Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The motion that's here before us, over the length of this government, I think at the same time we can't be pulling in favours from the Minister responsible. We have 19 Members in this House and it's our responsibility to bring action items, bring concerns forward to the Legislative Assembly, and over the four years I believe this is one organization and one action plan that we didn't give its due respect and due action to. I know it's at the end of this Legislative Assembly now and we're trying to figure out how to address this issue.
Back in 2012-2013 I had asked questions of the Ministers responsible, made a couple of comments. I'd just like to be as responsible, as well, saying that I didn't follow up on these. I asked questions, where were they, and I could have followed it up in a more timely manner, as well, to stay on top of the Minister.
Of course, this is a big concern and when they ask about why this action plan failed, I think it's the responsibility of the House to stay on top of this and keep the government accountable and transparent to the action plans that we help develop or previous governments developed. But in the motion itself, it does further recognize that the government worked with the Disabilities Council to find the best way to actively move forward with the action plan and we do have a 2008 action plan. I know the NWT Disabilities Council just developed an action plan that has numerous recommendations throughout the report, and as Ms. Bisaro mentioned earlier, there are five main recommendations at the end, but if you read it throughout the report, there are some really good actions and recommendations brought forward as well.
In one of my statements that I had made in 2012, I just want to share with Members that in 2010 Canada ratified the UN Convention's Right for Persons with Disabilities. This is the right of full inclusion for every person. Only through ensuring accessibility in all aspects of a person's life can there be full acceptance and inclusion. This includes the removal of all visible and invisible barriers that restrict access to activities and services. Until this is accomplished, individuals with disabilities will continue to experience a lesser accessibility to housing, education, employment, medical or health, recreational, community, social and required services. Pretty much all concerns that some Members have mentioned already in speaking to this motion.
Persons with disabilities have the right to be treated equally, with dignity and with respect and I think what this motion is calling for is the next step that as we leave this government we make a recommendation to the 18th Assembly and to the government moving into the 18th that they work with what the NWT's disabilities developed, an NWT's Disability Service Project in 2015, and also kind of correlate it with the action plan from 2008.
I'm really glad that Mr. Bromley and Mr. Nadli have brought the motion forward. As I said, it is the responsibility of all Members here to stay on top of the action plans. I know as a government there are a lot of reports and a lot of action plans that get brought before us and I just want to apologize to the NWT Disabilities Council that as Members we didn't stay on top of it, but I think this motion is going to bring forward the discussions that are needed moving forward. I also just want to thank them for developing that report and I do hope that it reflects some of the community concerns as well. I know we have a very active disabilities council in Inuvik and I hope that the report, as I didn't get to read the whole thing, I glimpsed over some of the action items and the recommendations. They look great, but I do hope it reflects what we're seeing in the communities. But as I mentioned, there are a lot of areas where there are barriers that need to be addressed.
I support the motion and hopefully we can start seeing some action going to the 18th Assembly on persons with disabilities and updating that action plan as well as addressing some of the recommendations brought forward to this Assembly. Thank you.