Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to everybody in the gallery for being here today. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the residents for their confidence in me. One of my goals both during and prior to the campaign was to listen to the people of the Great Slave riding and the North to learn what issues were important to them. I am now excited to move forward and work with the Members of this House on these very important issues and in the best interests of all people of the Northwest Territories. I’d also like to thank the people who helped me with my campaign for MLA, in particular Jacqueline McKinnon; Trudy Samuel; my sister, Susan Abernethy; my parents, Dick and Loretta Abernethy; Bernie Bauhaus, who was my official agent; and, last but not least, Kathryn Carriere.
I’d also like to acknowledge the other candidates of the Great Slave riding: Mr. Mark Bogan, Chris Hunt, Beaton MacKenzie and Doug Ritchie. They are all very passionate about the NWT and I hope that they continue to be involved in both the community and the North.
In closing, I want to send a message to the new Premier, to the Ministers, to the Speaker and to all Members of the Legislative Assembly: I’m really looking forward to getting to work with all of you and I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work, knowing full well that getting elected was just the beginning. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause