Mr. Speaker, Members of the Assembly, I have waited over a year to say my piece. Now, there are a couple of roads I can take here to set the record straight for some of the information shared, some of the discussion that has
taken place behind closed doors, some of the things that the people of the Northwest Territories do not see, how things are reported in the media. The grand kickoff of this by CBC is one thing. I could go down that path. Mr. Speaker, one of the things I have held onto is trying to maintain a level of approach that this institution does deserve.
Now, I know this whole scenario is about a decision that I made regarding my personal life and it did have an impact on this Legislative Assembly. As Members of the Legislative Assembly and one of the longest serving -- there are four of us here -- and the longest-serving Members have much experience through every Assembly with, unfortunately, something of this nature when it comes to the conflict process.
I have listened to Members. Some have come and talked to me. I have heard from many people of the Territories who’ve said many things to me regarding the whole scenario. I must say right now, I must send out thanks to all of those who phoned me, spoke to me in person and told me that we need to get on with business; that this level of debate shouldn’t have happened, shouldn’t occur in this Assembly.
The fact is we are here. The fact is I made a call on my life that affected my family that, because of my position, that decision affected to a much higher degree than it would have been if I had of remained as a mechanic in Inuvik twenty-some, 14-some years ago.
How many people of this Legislative Assembly, even the ones who have served as long as I have, know a great deal about me besides the political life we have together in?
So, yes, Mr. Speaker, we went through a process. I made a decision that impacted my life, it impacted this Assembly. I know it’s impacted Members, as well, to the point where I was called to speak to Members of this Assembly in a forum that is usually allowed for Members to air this type of discussion, to be weighed and measured to a certain degree. I believe I was weighed and measured. Members may not like the decision I made and the impacts it had and, believe me, Mr. Speaker, in hindsight, I would advise anybody else don’t go down the path I have gone down. At the same time, I would have to say a matter of the heart is one that takes over all other matters at times.
As Mr. Hughes has put in his report to this Assembly, I made an error of judgment made in good faith because I chose to notify a family that I had started and was in for 20 years over Members of this Legislative Assembly. That is not taken lightly. Let’s not forget that it was I who came forward to say this was happening. It was not discovered by anybody else. I came forward after I informed my wife and children.
We have gone down a path that will mark the record books forever, unfortunately. In a question during this process, a question was asked of one of the witnesses. What did they think that Mr. Roland gained from this? And there was a bit of a smirk and a chuckle; I don’t think he gained anything. In fact, by my choice, I caused pain to those I care most deeply about, because I made a choice. I caused pain to others that I started to look at a new life with. There is enough pain in that decision alone than to have it elevated to the national scene.
Mr. Speaker, as we went through this process, I was not sure of the outcome, but I went to the Members as I notified the appropriate people and this process started off and Members gave me the opportunity to speak to them in Caucus that I felt even though Members were not happy with my personal decision, they felt that they could get on with the work that we needed to do as a Legislative Assembly. Then it culminated into the motion of non-confidence, another time we are weighed and measured. And now we are to this stage.
I accept that everybody needs to say what they need to say, so that they can put out there why they felt this had to happen. Some would like to put words into my mouth about how I should take the next steps. I will never satisfy every Member in this Assembly. I don’t think any of us can say we can stand up here and say we will satisfy every Member of the Legislative Assembly. But I am sincerely sorry that a decision I made has left a mark on my family, on this institution and my relationship with the Members of this Legislative Assembly. I know the professional people that are in place that have upheld their end, the Conflict of Interest Commissioner, a difficult task that is, the adjudicator, the job he did. We have come to this point and I have waited for months, still getting on with the work we needed to do to see where this would go.
We are now faced with this report and it says, yes, that I did breach section 75(a) but it was also dismissed. Would I make that same decision again? The decision would have come sooner. Would that stop some of this process? I can’t say that for sure.
We have had a very adversarial process in this Assembly, but I am hoping, by getting to this point, that we will be able to move on for the interest of the people of the Northwest Territories, that we will be able to put them first and not ourselves first, and to the people of the Northwest Territories, I apologize because I made a decision for myself first. But I also know that many people in the Northwest Territories would say sometimes you have to take care of yourself. I have been told by all others that I didn’t handle this in the best way, but this is no business for the Legislative Assembly.
I don’t know what tomorrow brings, Mr. Speaker. I just know that I have counted on the support of Members of this Assembly, the majority of Members, and we all have to do that as a Cabinet, for the initiatives, for what we do. I am not asking Members to agree with my choice I made in my life.
Again, I do apologize that my choices caused such harm to the people and to the relationship I have with Members, but I also know there are enough Members who believe in what we have the possibility in the Northwest Territories that we can work together and move forward, get over this.
There is so much more that we could be doing. One wrong followed by another wrong doesn’t make a right. There are many people who would say my choice in timing was not a good choice. I have still a longer journey to go through with my own family.
I accept the report. It stated the facts. In hindsight, as I told the adjudicator, I should have come sooner. But let’s not forget that I did come forward. Nobody told me I had to. I believed at that time that was the time; now, in hindsight, yes, sooner.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I hope that once we vote on this, we can go forward and focus on the business of the Legislative Assembly and the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.