Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First off, it’s often tradition that we thank the mover and the seconder. I think it certainly deserves that in these circumstances. How they came up with the idea of a lobbyist registry I don’t know, but I think it’s a good one and certainly one that deserves exploring.

Just because we wouldn’t use it often doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be important, and just because you wouldn’t use it often doesn’t mean it couldn’t have a large impact. We’ve often heard about how the influences of lobbyists play on big contracts getting opportunities that most folks don’t know. We don’t know if that’s the case here. I’m not implying that’s the case in any way. I’m just saying we have always heard about these things. You see the mess in the United States, Canada and across the world about what lobbyists can and cannot do and you wonder: Will the Northwest Territories ever come to a time where these are the types of problems we will have to face?

I do strongly believe there is a role for lobbyists in the world. Some organizations, both big and small, just don’t have the skills, abilities, time and knowledge of where to take your particular matter. Sometimes matters are so important they know that they’re not the right person to sell it. It’s an idea of importance, great importance, but it’s important that the idea gets out there and gets to the right doorsteps to be heard.

We’ve seen this building and we have to be honest with ourselves that we’ve seen people leave this building and have had unprecedented access with respect to bringing forward ideas and issues, Mr. Speaker. What influence have they had on the

results? We just don’t know and it would be difficult to characterize it other than a question.

Some people still play a role on the future of this government and the future, future governments. Where does that role start? Where does it end? It has been already said, and I fully agree, that transparency and fairness is really what this is all about. In my opinion, honestly, it doesn’t go far enough. I think every Member should be accountable to this particular principle, so I would say even MLAs. No one should be exempt from this. Would it be used often? That shouldn’t be the question. It should be about how it’s used.

I may never be lobbied by a paid lobbyist group but I would be more than willing to come clean if anyone ever asked me. To date, I have not been lobbied by a lobby group that I am aware of at least.

I would rightly put this on the shoulders of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner. Who better to understand these types of issues and conflicts than the present Conflict of Interest Commissioner?

For the facts, honesty, and let’s get this out there, Members cannot receive a gift more than $400 and we must report that. That’s the type of scrutiny that we’re presently under, but that doesn’t preclude how many times we have been invited to particular events to participate. That doesn’t include how many dinners have been bought. There are many gaps in the process of accountability. I believe one further step should be considered when I say things don’t go far enough.

While I welcome what the Premier said and like what he said about if anyone requests a copy of the Ministers’ calendars, it would be provided. I think he said no one, to date, has said that. That’s testament to people’s trust in the government, but at the same time I think sometimes people don’t know about their rights as well. We must find a balanced approach. When I say I don’t think it goes far enough, we should find a way to balance that with Ministers’ schedules and who they meet with to be publicized in a reasonable way; protecting those who are bringing forward proper issues, but recognizing what types of issues there are, how many times they are being brought forward by people and for what reason.

At the end of the day, I don’t know how many lobbyists there are in the Northwest Territories. The Premier has characterized it by saying the number could fit on one hand. I don’t know any of them personally, Mr. Speaker, and if I do they’ve never told me they are paid lobbyists.

I don’t know how many southern lobbyists come to the North to express their opinion and I’d be surprised, if not shocked, to find out if we had any at all.

At the end of the day, I support this initiative and I think it’s a great idea. Just because you don’t use it

often doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be a pillar of the way we do business. We must be responsible in all accounts. This adds transparency and accountability. It’s not asking too much. In this world today, the public demands a higher level of scrutiny than they have ever before and that scrutiny and expectation of accountability will only grow every day going forward. So asking for this type of accountability I don’t think is asking too much. It’s being honest with our constituents on why we are doing particular business. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.