Debates of February 2, 2006 (day 21)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my Member’s statement is financing our own home. Mr. Speaker, they’re saying that what is mine is mine and what is yours is mine. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to draw some parallels between somebody trying to finance their own household and this government trying to manage its own castle.

Mr. Speaker, now suppose that we live in one side of town and we have a whole bunch of hidden treasures in our home, and on the other side of town you have a wealthy uncle with a much bigger house, possibly a palace on the other side of town. However, you’re in one community. But this uncle thinks that you don’t know how to look after all that treasure, so he wants to help you out, sort of get you on your feet and assist you as you get on with life until you mature. But the catch is that this uncle wants you to trust him and allow him to manage your own affairs; manage your own treasures. He gives you a modest salary, just enough to cover what he figures your expenses should be. The amount will change from paycheque to paycheque. So you wouldn’t know in advance what you are getting, but you are trying to plan the best you can to manage your life. At the same time, he sells off your treasures for you and keeps the money. He also lets you know that whoever he sells them to can come into your house and pick them up whenever they want. Sometimes they come in quietly and sometimes they come in very noisily. They also disturb your whole family. Maybe even sometimes they damage your house by ripping out some of the things from the wall or breaking things. Over time, the treasure gradually disappears and you have to wonder where would your rich uncle be on the day you have nothing left.

Mr. Speaker, to me, the home is our land full of treasures, irreplaceable resources. The federal government is the rich uncle who gives us a modest salary. This year we are expecting $750 million in grants from the government. We don’t know how much the next paycheque will be because we are still negotiating a new fiscal arrangement. We don’t know yet how much the federal government made off our treasures in 2005. However, in 2004, they took $270 million. That is just from the Norman Wells, a bit of gas reduction in the South and maybe some diamonds. Imagine how much the pipeline and more diamonds will be.

Mr. Speaker, we, in the Northwest Territories, want to become a have territory. We want to pay our own way, live within our own means, and earn Canadian respect.

Mr. Yakeleya, your time for Member’s statement has expired.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my Member’s statement.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Yakeleya.

…earn Canadian respect as full and equal partners in Confederation, but the poor homeowners whose treasures are sold out from under them are forced to live from paycheque to paycheque and watch our resources disappear. We have little but any say in how much is sold at what price and under what condition.

Mr. Speaker, there is hope. A new guy has arrived in town -- president-elect Steven Harper and the Conservative government. Hopefully, they will be willing to listen and finally give the Northwest Territories the authority to manage our household responsibilities for future generations. I encourage the Premier and his Cabinet to put all their efforts to get the new federal government onside and finally get a fair share of the resource revenue sharing and devolution by territories. Mahsi.

---Applause