Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today this Assembly placed a vote of confidence in me by electing me to a seat on the Executive Council. I truly am grateful for that, and I’m humbled by that. I will do my utmost to carry on the good work of the Regular Members and the Members of this House.
I want to use what is possibly my last statement as a Regular Member to assure my constituents back in Inuvik Twin Lakes that I will continue to press their issues while I’m down here. One thing I have noticed over the last couple of years I have been here is that a lot of issues that Members on this side of the House bring up are common to all communities across the Northwest Territories. The issues that are common will continue to be brought up by Regular Members. I will continue to and I commit to work with constituents in dealing with all the constituency issues that come forward. I just want to use this opportunity to let them know that I am always available. I will continue to fight for the constituents of Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Again, colleagues, I thank you for your vote of confidence today. I go back to the Member’s Conduct Guidelines that we all signed, and I take that quite seriously. I know we have discussions here on “this side, that side,” “we, they” and “us, them.” I said this morning that I believe in the principles of consensus government. I think we have to look at it sometimes as “we” instead of so much as “us” and “them.” I think we should work towards that.
The Member’s Conduct Guidelines that I always point back to has a statement in there that says, “To my colleagues, I owe fairness and respect for our differences and the duty to work together with goodwill for the common good.” I truly believe in that. I think that as an Assembly, even though we do have our differences, we try to work towards the common good of people in the Northwest Territories. I will continue to do that no matter what side of the House I sit on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.
