Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, wish to speak in favour of this motion and, Mr. Speaker, I
would like to spend my time talking about not why we need this resource revenue sharing deal but how I think we should get it. Of course, I don't have the million dollar answers there, but perhaps I could add my argument here, Mr. Speaker. Let me just put it on record that I support resource development and the benefits to be gained from that, Mr. Speaker. I have to say that the last time I was in Inuvik, I hadn't been there for a little while and I got to see the new Mackenzie Hotel for the first time, and then we were also in Norman Wells for the Circle of Northern Leaders and I saw the new hotel there. If there was no other indication, I think those two hotels should tell us that the people in the northern valley of the Mackenzie Delta are ready for this. They are optimistic for the pipeline development and all the benefits that can be gained from that.
I think the energy is possible and there is no question, Mr. Speaker, that this Legislature has also spoken twice in favour of resource development projects such as the Mackenzie Valley pipeline. The Assembly spoke in March of 2004 and the motion said we support Mackenzie Valley pipeline development, although we did speak to the fact that the support was conditional and that we wanted to have the benefits of that.
Just to make it clear, this House passed another motion in October of 2004, almost to the day, Mr. Speaker. It was October 21, 2004. The motion read that the Legislative Assembly urges the federal government to negotiate a fair resource revenue sharing agreement that provides northern governments with an equitable share of royalties from our hydrocarbons and minerals as essential to ensuring the people of the Northwest Territories are the primary beneficiaries of the development of our resources.
So, Mr. Speaker, the Legislature has spoken very clearly that we do support resource development projects, but we do want to benefit from that and the only way we can see that can happen is by achieving some sort of deal on resource revenue sharing, Mr. Speaker, and it is quite frustrating to see that two years later to the latest motion, we are here passing another motion saying almost the same thing and really not getting that much further ahead.
Mr. Speaker, I know the Premier indicated earlier today that we're a little close to the deal before, and I have no idea. I've asked questions in the last week for the evidence of that. Maybe we are one foot closer, I don't know, 100 metres closer. But if our distance is in fact from here to the moon, I'm not sure if being one foot closer is really getting us anywhere.
Mr. Speaker, I like to think that I am an optimistic person, especially when we are talking about politics of possibilities. I know people often say how could you be in politics. Politics is not always seen in the best light, and I'm not going to the politician thing, but I have to tell you I believe, I honestly believe in politics and the possibilities of politics, especially when you think about a group of like-minded people coming together and really working honestly and earnestly to resolve something and reach a deal that would benefit the people that they represent. I mean those people don't even have to be like minded. You could be coming from all sorts of different directions with different self-interests, and self-interests aren't a bad thing either. But I believe in the possibility of politics. I believe in the possibility of working together and working out differences. But in this instance, Mr. Speaker, I have to say this motion is saying that we need to do something different.
We have six months left, or maybe I shouldn't shorten that, we have maybe 11 months left. But to do real work, we are desperate. We really need to do something to make sure that we do reach a deal that will give us benefit for the pipeline.
Mr. Speaker, one thing that I noticed in listening to the debates going back and forth, and something that a lot of people know about, and that is that when you have a situation where you're not getting to where you want to get to or you're not seeing the results, the first thing I think we need to accept is that we have a problem. A lot of times people don't like politicians and politics because everybody wants to spin their stories and they always want to put the best possible light to a really bad situation, and nobody wants to take responsibility. I heard a lot of that today, Mr. Speaker, and let me tell you I want to be the first one to say that I am willing to accept any responsibility there is for me to share in my little role. I'm not the biggest player in the Northwest Territories, but I'm telling you we are all responsible. Not just in this Legislature as 19 Members, and there are some here with bigger hats and more important seats. I think it's about time that we all kind of look at each other and say you know what, whatever we're doing is not working and we're failing our people, and I don't hear that. We hear people who have addictions problems. Everybody tells you you're not going to change anything and improve on anything unless you realize that you have a problem. You have to admit it, find a way to change it, try to get help where you're needed. At least look at your records. I don't see that, Mr. Speaker, and I say that to all the leaders in the Territories. I think Mr. McLeod from Inuvik Twin Lakes wanted to send that challenge.
I'm going to tell you thing, Mr. Speaker, the Premier said earlier that this is the most important file, he's had thousands of meetings, probably millions of miles, but none of that really matters, Mr. Speaker. Government has come and gone, but the Premier has been in place for three years, we've been in place for three years, it's really time that somebody take responsibility for lack of progress.
Mr. Speaker, I want to say that I've done by share of bashing the federal government, because we are an entity or we are an arm of DIAND legislation.