Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, have given a considerable amount of thought to this issue, as Members have stated here. It's a difficult one to deal with. It could be so easy to ignore this whole circumstance and not say anything. However, over the weekend, I have had some discussions with my constituents. I have had some calls and e-mails. I have really done some soul searching on this issue. Again, I say it's difficult because it forces us to do a number of things. First if all, it forces us to look internally at our own conduct, look at the circle of friends that we associate with, places we go to and what type of person we are and what type of character we present.
I guess the hardest thing for me is to stand up here and be judge and jury of one of my peers, one of my colleagues. However, when you enter this forum and this level of politics, there is no other place to go for somebody to pass judgment. That judgment has to be made by ourselves.
I want to be clear that I am not condoning or defending Mr. Zoe's actions, but I believe everyone makes mistakes and they can learn by their mistakes. In this case, Mr. Zoe has taken ownership of those actions. He has publicly apologized. He has publicly stood up and asked for forgiveness, and he has also stated that he will take necessary action to turn his life around. That doesn't seem to be enough for many people in this House. Many of us come from similar backgrounds. Many of us come from small communities. Many of us went through the hostel life like Mr. Zoe. All of us have worked hard to get an education. We get a college education and like everyone here, we want to develop a better life for our children and our families. Mr. Zoe was also fortunate to be elected as Minister for the 15th Assembly. However, he also had to move to a larger centre and deal with bigger issues and take on a huge responsibility that comes with being a Minister, the stress level and a real sharp learning curve.
My observation of this whole issue has been that Mr. Zoe, right from the outset of this issue coming forward, has done everything that we've asked him to. We've asked him to come forward and admit that he's made a mistake. We've asked him to apologize. He's done all those things. He's also accepted responsibility for everything that happened. While I support the Premier and Cabinet in terms of their decision to remove Mr. Zoe's portfolio until we can decide what Mr. Zoe's future is going to be, I don't support this motion of non-confidence. I have watched Mr. Zoe. He has worked hard to be a good Minister. He's dedicated. He's sincere. Those qualities can't be ignored. In this House, to all of us, we have programs, we have support systems for people who have drug problems, alcohol problems, family problems, stress, but I don't see that kicking in and working in this case. In fact, I have to ask the question when do those programs kick in, when you hit rock bottom or when you make a mistake?
I am going on five years as a Member of this House and I have never seen those programs come forward to assist anybody that I know of anyway. I am not familiar with anybody who has taken advantage of them. Why do we have them? Is it just window dressing? I am not sure. It's not working in this case.
I believe given the opportunity, Mr. Zoe can clean up problems in his life, some of the things that are affecting his conduct, and he can come back to be a very productive and responsible Minister given the chance. He's also a leader in his own constituency and in the Dogrib nation, and he also has a lot to offer, which we may not see. I am totally convinced if we pass a vote of non-confidence here today that we will be ending Mr. Zoe's career in the public eye.
I kind of wonder why we are not supporting him, why we asked him to do a number of things, and he's done it, and I kind of ask myself, and people have asked me whether he did the right thing by coming forward and being open and being honest and admit that he had done something wrong. Would he have been better off to hire a lawyer and surround himself by advisors, dig in his heals and deny everything that's happened? I don't know. Maybe that's the way to go in this modern day society, is not to admit to anything. I am just wondering what kind of message we are sending out there. I think everybody across the Territories knows by now, it has been in the media what happened with Mr. Zoe at the Legion. I have also heard it on the national news. So it is right across Canada. Some people have decided that we should make an example of Mr. Zoe, and I agree, but I think we should make an example and make it a positive one.
We have to allow people to deal with their personal issues, and come back and take their rightful place in society. I am going to admit -- I'll be honest -- I don't know all the details of what happened that night at the Legion, and I may never know, but I do know that the Legion has publicly stated that they accept his apology. I do know that the elders of the Dogrib nation and the leaders have already stated that they will work with Mr. Zoe in trying to develop a path for him to come and recover, and heal. I do know that his family is standing beside him, and I also believe, and I am sure that all the people that he has offended and embarrassed will also find it in their hearts to forgive him once he has turned his lifestyle around.
Mr. Speaker, this vote is about non-confidence. I can't say I've lost confidence in Mr. Zoe, but I can say Mr. Zoe needs some professional assistance. He needs the help of those people, those elders.
I know he has already paid a huge price. This is one lesson he will never forget. So I want all of us -- and I mean all of us in this House -- to give him a second chance to become healthy, and to prove to us that he is still a worthy candidate to be a Cabinet Minister.
Mr. Speaker, voting yes would have been so simple for me to just agree that we've lost confidence. The difficult choice was to stand up and say that I'm willing to put faith in a fellow colleague, and one that's made a serious mistake, but give him a second chance. That was a whole lot harder, and a whole lot more challenging. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.