Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to say a few thank yous as well. First and foremost I want to thank the constituents of Frame Lake who re-elected me. Merci pour votre confidance; thank you for your confidence that you exhibited in me as your MLA and in the job that I’ve done on your behalf for the last four years.
My thanks to the other two Frame Lake candidates: Mr. Duff Spence and Mr. Bernard LeBlanc. Members of this House are well aware of the sacrifices that must be made by anyone who runs for elected office. We give up our lives for some four to six weeks in August and September. Unsuccessful candidates get no reward for that effort.
I need to thank, as well, all those who assisted me with my campaign. My campaign manager and good friend, Mr. Joe Auge; my official agent, Mr. Don Babey; all of the volunteers who assisted me over the life of the campaign and, in particular, my team of advisors.
When you’re a transplanted Northerner like me, your friends tend to become your family. I have to thank my northern family who were totally supportive of me in my campaign.
Last but not least, I need to thank my own blood family who travelled north to help me out with the both moral and physical support in the last week of the campaign.
An election campaign is a strange animal, an activity unlike any other life experience. It’s a valuable experience, but oh so stressful. It’s also all-consuming. Candidates start the race at full gallop. It’s an unusually hectic pace and we keep that up for a month and then suddenly stop. How normal is that? It’s not normal. NWT residents should show their appreciation of each and every candidate who submits themselves to such an abnormality.
Congratulations to you, Mr. Speaker, to the Premier, and to the Members of the Executive Council who were elected yesterday. As I said yesterday, this 17th Assembly needs to do things differently if we expect to re-engage our constituents and voters. We have four years to produce results. I look forward to working with the Members of this Assembly, working together – as was mentioned many times yesterday – to get some concrete results.
Four years ago on opening day I said, “I look at the Members assembled in this House and I see great opportunity. I think we can do good; I think that we can achieve results; and I think if we work together, it will be for the betterment of the NWT and all of our residents.”
Ms. Bisaro, your time for Member’s statement has expired.
I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted.
The same sentiment applies today. I sure hope that this Assembly will be successful at bettering the lives of our residents.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
