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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.

Le premier ministre Bob McLeod et la ministre de l’Éducation, de la Culture et de la Formation Caroline Cochrane ont annoncé aujourd’hui la nomination de M. Thomas Weegar au poste de sous-ministre associé responsable de l’éducation postsecondaire pour le gouvernement des Territoires du Nord‑Ouest (GTNO).

Le premier ministre Bob McLeod a publié aujourd’hui la déclaration suivante en réaction aux événements de la réunion de circonscription de Yellowknife Sud le soir du 5 février 2019 :

« Je suis déçu de ce qui s’est produit lors de ma réunion de circonscription hier soir. Les réunions comme celle-là sont l’occasion pour mes électeurs de faire entendre leurs priorités et leurs préoccupations. Il ne s’agit pas d’une tribune où mener des négociations qui ont leur place ailleurs.

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.

Le premier ministre McLeod a fait aujourd’hui la déclaration suivante sur la nomination de la sénatrice des Territoires du Nord‑Ouest (TNO) :

« Au nom des Ténois, je tiens à féliciter M^me Margaret Dawn Anderson pour sa nomination au Sénat.

« Forte de plus de 20 ans d’expérience au sein du gouvernement des Territoires du Nord-Ouest, la sénatrice Anderson cumule une longue expérience dans les domaines de la justice et de la gouvernance communautaires. Juste avant sa nomination, elle œuvrait à la Société régionale inuvialuite.

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.