This is page numbers 1 - 14 of the Hansard for the 17th Assembly, 1st Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was i'd.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

As we move forward, I look forward to using my experience, my 16 years of experience in this Assembly to back up Regular Members, Cabinet Ministers. I’m looking forward to a term where Regular Members can become even more involved in the roles of the Assembly and we can work together more collaboratively.

I did want to put that explanation on the record today and say that I do appreciate having my voice on this side of the House as well. There are lots of pros and cons to being in the Executive Council. One of the pros to being a Regular Member is that you can stand up in the House and you can express your opinion on behalf of your constituents on any subject and I value that very greatly.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. I’d like to tell the audience in the House, if you could turn your phones off. There’s no cellular service in the House. Moving on. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to congratulate you on your new role in the Assembly. I know you’ll do it justice.

I have a lot of thank yous I’d like to do today and I’d like to start off by thanking my constituents. I had a really good time in September, getting out to re-engage with a number of you and meet the new constituents in the Great Slave riding. I’m honoured to serve on their behalf for the next four years. I appreciate all of their support.

I’d also like to thank my campaign team. In my mind, I had the best campaign team there was. I also had a lot of fantastic volunteers who came out and gave me their time and their energy. We had a smooth running machine that got the job done. Without them I wouldn’t be here today.

I’d also like to thank you, my colleagues. I’d like to thank you for your support yesterday and I look forward to working with each and every one of you over the next four years. I look around this room and I see 19 great individuals who are committed to working in the best interest of the Northwest Territories and all of its people and I’m honoured to be here standing amongst you. I look forward to the next four years. We have a lot of work to get done and I know together we can get it done.

The last group I’d like to thank are my family. My rocks. My mom and dad are in the gallery. Without

them I wouldn’t be here either. Literally. Thank you for that.

They’ve taught me well. They’ve given me the values that I have. They’ve made me the man that I am today. Mom and Dad, I love you and thank you for everything.

I’d also like to thank my wife. She’s my other rock. She’s the love of my life and without her helping me on the campaign team, being there with me every day, I don’t know where I’d be. I’d like to thank her as well.

Thanks to all of you for being with us here today. I look forward to the next four years.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Appreciation To Frame Lake Constituents And Supporters
Members’ Statements

October 26th, 2011

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to say a few thank yous as well. First and foremost I want to thank the constituents of Frame Lake who re-elected me. Merci pour votre confidance; thank you for your confidence that you exhibited in me as your MLA and in the job that I’ve done on your behalf for the last four years.

My thanks to the other two Frame Lake candidates: Mr. Duff Spence and Mr. Bernard LeBlanc. Members of this House are well aware of the sacrifices that must be made by anyone who runs for elected office. We give up our lives for some four to six weeks in August and September. Unsuccessful candidates get no reward for that effort.

I need to thank, as well, all those who assisted me with my campaign. My campaign manager and good friend, Mr. Joe Auge; my official agent, Mr. Don Babey; all of the volunteers who assisted me over the life of the campaign and, in particular, my team of advisors.

When you’re a transplanted Northerner like me, your friends tend to become your family. I have to thank my northern family who were totally supportive of me in my campaign.

Last but not least, I need to thank my own blood family who travelled north to help me out with the both moral and physical support in the last week of the campaign.

An election campaign is a strange animal, an activity unlike any other life experience. It’s a valuable experience, but oh so stressful. It’s also all-consuming. Candidates start the race at full gallop. It’s an unusually hectic pace and we keep that up for a month and then suddenly stop. How normal is that? It’s not normal. NWT residents should show their appreciation of each and every

candidate who submits themselves to such an abnormality.

Congratulations to you, Mr. Speaker, to the Premier, and to the Members of the Executive Council who were elected yesterday. As I said yesterday, this 17th Assembly needs to do things

differently if we expect to re-engage our constituents and voters. We have four years to produce results. I look forward to working with the Members of this Assembly, working together – as was mentioned many times yesterday – to get some concrete results.

Four years ago on opening day I said, “I look at the Members assembled in this House and I see great opportunity. I think we can do good; I think that we can achieve results; and I think if we work together, it will be for the betterment of the NWT and all of our residents.”

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Ms. Bisaro, your time for Member’s statement has expired.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

The same sentiment applies today. I sure hope that this Assembly will be successful at bettering the lives of our residents.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to take this opportunity today to thank the constituents of Kam Lake for all of their support over the past eight years. It certainly remains an honour and a privilege to serve as the MLA for Kam Lake in this House and I’m looking forward to being the MLA for Kam Lake in the 17th Legislative Assembly.

To my family, friends and supporters, I also thank you very much for everything that you have done in helping me get to where I am today.

Also to my colleagues who are here in this House, I want to thank you very much for putting your trust and faith in me, in selecting me to serve this House as a Member of the Executive Council. I will always strive to do my best to serve this House.

We’ve been back here at the Assembly for a couple of weeks now and I also want to take this opportunity to thank the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Tim Mercer, and the very capable and professional team he has assembled here that have helped guide all Members through the orientation sessions.

