SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - In a tearful response to the release of adjudicator Ted Hughes' report on Premier Floyd Roland's conflict of interest inquiry, Hay River South MLA Jane Groenewegen said she has no plans of seeking reelection when her term ends in two years and regrets ever voting for Roland as premier.

Emotions ran high in the legislative assembly on Nov. 2 when regular members and ministers spoke to Hughes' report on the inquiry into Roland's intimate relationship with Patricia Russell. The relationship was kept secret for nearly three months before Roland came clean in mid-November last year, sparking a chain of events that bitterly divided the government, leading to a non-confidence vote against the entire cabinet this past February.

The report concluded Roland did in fact breach section 75 of the act by not disclosing the relationship promptly, however, the complaint was dismissed because Hughes ruled the error in judgment was made in good faith.

Groenewegen was visibly distraught by Hughes' findings.

"My heart has gone out of this job to some extent," she said. "I cannot come in here anymore with that same enthusiasm because of what we have allowed to happen. I'm sorry. I only have two years left to go and I will not run again. I am sad to say that my heart is not here anymore because of this."

Roland publicly apologized for the handling of his relationship with the principal clerk of committees, nearly a year after the relationship became public.

Roland said he hopes no one makes the decisions he made, adding his choice led the legislative assembly on a difficult path.

"I am hoping ... we will be able to move on for the interest of the people of the Northwest Territories," Roland said, fighting back tears at several points during his speech. "That we will be able to put them first and not ourselves first. And, to the people of the Northwest Territories, I apologize because I made a decision for myself first.

"I am sincerely sorry that a decision I made has left a mark on my family, on this institution and my relationship with the members of this legislative assembly."

Responses to Roland's apology ranged from acceptance to contempt.

Nahendeh MLA Kevin Menicoche said he spoke for his constituents when he said it was time to move forward and focus on more important things.

"My constituency is not happy that we had to use resources, time, money, the energies of the house to continue this debate," Menicoche said. "The people want our assembly to put this behind us now."

Mackenzie Delta MLA David Krutko, said Roland's actions eroded trust between cabinet and regular members, disrupting the everyday business of the legislative assembly.

"I think one thing we realize is every time we go through this process, we all get tarred with the same brush regardless of who it was, or who it is, or what the outcomes are," he said. "I think if we were honest with each other and this issue came forward when it should have ... we wouldn't have had to go through this process," he said.

Glen Abernethy, Great Slave MLA, said he wanted to make it clear Roland was found in conflict and everything outside of his relationship took a back seat during the time the affair was kept secret.

Nunakput MLA Jackie Jacobson was absent for the discussion.

The cost of the inquiry is still unknown, but is expected to be made public soon.