Mahsi, Madam Chair. [Translation] I would also like to thank the commission for doing the report for us, and I know it was very difficult work for them and that’s one of the reasons that we’re sitting here to discuss it today. I know that they’ve travelled to all the communities to meet with the people and they also went in the Behchoko and Whati ridings and they’ve listened to a lot of people and their concerns. How can they get more representation in their area was one of the topics that they had. But today in the Dogrib region, there are a lot of people that are sitting here. They are also concerned. A lot of our Dogrib leaders are in the House because they are concerned about this situation.
Every seven years or more, this issue always comes up, how many representatives are here, are we going to get an extra representation is what our concern is. But we have to think about one issue. When you’re talking about 25 percent, it’s been like that in the past. We have to take note of that 25 percent riding. I know there are a lot of people that have expressed their concerns here. They want to have 21, but they have to have the status quo to go with that. But in the Tlicho region, we have 25 percent. We are far beyond 25 percent representation in our region. I think we are at 39 percent in our region, so that is why the leaders have expressed for another person to represent them.
We know by our communities. We are from small communities. We have small communities. We have many communities that are small but they have to have representation and with the culture and language needs, and we have to remember that. But we have to always look at the people in the region. We have to make sure that they are represented.
I know that some people said that they want 18 or 19. Maybe they will do away with one chair, but Tu Nedhe and Deh Cho, if they are going to be put together, what do they think? What do the people think about it? I know that a lot of people in that area are not happy with that. And they also said Tu Nedhe and Weledeh, they want to put them together, and I know that people in that area don’t like that. They have always had representation in the past, that is known, and then they talk about 21 seats. I think right now 21 seats is more favourable. When you look at it, you have to think about your language, your culture, and you have to take note into all those issues of language and culture.
When they went to the Behchoko area, a lot of people showed up for the meeting. When they went to other northern communities, a lot of the people didn’t show up to the meetings, but in the Behchoko region a lot of people went to the meetings because they are concerned. We’ve been talking about this for a very long time.
We are following our elders’ advice. We always wanted to have an extra representation. In the Monfwi riding there are over 3,000, 39.5 percent, that is the percentage in that riding, but right now, as we have it, we have 25 percent, and it seems like they can get a representation for 25 percent. You have to take a look at that.
When the commission looked at the population, they took into consideration that 25 percent to 39 percent representation. Right now it is 39 percent. What about in the next eight years? It could go up to 50 percent, but it seems like our population is on the rise, but we still don’t have that extra representation.
When you look at the whole situation in our area, it seems like it’s almost the same as Inuvik representation. It’s also like that in Hay River. Our population, when you look at our population, it is the same as those two regions. You have to take a look at that. You have to notice that population, and I know that a lot of people here have made their comments and concerns about it.
Every eight years there are recommendations; yes, we want this representation, or else they’ll say no, we don’t need representation. That is the way it used to be, but now they say we have 19 representatives. Why did we have the commission do this work if we’re not going to have this change? I know that it’s going to take a lot of money if we do have 21 representations, but in our region we have
our own government. We have self-government in our region and we want to work well and go forward ahead with each other, but it seems like we’re not doing that because we’re not having the equal representation. If it stays as 19, it seems like we are not going to have any proper representation.
When you want to look at population, it’s always like you have to know the population. Even though we have over 3,000 people living in that area, some of the southern provinces, a lot of our population are away at school or living down south and they are the ones that come back and that’s how our population will rise again, so a lot of those people talk to me and express their concerns. Those kinds of people that are living down south are not also counted within our riding. When you look at the situation, there’s 25 percent. We should take a really good look at that 25 percent situation. We have to have equal representation and be represented equally, even though we are from other places or from other representation or from small communities. It seems like sometimes they are under-represented and they are not even counted, but we want two representatives in our region but some other people, some other ridings are… I know that if they were in our situation, at 39 percent, they would be asking for extra representation, so that is one of the reasons we are asking for representation as everybody spoke on status quo. I know that the Commissioner said that status quo is not to be, so if we change it little bit now, we change it. After, are we going to be adding one or two or two or three chairs? So, once it’s in the court’s hand, a decision is going to be made.
Right now our elders, leaders, have given me a direction. That is why I am speaking here in front of you. I have always supported 21 seats and that is what I wanted to bring up my concern in the Monfwi area. I know that all the MLAs have also expressed their concerns, so I would just like to express my concerns and say thank you.