For at least the second time in the past year, NWT Speaker Shane Thompson has told fellow MLAs to do better.
In brief remarks to introduce the legislature’s fall sitting on Thursday, Thompson said he was “deeply concerned by the divided and partisan speeches that have become all too common in our communities and our legislators.”
“This is a time when leaders need to be working together for the good of all people. However, we seem to be moving further apart,” he told MLAs.
Reading from the guiding principles of the NWT’s consensus government – which has no political parties but 19 individual politicians, who choose a premier and cabinet from among their number – Thompson urged MLAs: “We can do better.”
“I am asking you to show respect for one another, for this institution and for the people who elected us by choosing your words carefully and thoughtfully,” he said.
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“This is a time when we need to come together, not grow further apart. Committing to these guiding principles is one way we can come together and work efficiently for our people.”
Thompson made a similar appeal to MLAs in March, amid a flurry of complaints from some MLAs about others.
The sitting that began on Thursday lasts for 10 days.
In his own statement, Premier RJ Simpson welcomed MLAs back to the chamber with a rundown of the GNWT’s status entering the second half of his government’s four-year term.
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Simpson emphasized partnerships with other levels of government, using the word “partner” or a related word 11 times in the course of his speech. He highlighted more joint advocacy in Ottawa, more housing, and development of an economy “at a turning point” as priorities for the two years ahead.
“The next step is to translate collaboration into concrete results: advancing joint proposals with Indigenous governments, securing federal support for housing and climate-resilient infrastructure, and moving forward on the strategic, nation-building projects that will shape Canada’s future,” the premier said.
He described his government as having made “steady progress” to date.
“We will keep building homes, strengthening community infrastructure, and improving emergency management,” Simpson said.
“We will keep working to ensure that every resident has access to quality healthcare, that our youth have opportunities to learn and grow, and that our economy remains strong and sustainable.”
