Because it's the kind of inaction that on this side of the House I don't want to tolerate any more from this government. I'm sending a signal.

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Mr. Speaker, I believe in a good security system for the travelling public in Canada. I believe Northerners are prepared to pay a share of it, but I object to being handed an open-ended invoice with no plan and, therefore, no confidence in how we're going to implement this.

On a more fundamental issue, Mr. Speaker, related to this security business, all legislators must be on guard when independent security agencies can dictate conditions to government. It is a genuine concern, not only for our airport situation, but what is going to be next? All in the name of security? I don't want to treat it with any kind of triviality, Mr. Speaker, but my guard goes up when I'm told to do something by another agency, another level of government. When I don't have a say in how that is done, I think I have a duty to act on behalf of my constituents, and that's what I'm doing today. Cabinet on this one has clearly let us down and this is not acceptable.

Mr. Speaker, we're proud of our consensus system. We hold it up as a model for Canada and the Commonwealth, but it takes hard work and careful attention to make it work. It starts to break down, I believe, when Cabinet exercises its authorities in ways that erode our committee system and in the ability of each MLA to represent the interests of our constituents. I say that Cabinet in this bill has run roughshod over that consensus mandate and has forgotten its duty to act and think on behalf of all the people of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, my opposition today is a signal to the government that I want them to think and act more responsibly and more prudently. We have three years to go in this Assembly and I want the government to change the way it does business with the Members on this side of the House. My opposition is also a message to my constituents, the people of the riding of Great Slave, that I'm taking a strong stand on behalf of their interests. I want them to know that I'm doing what I believe is right in order for us to have a government that we can all have confidence in, that we can trust, and that we can rely on. Mr. Speaker, thank you, and I would like to request a recorded vote on this bill. Thank you.

---Applause