Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Throughout the course of the 14th and 15th Legislative Assemblies, the Legislative Assembly and Cabinet have been working diligently on devolution, resource revenue sharing and new fiscal arrangements with the federal government. This has been an exhaustive exercise and could be classified as futile in effort.

On many occasions, we have heard the Premier make public statements to this effect. In a quote from the National Post on February 2nd he states, “This thing has been going on far too long. From a territorial and constituency perspective, I don’t believe anyone in the NWT would disagree with that fact…”

Mr. Speaker, I’m not going to criticize the efforts of this government, rather, I would like to offer encouragement to take a more ambitious approach to achieving province-like powers, with the ultimate goal of achieving provincehood. Mr. Speaker, in speaking clearly on defining a process for dealing with issues related to the idea of achieving provincehood, we have to take a look at history. A history lesson happened only 100 short years ago south of our border, to Saskatchewan and Alberta who became provinces in 1905.

Excerpts taken from their entry into provincehood are very similar to ours in this modern day. If I can quote these similarities, Mr. Speaker, they are as follows:

“For a government which possesses almost all the powers and responsibilities of a province in its own right, but which did not have the financial resources to act, the situation began to become difficult. The territories could not borrow money, could not obtain revenues from public lands, as an example.”

Final quote, Mr. Speaker:

“It seems that only granting of provincial status would fulfill the politicians’ request.”

Mr. Speaker, I did not include the full text, but the essence of my message to the 15th Assembly today is to move towards provincehood since we are a responsible government. Mr. Speaker, what we need to do is request the Premier develop a bill of intent which would outline the steps that would be taken to secure support for province formation and include a draft of a bill for federal legislation so that it would not be found ultra vires outside of territorial jurisdiction.

Mr. Speaker, we, as a territory, have experienced the very same constitutional problems that Alberta and Saskatchewan experienced out of the Northwest Territories Act, 1875. My constituents in Inuvik Twin Lakes now seek a full commitment from this Assembly to begin the process of achieving provincehood and we see this as a good way to start. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause