19th Assembly TERRITORIAL LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE Thursday, October 24, 2019 Pages 55 - 104 Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories Members of the Legislative Assembly ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Mr. Frederick Blake Jr. Mr. Kevin O'Reilly (Mackenzie Delta) (Frame Lake) Mr. Rylund Johnson (Yellowknife North) Mr. Ronald Bonnetrouge Ms. Lesa Semmler (Deh Cho) (Inuvik Twin Lakes) Mr. Jackson Lafferty (Monfwi) Ms. Caitlin Cleveland Mr. R.J. Simpson (Kam Lake) (Hay River North) Ms. Frieda Martselos (Thebacha) Ms. Paulie Chinna Mr. Rocky Simpson (Sahtu) (Hay River South) Ms. Katrina Nokleby (Great Slave) Ms. Caroline Cochrane Ms. Diane Thom (Range Lake) (Inuvik Boot Lake) Mr. Steve Norn (Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh) Ms. Julie Green Mr. Shane Thompson (Yellowknife Centre) (Nahendeh) Mr. Jackie Jacobson Ms. Caroline Wawzonek (Nunakput) (Yellowknife South) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Officers Clerk of the Legislative Assembly Mr. Tim Mercer Deputy Clerks Committee Clerks Law Clerks Mr. Glen Rutland Mr. Michael Ball Ms. Sheila MacPherson Ms. Kim Wickens Ms. Cynthia James Ms. Alyssa Holland Ms. Jennifer Franki-Smith __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Box 1320 Yellowknife, Northwest Territories Tel: (867) 767-9010 Fax: (867) 920-4735 Toll-Free: 1-800-661-0784 http://www.assembly.gov.nt.ca Published under the authority of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories TABLE OF CONTENTS CALL TO ORDER ................................................................................................................................................ 55 PRAYER ............................................................................................................................................................... 55 REVIEW AND ADOPTION OF AGENDA ............................................................................................................. 55 OPENING REMARKS BY THE CLERK OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY .................................................... 55 ELECTION OF SPEAKER.................................................................................................................................... 56 Results ........................................................................................................................................................... 56 SPEAKER-ELECT ASSUMES CHAIR OF TERRITORIAL LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE ................................... 56 CONFIRMATION OF PROCESS FOR ELECTION OF PREMIER ....................................................................... 56 ELECTION OF PREMIER..................................................................................................................................... 56 Questions by Members .................................................................................................................................. 56 Voting............................................................................................................................................................. 75 Results ........................................................................................................................................................... 76 CONFIRMATION OF PROCESS FOR ELECTION OF CABINET ....................................................................... 76 ELECTION OF MINISTERS ................................................................................................................................. 76 Nominations ................................................................................................................................................... 36 Candidates' Speeches ................................................................................................................................... 77 Questions by Members .................................................................................................................................. 94 Voting........................................................................................................................................................... 103 Results ......................................................................................................................................................... 103 ADJOURNMENT ................................................................................................................................................ 103 ii October 24, 2019 TERRITORIAL LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE Page 55 YELLOWKNIFE, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES Thursday, October 24, 2019 Members Present Mr. Blake, Mr. Bonnetrouge, Ms. Chinna, Ms. Cleveland, Ms. Cochrane, Ms. Green, Mr. Jacobson, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Lafferty, Ms. Martselos, Ms. Nokleby, Mr. Norn, Mr. O'Reilly, Ms. Semmler, Mr. R.J. Simpson, Mr. Rocky Simpson, Ms. Thom, Mr. Thompson, Ms. Wawzonek Call to Order your agenda, are the guidelines and procedures for the selection of your Speaker, Premier, and Members of the Executive Council. These have CHAIRPERSON (Mr. Mercer): Good morning, been previously agreed-upon and publicized. Members and members of the public. As Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, it is my duty to call this The process for the election of the Speaker will second meeting of the Territorial Leadership begin with self-nominations from the floor. In Committee to order and to preside over the accordance with your agreed-upon procedures, I selection of a Speaker-elect. I would like to you to will ask Members to indicate whether they wish to rise, and I would ask Mr. Norn to please lead us in allow their names to stand for the Speaker's prayer. position. Once Members indicate their interest, each candidate will then be permitted to make a Prayer five-minute speech. The speeches will be made in alphabetical order by surname. Questions to the ---Prayer candidates will not be permitted. Voting will then commence by way of secret ballot. If only one CLERK OF THE HOUSE (Mr. Mercer): Members, nomination is received, that Member shall be before we begin, I would like to take this opportunity acclaimed. Are all members of the committee in to recognize a few former Members who are agreement with this process for the selection of watching our proceedings from the gallery today. I Speaker? would like to welcome Mr. Tom Beaulieu, former Member and former Minister; Mr. Bill Braden, a SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. former Member of the Legislative Assembly; and CLERK OF THE HOUSE (Mr. Mercer): Thank you, Mr. Herb Nakimayak, a former Member of the Members. Once you have chosen your Speaker- Legislative Assembly. Welcome. It is a pleasure to elect, that individual will assume the chair of the have you at our proceedings. Territorial Leadership Committee and will preside ---Applause over your proceedings for the balance of the day. All Members have a copy of the agenda in front of With regard to some technical matters, Members them. should be aware that you are not required to turn on your microphones. This will be done automatically for you. Review and Adoption of Agenda Also, in front of Members and built into your desks The next item on the agenda is the review and are the timing mechanisms. When speeches are adoption of the agenda. Are there any additions or being made, clocks will count down the time deletions from the floor? Seeing none, is the available to you, and you are asked to please be agenda adopted? mindful of the time limits that have been set and agreed to amongst yourselves. I wish to make SOME HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. Members aware that your proceedings today are being broadcast live on the Legislative Assembly CLERK OF THE HOUSE (Mr. Mercer): We're television network, as well as on social media. Our agreed. Thank you, Members. proceedings today are being simultaneously translated into the Tlicho, Chipewyan, South Opening Remarks by the Clerk of the Slavey, North Slavey, Inuvialuktun, Inuktitut, Legislative Assembly French, and Gwich'in languages. I would also like to remind Members that, although this is a less formal This is the second meeting of the Territorial committee than the House itself, Members are Leadership Committee for Members of the 19th please asked to stand while they speak. Legislative Assembly. In front of you, in addition to Page 56 TERRITORIAL LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE October 24, 2019 I understand Mr. Alfred Moses is also in the gallery, Questions by Members former Member and former Minister. Welcome, Mr. Moses. MR. ROCKY SIMPSON: Thank you. Mr. Speaker- elect, Canada has re-elected the Liberal Party to ---Applause again lead our country. With a minority government in place, we may end up with another election fairly Election of Speaker soon. It is therefore important for our government to quickly establish an immediate and effective The next item on the agenda is item 5, election of working relationship with the federal government to Speaker. You have the Speaker selection address issues such as our fiscal position, state of our economy, health, housing, land claims, and guidelines in your packages. As per the guidelines, my first duty is to ask all Members who wish to many more that directly impact the residents of the allow their names to stand for the position of NWT. Speaker to rise in their place. Please do so now. The question that I pose to the candidates is: if Results elected Premier, what do you see as the first and most pressing