Thank you for recognizing me, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, when I think of this, it's about making tracks again. I stress the word "again" because I was reading one of Marleau and Montpetit's books, and I was perusing one of the pages, and in 1881 the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly was fully elected. If you really wonder what that means out there, that's what Mr. Menicoche was referring to: 125 years ago we were a government. We were a big region, but that government was dissolved and in 1905 the Northwest Territories was elected. It was dissolved and it was replaced by an appointed council. But it wasn't until 1975 that we then
proceeded forward and became a Legislative Council and then proceeded again to be known as the Legislative Assembly in 1976.
The reason I'm saying this is because there was a Premier of the Northwest Territories many years ago. His name was Premier Haultain and his phenomenon, at the day before the creation of Saskatchewan and Alberta in 1905, his fundamental principal belief for western Canada was to think big. It's time we made tracks again and it's time that we think big. We shouldn't be selling ourselves short on what we do in Canada. I think we can prove that over and over again. I think it's time we take our rightful place.
When I watch television and I see people like David Peterson, who is a former Premier in Canada from Ontario, and he questions the ability of the Northwest Territories for being a full participant at the table, a full partner in Canada, it really bothers me. Because he even questions the right for P.E.I. to be involved at that level. So I really wonder if we're thinking big enough. Canada recognizes us only when it's called to their attention that we've gotten up from the kid's table, for goodness sake. I'm tired of that type of attitude that they have in Ottawa about this.
There has been endless discussion about moving Indian and Northern Affairs jobs to the Northwest Territories, at least being governed on the ground in the Northwest Territories by our colonial department called DIAND. But their refusal to do that is still there. I think the Government of Canada is completely out of touch with the Northwest Territories, as well as the Yukon government and the Nunavut government. At least this Northern Strategy, if I may say, is starting to think big, as I've said earlier.
Madam Chair, I'm really looking forward personally, as well as other Members are, to NWT Day in Ottawa. I had my sandwich bag packed, as I've told the Premier I would. I'm serious, we need to go in with a big bang and let them know that we're very serious. I can appreciate we've got a Member in Parliament who's going to try and open up the doors for us to talk to the right people. I appreciate that the Premier has been talking to the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs about the right timing but, again, we have to ensure we think big and respect is drawn to the attention of our needs.
I have to express my concern, though, by continually being linked at the hip with the other two territories. The Northwest Territories, as everyone knows in Canada, is such a net producer. We're trying hard, we're going forward, I think we're a progressive area. Yet we're being held back in conjunction with the other two territories and I think what we're being told is just because you can win the race, you can't run ahead of the others. So I'm concerned that we're being held back from our potential. With thinkers like David Peterson and who else knows who is out there who wants to hold us back, I'm not even sure. I honestly cannot fathom a reason why the Government of Canada does not have respect for our Legislative Assembly to put us on a level playing field at the full table of discussion on any matter. Madam Chair, they still call our Premier a Government Leader.
Now there are a lot of inroads that have been made by many governments that have come before this Assembly and I think we're starting to get that attention. But this government needs to get the acknowledgement I think it deserves. Someday they will change that NWT legislation and call our Premier a Premier, rather than referring to him as the Government Leader, as I've seen in the correspondence from the Prime Minister's office.
As far as negotiations go, I see the vision here and I really can't say much about it. I can support it, absolutely. I mean, everything here is something that I want and I'm sure it's something everyone around this room wants. It's still about independence and taking control and governing the people that we're elected for. I'm still concerned about the fact that we should be in a situation here where we're kept at bay, when eventually, back in 1881 when we were a Legislative Assembly fully elected back in those days, it's like our powers and responsibilities were dissolved forever. I honestly cannot come up with a reason for why we are being held back and, like I said earlier, at bay.
The Premier has told us himself that to deal with the Government of Canada we had to deal with Finance Canada on one side and Indian and Northern Affairs on the other and get the attention of everybody. I really wish the Prime Minister himself would take this file and say, okay, if we're going to deal with the Territories finally, let's deal with them with one lead Minister only, where one lead Minister can deal with all related items. If it's Finance, it doesn't matter; if it's Indian and Northern Affairs, it doesn't matter to me. But I think to be progressive, we need to again think big.
Madam Chair, I don't really have much more to add other than the fact that I'm an advocate for bold moves because bold moves are important. I want to recognize, other than obviously the flag lowering of Newfoundland's Premier, but Danny Williams I really think was thinking big. He stood his ground, he pled his case and told Canada that Newfoundland needed a better deal. It's being held back from its rightful place.
I think our Premier -- and I would give him my support -- if he needed to think big along those lines to get out there and beat the drums and say we're thinking big, we're here, we're loud and we need to be treated with respect. So whatever the Premier needs from me, I am more than willing to support that. Again, we have to think big. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That's all I have to say right now. I may come back later, but at this time that's all. Thank you.
---Applause