Also, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to congratulate you on your selection as Premier – or as Speaker of this House. I’m getting ahead of myself. To Mr. Bob McLeod, Premier-elect, congratulations. I look forward to working with everybody over the next four years.

I also wanted to mention that over the next four years it is possible, with the Members that we have assembled here today, to make the Northwest Territories the best that we possibly can by all working together and I look forward to doing just that.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I would like to commend all those who put their names forward for Premier and for Cabinet.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my family and all my campaign workers and supporters and advisors. I was lucky enough to get 100 percent support, as indicated by my colleagues that got acclaimed.

I really want to thank the constituents of Yellowknife South for their support and their encouragement to put my name forward to run for Premier.

I’d like to congratulate you on being chosen to represent us as Speaker.

I want to thank all the Ministers that have been elected to Cabinet. I know we’re going to have a very busy four years.

Once again, I would like to thank all the Members for their support in electing me as Premier. I look forward to working with each of you.

To the people of Fort Providence, I’m looking forward to coming back soon to visit.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.

Robert Bouchard

Robert Bouchard Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise here for the first time as MLA for Hay River North. As you told me on one of the first times I met you, I’d be nervous the first time. I am a little shaky. I’m nervous because it’s an important position.

I’d like to thank the constituents of Hay River and my family and friends. I look forward to working with you all, over the next four years. I know we have

lots of hills to climb, but hopefully we get over them easily. Thank you for your time today.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to begin by offering my congratulations to you, Mr. Speaker, to Premier-elect Bob McLeod, and to all Cabinet-elect Members on their selection to these important leadership positions. These responsibilities are not lightly earned, and the new incumbents bring many skills and considerable experience and knowledge to their jobs. I look forward to working with you.

It is a great honour and privilege to be representing and working on behalf of the people and interests of Weledeh and the Northwest Territories. I thank the voters and pledge my dedication to them.

I also want to express my appreciation to all those who contributed by putting their names forward for election throughout the NWT, with particular mention to Mr. Mark Bogan, who ran in Weledeh.

I am humbled by the amazing support, skills, time and contributions that I received from my campaign team. I recognize that they gave up valuable time from family and personal lives, from fall harvesting season and from their working lives for my campaign. The contributions were many and varied, and many people in community groups and various governments shared their insights and advice.

I would particularly like to thank my family, starting with my wife, Marianne. All other comments combined, I couldn’t do it without you, Marianne. My mother, Barb Bromley, the leader of the Bromley clan, and all of my extended family who’ve had a hard time lately but they’ve been a huge support and offered a lot of encouragement.

I am looking forward to working once again with all Members of this Assembly and being a voice at the table for residents of Weledeh and for all residents of the NWT. I will be seeking renewed commitments to healthy families and healthy communities through new and more effective governance, and I will continue to bring accountability to every part of this work to the degree that I am able.

I want to acknowledge the wonderful performances and the prayer song by the Dettah Drummers and the Weledeh School Choir.

I also want to thank all the previous Members of the 16th Assembly, especially those that aren’t on the

floor of the House with us today; in particular, Premier Roland.

I see I’ve just got a few seconds left. I want to particularly acknowledge my campaign manager, Ann Peters, and many of the volunteers that helped me out once again.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m the MLA for Thebacha and I’ve been here now five times. I can tell you I’ve never been acclaimed.

---Laughter

But I’ve made it through. I’d like to thank the constituents of Thebacha. I have the benefit of working with one of the best campaign manager/constituency assistants in the business: Ms. Denise Yuhas.

I’d, as well, like to congratulate my colleague, the long-serving, long-suffering Member for Hay River South, who has been here for as equally long as I have.

I’d like to, as well, pay my best respects to the outgoing Premier, Premier Roland. He and I have ridden the political trails together for 16 years. He’s going to park his political horse in the barn for a while and head to Inuvik, and I’d like to wish him happy trails and I know that we will be seeing each other in the future.

Mr. Speaker, to you, Premier McLeod, Cabinet Ministers, I wish you all the best and congratulate you. All the Members as well, and, of course, my family. I’d like to thank them as well.

There is one person; when the Bishop made a prayer, and I thought about it, the wisdom of Solomon, definitely the patience of Job and a heart of Mary, my wife.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to use my first of many Member’s statements to recognize three extremely brave individuals from Inuvik. Teddy Angasak, who is only 11 years old, put his life in danger to save his siblings during a recent house fire. His actions demonstrate the courage and the true human spirit at its best. As he is recovering from sustained injuries, I wish him all the best in a speedy recovery.

Constable Todd Glemser and Constable Andrew Aucoin, two RCMP officers who also put their lives at risk in going beyond the call of duty in their rescue attempts.

My condolences to all the families across the Northwest Territories who have lost loved ones. Our hearts and prayers are with you all.

