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Good morning,

I see a lot of familiar faces in the room this morning. In fact I’ll bet many of you have heard me speak before about the importance of oil and gas development in the North.

I remain committed to the future of this country and of the Northwest Territories, but as I come to the end of my second term as Premier of the Northwest Territories I have to say, my patience is wearing thin.

Premier Bob McLeod and Caroline Cochrane, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment today announced the appointment of Dr. Thomas Weegar as the Associate Deputy Minister of Postsecondary Education for the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT).

Premier Bob McLeod issued the following statement today on events at the Yellowknife South constituency meeting on the evening of February 5, 2019:

“I am disappointed by the events that took place at my constituency meeting last night. These meetings are an important opportunity for me to hear about all priorities and concerns from residents of my riding. The constituency meeting was not meant to be a forum to carry on negotiations that will be taking place in another forum. 

Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome Members back for the continuation of the Third Session of the Legislative Assembly.

We are now into the final months of the 18^th Legislative Assembly, and Ministers and Members have been working hard together to create a better territory for our residents, one in which all people have the support and opportunities they need to be healthy and economically secure, while maintaining their connection to a sustainable and well-managed environment.

The Government of Canada is committed to working together with provinces, territories and Indigenous communities to promote a cleaner, more reliable energy supply in rural and remote communities, reduce pollution in Canada's North and create new opportunities for social and economic development.

Today Premier McLeod issued the following statement on the appointment of the new NWT Senator.

“On behalf of the people of the Northwest Territories I wish to congratulate Ms. Margaret Dawn Anderson on her recent appointment to the Canadian Senate.

"Senator Anderson has extensive experience working in the community justice and governance fields with over 20 years of experience with the Government of the Northwest Territories and most recently with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation.

It is good to be with you here today, and I want to thank Darrell Beaulieu for inviting me to join you at this NWT Indigenous Leaders Economic Forum.

Thank you. I’m pleased to be here with you today to talk about investment and economic development opportunities in the Northwest Territories that I believe are in the national interest.

Today’s discussion is a continuation of the national discussion about the future of the North that I kicked off when I issued my “red alert” in Ottawa a little over a year ago.

At the time, I was very concerned that southern Canada and the federal government were taking the Northwest Territories economy for granted.

Mr. Speaker, the employees of the Government of the Northwest Territories are dedicated to the work that they do and are committed to the success of their communities. Hundreds of employees spend countless hours giving back to their communities through volunteer work during their personal time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this moment to recognize all of the employees who volunteer in their communities. How we take care of one another is what shapes the character of our communities and what makes the North unique and special.

Good morning.  My name is Bob McLeod and I am the Premier of the Northwest Territories. It is great to be back at this forum for the second time. I am pleased to be able to offer some remarks before you dive into the complicated topic of how best to support and fund infrastructure in the North.