Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, December 15, 2003, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for North Slave, that the following Members be appointed to the Board of Management of this Assembly: The Honourable David Krutko, Member for Mackenzie Delta; the Honourable Brendan Bell, Member for Yellowknife South; Mr. David Ramsay, Member for Kam Lake; Mr. Kevin Menicoche, Member for Nahendeh; and, Mr. Calvin Pokiak, Member for Nunakput;

And further, that the following Members be appointed to the Board of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Although some of them have been recognized, I am still going to mention them again. Bishop Sperry, a constituent of mine who was here earlier. I am not sure if he is up there. Commissioner Glenna Hansen; chief superintendent and his wife; soon to be former constituent, former Clerk David Hamilton. I would like to recognize Reverend Flumerfelt -- I just saw him earlier -- Didier Bourgois, my neighbour; Esther Braden, a constituent. She snuck off there I believe. Dr. Judith Knapp, Jennifer Marchant and Audrey Zoe and my eyes aren’t so good, so I am sorry if I missed...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As this is my first statement, I may appear nervous. In my political history whenever I saw a crowd this large it always made me nervous, so I'm very nervous today. I must say that upfront.

Mr. Speaker, may I congratulate you, as well as our new Premier-elect, on your positions as well as your acclamations to your positions. You are both going to be our shepherds into our new future. It's going to be a unique journey, and we will be looking to you both to teach us and carry us forward.

To Mr. Handley -- Premier Handley, I should say -- I would like to bring echoes of...

May I thank all of my colleagues. Mr. Speaker, I believe we can all work together in this success and build a great North that we can all be proud of.

Mr. Speaker, I grew up in Fort Simpson. I've danced in the friendship circle. I came to high school here in Yellowknife and I lived at Akaitcho Hall. I've been a Yellowknife city councillor and now I have a great source of pride being able to say I’m a father, a husband and now an MLA for Yellowknife Centre. My dreams are coming true and I believe I have many years of my journey still to continue, but I thank the many people who have helped...