Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the mover of this motion to expel the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh from the Legislative Assembly. I do not move this motion lightly. Expulsion is the most serious sanction this Assembly can impose to discipline a Member. In this case, it is the only appropriate sanction for the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh who has been found to have been committed a grievous breach of our code of conduct and who has breached the privileges of other Members and of the Legislative Assembly as a whole.
This misconduct is not limited to a single incident. As I described in my November 22nd, 2021 point of privilege, the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh has engaged in a pattern of intimidating, threatening and insulting behaviour directed at Members and staff of the Assembly, as well as at the sole adjudicator and others involved in the inquiry into the Members breaches of the code of conduct.
The Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh has also been found, after a lengthy public hearing in which he was represented by legal counsel, to have committed a serious breach of the code of conduct by leaving his place of isolation before the end of the period set out by the Chief Public Health Officer and by misleading the public about these actions. These findings, and the evidence that supports them, are set out in great detail in the sole adjudicator's report which was tabled in this House on November 22nd, 2021. These many incidents must be understood as a pattern of toxic behaviour. The theme connected to these incidents is a profound disdain and disregard for the rule of law for Members and staff of the Legislative Assembly and for the institutions by which we govern ourselves in the Northwest Territories.
The sole adjudicator's report contains many examples of the Member's disdain for the rules we must all follow. They extend far beyond specific allegations that gave rise to the code of conduct complaint. They also include unacceptable behaviour during the inquiry itself such as insulting and intimidating participants and attempting to delay and obstruct the inquiry process.
This pattern also extends to the sole adjudicator's findings that the Member committed serious breaches of the code of conduct.
The sole adjudicator found at paragraph 248 of the report that the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh's "actions in misleading the public regarding his compliance with a self-isolation order are unethical and highly inappropriate as they violate the public trust reposed in him".
The sole adjudicator found that the Member knowingly made a number of false and misleading statements including being dishonest with public health officials about his whereabouts during his self-isolation period. Although the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh apologized for attending the legislature when he was required to be self-isolating on April the 17th, 2021, the sole adjudicator found that this was not a real apology as the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh "minimized his actions and failed to take responsibility for the breach."
The sole adjudicator also noted that this apology came for the first time on the second last day of the hearing, leading him to conclude that this apology was made to win sympathy and was not in good faith.
The sole adjudicator found that in breaching the mandatory self-isolation period and misleading the public about his compliance, the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh "has not performed his duties of office in such a manner as to maintain public confidence and trust in his integrity."
This failure of integrity also arises in the incidents that I raised in my point of privilege. These include threats the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh made against Members and Assembly staff in August and October of this year. They also include the Member's misconduct towards those involved in the code of conduct inquiry, including the sole adjudicator himself, by attempting to obstruct and delay the proceedings and insulting and intimidating participants in that process. In each of these incidents, the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh undermined the effectiveness, efficiency, and dignity of our institutions of governance, including the very instruments by which Members hold each other accountable in order to ensure the dignity of our offices and of the Assembly as a whole is maintained.
These incidents continue as recently as last Thursday, November the 18th. The Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh gave a press conference in this very building at which he referred to the inquiry was a colossal waste of time, resources, and taxpayers money. He also stated that he was convinced the result of the inquiry was determined before it even started. The Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh characterized the sole adjudicator's recommendation that his seat be vacant as just a lame attempt to permit other Members to unseat him. This continued attack on the integrity of the inquiry must also be understood as an attack on the code of conduct that the inquiry was tasked with applying. The Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh has engaged in a sustained campaign to undermine the proper adjudication of the code of conduct complaint that triggered this inquiry which was made at the direction of Caucus. It demonstrates that instead of taking responsibility for his actions, the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh prefers to attack the institutions that he perceives as a threat to him.
This has gone on long enough and cannot be tolerated any longer. The only suitable sanction for this behaviour is that the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh be expelled from the Assembly. He has been given opportunities to explain his behaviour, both confidentiality in Caucus meetings and publicly through the inquiry process. The Member of Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh has not taken these opportunities to apologize or explain. Instead, he has continued to use offensive conduct all while minimizing and making excuses for his behaviour.
His behaviour has not changed. And I have not seen any indication that it will change or stop. This behaviour cannot be permitted to continue. It betrays the trust and confidence the public places in all of us and brings the integrity of the Member's office and the Legislative Assembly as a whole into disrepute. It is a very serious breach of privilege and it requires the most serious sanction available to this House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.