Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to inform the House that the new network, Television Northern Canada, will begin broadcasting across the Northwest Territories on January 13, 1992. The official inauguration of the network will take place on January 21, 1992, with a three-hour live telecast to mark the occasion.
The Governor General and the federal Minister of Communications have accepted the invitation of Television Northern Canada to officially inaugurate the network in Iqaluit. All Members of this House are being invited by Television Northern Canada to participate as well. The telecast will involve live broadcasting from Television Northern Canada centres in Iqaluit, Yellowknife and Whitehorse, where people will gather to celebrate.
Television Northern Canada will truly span the North in its coverage and audience. Every community in the Northwest Territories, the Yukon, Arctic Quebec and Northern Labrador will be receiving Television Northern Canada programming.
The Government of the NWT can be proud of its vision for and participation in Television Northern Canada. Acknowledging the great power of television, Culture and Communications convened a meeting in 1987 of aboriginal broadcasters and other interested parties to discuss the potential of a northern broadcasting network. From these discussions, Television Northern Canada was born.
Television Northern Canada represents the best of co-operative broadcasting. Northern aboriginal broadcasters and government organizations have co-ordinated their energies and worked together to ensure that we are not competing for limited financial resources and a limited audience but that we are supporting one another, with each partner having freedom to produce what it feels is best.
As the Television Northern Canada concept became a reality, this government has continued to play a major role in Television Northern Canada's growth through the provision of financial and staff resources and by assisting to secure ongoing funding from the federal government.
Television Northern Canada programming will be produced by aboriginal broadcasters, including the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation, the Inuvialuit Communications Society, Native Communications Society, Northern Native Broadcasting Yukon, Taqramiut Nipingat of Arctic Quebec, the Okalakatiget Society of Labrador, and Wawatay of Northern Ontario. In addition, Mr. Speaker, programs will be provided by GNWT departments, Arctic College, Yukon College, Labrador Community College, the Kativik School Board of Arctic Quebec, and CBC Northern Service.
Television Northern Canada programming, being controlled by the partners, will feature issues from a northern perspective that are of daily importance to northern people. Constitutional development, land claims, environmental and social issues will be reviewed. Any one of the partners can choose to use its air time to broadcast proceedings from this Legislature, committee hearings, the Arctic Winter Games, special conferences or events. The opportunity exists for the creation of a northern version of "The Nation's Business," a program where Members of this House have an opportunity to discuss issues with the public.
And very importantly, the use of aboriginal languages on Television Northern Canada will not only allow for greater northern understanding of issues but send clear messages about the importance of language and culture.
The potential communications value of a television network that reaches every household in the North is vast. Television Northern Canada is a remarkable opportunity for Northerners to communicate directly with Northerners. The effect of Television Northern Canada will be to shrink distances between home and school, between communities and between cultures.
The power of television is great. Now in the hands of Northerners, that power can be used for the benefit of all Northerners. This government is proud to be working alongside the aboriginal broadcasters and other northern governments to develop the full potential of northern television. I invite you to tune in to Television Northern Canada in January and to celebrate the beginning of a new era in northern communications. Thank you.
---Applause