Mr. Speaker, I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank the people of Inuvik and many supporters across the Northwest Territories for having confidence and trust in me and allowing me to represent them in the Legislative Assembly. Special thanks goes to two individuals in particular, and those are my parents, who have had support behind me right from the start. I think they were pretty surprised, too, when I got in here.

---Laughter

Martha and Winston Moses.

As we move forward in the 17th Legislative

Assembly, I look forward to working with all of the leaders across the Northwest Territories, our elected leaders and our leaders at the community level in Inuvik and the Northwest Territories to make the Northwest Territories a healthy, developed and prosperous territory for one and all. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Moses. Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to give a Member’s statement today. First off, I’d like to congratulate you in taking the helm of the Assembly. I look forward to your leadership in the Assembly for the next four years. I’m quite pleased that you’ve assumed this role and I feel I have every confidence in what you’ll be doing for us here in the leadership role.

Mr. Speaker, next I’d like to acknowledge the constituents of Yellowknife Centre, and sincere thanks goes out to them for the opportunity to serve them in this 17th Legislative Assembly. Yellowknife

Centre, in my belief, although I may take exception to the riding of Thebacha, of course, but I believe Yellowknife Centre is one of the toughest ridings to run in in the Northwest Territories. I’ve been successful in three races and I’d like to say that I’d like to acknowledge the hard work always put forward by the competitors. Then, that said, I’d like to acknowledge the work and effort put forth by Arlene Hache, who was my competitor and I’d like to tip my hat to her for running a good campaign.

Mr. Speaker, you can’t run a campaign without friends, volunteers and supporters, and I have a lot of them and I wish I had more than two and a half

minutes to thank each one of them individually, but I don’t. But I’m sure with their respective appreciation, I’d like to focus in on the thanks to my family. In particular my wife, who is my best friend, my partner in any situation here, and without her support and love we could never do this job. I have to acknowledge that a little further by saying that I needed her permission in order to run again, because I can tell you any smart man knows they should talk to their wife before they make a decision of this magnitude before they jump in. Continuing on that vein, my two children, both McKinley and Hudson were quite interesting campaign crusaders. My nine-year-old and my six-year-old were out with me knocking on doors, delivering brochures and they were pretty excited to be part of the process. I should highlight my mother, Terry, and my dad, Kim, for their steadfast support throughout the campaign.

Mr. Speaker, I couldn’t have done that without my wife, as I mentioned, and I want to say that the two of us, when we went door to door, took copious notes on many different issues that were brought forward by the Yellowknife Centre constituents, and just to name a couple: addictions, poverty, Aurora College and, certainly, economic growth were central themes. They weren’t the only ones and there were a lot of things we took notes on that we’ll be carrying forward over the coming days and years.

Lastly, I’d like to say sincere congratulations and luck to those who are now assuming new roles in this Assembly, and I wish to offer them best of luck and certainly my support as they take on these new roles and challenges, and I look forward to working with everyone. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 5, Recognitions of visitors in the gallery.

Colleagues, I’d like to direct your attention to the presence in the visitor’s gallery of the Consul General of Japan, Mr. Susumu Fukuda, accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Fukuda, and the Consul of the Economic Section, Ms. Sugiuyama. Welcome.

---Applause

At this time I’d like to recognize Lieutenant-Colonel Keith MacNeil, Joint Task Force North, and Chief Superintendent Wade Blake with the RCMP “G” Division. Welcome.

---Applause

I’d also like to recognize the Premier of the Northwest Territories and former Member of Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Floyd Roland.

---Applause

Former Member for North Slave, Mr. Henry Zoe.

---Applause

The Languages Commissioner for the NWT, Ms. Sarah Jerome. Welcome.

---Applause

Chief Electoral Officer, Mr. David Brock. Welcome to the House.

---Applause

I’d like to recognize my CA in from my home community of Tuk, Ms. Donna Bernhardt.

---Applause

And my two sons, Matthew and Mitchell. Welcome to the House.

---Applause

And my good friend and colleague who we work hand in hand, the mayor of Tuktoyaktuk, Mr. Mervin Gruben. Welcome to the House.

---Applause

I see another family relative, Mr. Charles Klengenburg. Welcome to the House.

---Applause

Mr. Hans Lennie and his wife. Welcome to the House.

---Applause

The Inuvik Dancers.

---Applause

I’m kind of nervous, so if I miss anyone, I’m very sorry. But, everybody, welcome to the House and to the Chamber. I hope you’re all enjoying our proceedings. It’s always nice to have an audience here.

---Applause

Sorry, one more, my good friend, Ms. Cece McCauley. Welcome to the House, Cece.

---Applause

Mr. Bob McLeod.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize constituents from Yellowknife South, Peter Vician, Don Gillis, Morven MacPherson. I can’t see everybody here, so I hope I don’t miss anybody. I see Allen Stanzell as well. I know he’ll phone me and give me heck if I don’t recognize him, so I’d like to recognize Mr. Hockey, Ed Jeske.

---Applause

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Hawkins.