access to a wide range of essential public programs and services.
It is my contention, Mr. Speaker, that we cannot afford to rest on our laurels, and the future governments and leaders must continue to work towards improving opportunities for our people, especially for our youth. I am confident that we know now more clearly than ever where we want to go as people from the North. However, everyone has responsibility to strive to improve their own lives. Everybody blames the government for almost everything that comes up but there are people in our communities who are doing things on their own and not everybody is depending on government and that is what we should strive to improve, their lives and to contribute to their prosperity in the Northwest Territories. The main goal of government is to create a political climate to support our residents and their families in this task.
Mr. Speaker, I was elected by the people of Nahendeh in 1991 and I was returned to office twice afterwards, in 1995 and 1999. I owe much gratitude to the people I represent. I represent one of the larger constituencies in geographic size in the Northwest Territories. I represent the southwestern corner of the Territories and I want to thank the people from Jean Marie River, Trout Lake, Fort Liard, Nahanni Butte, Wrigley and Fort Simpson, for placing their trust in me over the last 12 years. As the largest constituency in the Northwest Territories, Nahendeh will continue to face many challenges and opportunities. I trust I responded in a timely manner to the concerns and brought forward the suggestions they have made directly to me in my many visits in their communities. I am proud to be from Nahendeh and it has been an honour to serve the people through this Legislative Assembly.
I will continue to lend my support and assistance to whoever gains your trust in the upcoming election and that will take the role as the MLA for Nahendeh. I had the privilege to work with the aboriginal community leaders from across the Northwest Territories as the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and I want to thank all of my aboriginal colleagues from the North to the South for their cooperation and guidance that they have provided me over the years. The First Nations, Inuvialuit and Metis are the original custodians of our land. We have learned to share this responsibility with other Northerners and together we have proven that we can all improve the quality of life for our people by working together.
My elders encouraged me to work with everyone for the benefit of everyone. I trust the spirit of cooperation will continue as we face future challenges together. I have always been fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with political and business leaders across Canada and internationally on issues and initiatives impacting us here in the Northwest Territories. The Northwest Territories is now clearly on the international radar screen, not only as a growing diamond mining and hydro carbon reduction economy, but it is an evolving political jurisdiction which is balancing the collective rights of aboriginal people with the individual rights of Canadian citizenry. This acknowledgement is particularly rewarding for the MLA for Sahtu and myself, and many other NWT aboriginal leaders who have long sought a more meaningful role for aboriginal people in the decisions related to our land.
I feel more than ever that we're moving forward together as Northerners. New businesses to the NWT are learning to work within our unique framework. We demand, expect and are prepared to work hard to ensure that Northerners benefit directly and meaningfully on the development of our natural resources.
Now it is up to the Government of Canada to turn over control and benefits of development of the North to the people of the North where it has always belonged. We are contributing increasingly to Canada's prosperity, and deserve access to fiscal resources required to build a healthy future for our future generations.
I owe a debt of gratitude to my staff who have supported and advised me over the years. I have to say, Mr. Speaker, that I have had very good staff in my political office as a Minister's office. I just want to mention currently my executive secretary is Bernie Mandeville who is very energetic and has been very helpful. I want to mention Sue Fleck who is very thorough in all her work. Edith Mack has helped me since 1995 in different roles. I want to mention Pietro Debastiani who has also been my EA in the past. Phil Mercredi worked with me for a while. Rosa Wright also helped me very well. I was fortunate to have excellent support staff at the Legislative Assembly, as well. Especially the advice of the long-standing Clerk -- whose last day was yesterday -- Mr. David Hamilton, and the staff who work with him who have supported me as an MLA first when I was an ordinary MLA and the chair of the Standing Committee on Finance.
I have also been fortunate to have great support from my staff in my constituency office in Fort Simpson that took care of my affairs in my constituency. I have to mention Pearl Norwegian who is no longer with me, but she really helped me out in the last few years. Now Derek Erasmus will be helping me until the end of my term. So with the excellence of great support of staff in my ministerial office and in the departments for which I have had the opportunity...Over the years I have held many responsibilities besides my principal duty as MLA for Nahendeh.
I wish to express heartfelt thanks to the past and present staff in the following departments: Safety and Public Services, which no longer exists but of which I was a Minister; Transportation; Public Works and Services; Executive; Justice; Municipal and Community Affairs; and now Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development and Aboriginal Affairs. I want to especially recognize the two deputy ministers. Bob McLeod, deputy minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, who I have had the opportunity to work with for the last couple of years in this department and he has been an excellent, hard worker; and all the staff who work in RWED. It's a huge department with many responsibilities. I just want to say that as a Minister we go to federal/provincial/territorial meetings with our counterparts, and there are 11 of the FPTs. So I could be travelling every day of every week of the whole year if I really wanted to, but we have to prioritize and our duties up here come first. So I attend many meetings and they've done excellent work.
Aboriginal Affairs; of course, Rick Bargery, deputy minister, and all the staff in the department, especially the negotiations who have done excellent, hard work over the last few years that I'm aware of. I'd like to thank them all for their support and working with me. I want to say to them that you're all consummate professionals, and the people of the North are well served by your dedication to your work.
Mr. Speaker, I have always believed that the role of government is to get things done. Right from the beginning as a Minister, I told my staff I want to get things done. I don't want to talk about it anymore; I think there are places where we discuss and do reviews, but our job is to get things done. Not identify things that should be done or talk about it, but I wanted to get things done. Sometimes it has been very frustrating if we couldn't get things done.
The government is here to effectively provide programs and services. In my travels across the Northwest Territories I am constantly reassured to see our own people striving to deliver services. The regions and communities are the clients we serve and we must never forget that. Although many decisions are made in the capital here in Yellowknife, the intention is to support the delivery of programs and services outside of the capital region. Public works in our regions and communities require our support and encouragement in delivering essential services often in very difficult circumstances. I would like to thank them all again for their dedication and commitment to the jobs that they're doing very well.
In closing, I want to thank once again all the people in Nahendeh for their continued support, advice and encouragement, and their prayers through my 12 years as MLA and the last eight years as a Cabinet Minister in this government.
I really want to thank all the people in Nahendeh, in the North, even in Yellowknife who have been trying to encourage me to run again. But my decision is pretty solid. I think I've done the best I could in the circumstances. I've done 12 years and the only promise I ever made to my constituents is that I will try the best I can. I didn't promise them buildings or anything, I just said I would try the best I can. That's all anybody can do in the circumstances.
When I first agreed to seek this office representing the people of Nahendeh, my family backed me up 100 percent, and they have adjusted their lives over the past 12 years to meet my hectic and often unpredictable schedule. I look forward to spending more time now with my family to keep up with the personal development of my children: Denezeh, Melaw, Sachey and Tumbah and to share the joys of life with my daughter-in-law Heather and my grandson K'a. Our family is now patiently awaiting the birth of Denezeh's and Heather's second child.
Mr. Speaker, I'm confident that we are building a strong future for our children and grandchildren. I encourage the next government to keep in mind who they are serving, and to respect all points of views, to make good things happen, and to not only dress smartly but also comfortably, and most of all you have to be leaders. The people in the North look to us and will look to you to be leaders, to make decisions, and to sometimes make bold decisions that you know have to be right.
I just want to say that it has been a real honour to work with all the past and present Members of this House. We have to keep moving on and forward. I will be watching your progress with interest and it is time for me to return home and spend more time with my family and to visit the places where we should be. Actually, right now we should all be moose hunting or something, but we're here. But that sort of stuff I will be doing next fall.
Nahendeh is a very special place and I look forward to returning home. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause