Good afternoon. Item 2 on the order paper is Ministers' Statements. Mr. Kakfwi.

Item 2, Ministers' Statements. Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, this week it is Addictions Awareness Week in the Northwest Territories and throughout the rest of Canada. I rise today both to recognize the efforts of the many volunteers who will make this week a success and to make an important announcement for community alcohol and drug workers.

Alcohol and drug programs in the Northwest Territories are operated by local community groups made up of volunteers who commit their time and effort towards reducing the alcohol and drug abuse that is so devastating to the north. Alcohol and drug programs operate in 40 of our communities, under the direction of local boards and agencies. The dedication efforts of the members of these local groups and the commitments made by many, many other community volunteers represent the backbone of alcohol and drug programs.

These volunteers are responsible for helping hundreds of people in their battle against addiction, helping them to recover a happier and healthier lifestyle.

Mr. Speaker, I am sure all Members will join me to acknowledge their efforts with the most successful Addictions Awareness Week, and pledge the ongoing commitment of this government to assist them in every way possible in the battle against alcohol and drug abuse. Many Members of this Assembly have expressed their concern about the wages earned by the community alcohol and drug workers who are employed by the local alcohol programs. These very dedicated individuals stand at the front line in our battle against alcohol and drug abuse. They work against many odds, often alone.

Members of this Assembly have praised their efforts, offered their encouragement and support and voiced their recognition of the contributions which alcohol and drug workers make to their communities and to the individuals and families whom they help. The time is overdue for a more tangible form of reward and recognition for our community alcohol and drug workers.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce an increase to community alcohol and drug workers' salaries. Thank you.

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Specific details will be contained in the supplementary appropriation coming before this Assembly later in this sitting.

I trust that the Members of this Assembly will support the appropriation, and that during this fiscal year we will be able to show our support to community alcohol and drug workers.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 2, Ministers' Statements. Mr. Arvaluk.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to acknowledge that Arctic College students and staff throughout the Northwest Territories are celebrating Arctic College Week from November 16 to November 21.

Arctic College Week is held to emphasize the value of post-secondary education and to inform people in the Northwest Territories of the opportunities available to them through the college. It is also intended to draw attention to the achievements of Arctic College and the benefit of college programs to northern communities.

This year the theme of the Arctic College Week is "partnership" and it is a theme especially relevant to the experience of Arctic College here in the north, Mr. Speaker. The college works with many different northern organizations to provide educational training and services to adults. Many of the programs offered through Arctic College are only possible with the cooperative sponsorship of third party clients.

To acknowledge the partnerships between communities of the north and Arctic College each campus and community learning centre has planned a variety of public awareness activities. At this time I would like to thank all of the organizations and communities in the Northwest Territories which support Arctic College programs and activities.

---Applause

Item 2, Ministers' Statements. Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. As a member of an aboriginal group that ratified its final agreement last year I know how the Inuit feel now that they have agreed to the terms of their comprehensive land claim agreement. The Inuit are now on a road that will eventually create a homeland for their people. This homeland will be within Canada but self-governing so the Inuit can protect and promote their cultural identity.

In the west this is not often recognized as a fundamental aspiration of aboriginal people. All too often we receive the answer that all people must be treated equally. The Gwich'in and the Inuit have agreements which, once implemented, will give them enough authority to force governments to respect the distinctiveness of aboriginal peoples and aboriginal societies. This follows the basic principle of being treated equally but with respect for differences and the right to protect those differences.

I am sincerely happy for the Inuit. I know that the negotiations were difficult and that you had to fight for every inch of territory and for every authority gained. No-one should make the mistake of viewing this agreement as giving too much to the Inuit. The Inuit gave to Canada a very large area of territory in exchange for only a portion of these lands.

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Aboriginal people are constantly forced during these negotiations to give in to Canada. Canada in return does not seem to recognize the distinctiveness of the aboriginal peoples of this land.

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With pending division of the Northwest Territories, western regions and communities must begin to develop their own government. The status quo will not work in the west. There is far too much diversity of opinions and cultures. We must begin this work with our communities because the communities are the basis of our governments. Secondly we must look toward regional or tribal governments to deliver government programs and services and also to bring our people together geographically and culturally.

Finally, there will be a need for a central territorial government but this should be defined after the communities and regions have determined their authorities. Once again, congratulations to T.F.N. and Nunavut. Qujannamiik.

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Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Todd.

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Bernhardt.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Honourable colleagues, I rise today to provide a brief comment on a matter which has been widely reported in the northern media. As most Members are aware, Mr. Speaker, I have been charged with a number of offenses under the criminal code. I have entered a plea of not guilty on all charges. Trials have been scheduled to proceed in December and January. Mr. Speaker, it should be clear that I am an accused person and not a convicted person.

However, recognizing that these matters are currently before the courts, it would be inappropriate for me to make any further comment at the present time. In the meantime there is important work to be done within the Legislative Assembly, and I will be concentrating fully on the items which come before the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Members' Statement. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since the beginning of the 12th Legislative Assembly this government has spoken many times about the need to decentralize government departments and devolve responsibilities to communities throughout the north. Mr. Speaker, I have strongly supported and fought for the implementation of this policy, not just during the 12th Assembly but since I was first elected to this House.

I feel that we have taken some steps during the past year to realize these policy initiatives, however, there are cases where some government departments seem reluctant to change the status quo. One such case is the South Slave interpreter/translator position currently located in Hay River.

On January 29 of this year, the Band Council on the Hay River Reserve passed a motion calling for the government to establish a South Slave Interpreter Office on the Hay River Reserve. I have been working on this case since that time and I have been in contact with the appropriate Ministers with little success. Frankly, after six months, I feel as though I have been getting the bureaucratic run around.

I wrote to the former Minister of Culture and Communications in early March to ask that this position be relocated to the Hay River Reserve where it could better service the Dene people of that region. The Minister responded that he would not consider my request until after the amalgamation of the Departments of Education and Culture.

Earlier this month, I wrote to the Minister of the new Department of Education, Culture and Employment Programs about this matter. The Minister responded that he would not consider this request until a full review of the programs and services of the new department had been undertaken.

Mr. Speaker, this is not acceptable. If matters regarding decentralization are left until the full departmental review has been undertaken, they may never be resolved, certainly not in the near future.

It is my belief that, of all government programs that should be considered immediately for decentralization, the Aboriginal Language Interpreter/Translator Program is one of the most important.

Mr. Gargan, your allotted time has elapsed.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to get unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are they any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, the people of Hay River Reserve have already indicated their desire and eagerness for the governments to relocate this position to the Reserve. Mr. Speaker, I can only hope that the new Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Programs is as committed to the principle of decentralization and devolution as this government often claims to be, and that he immediately takes action to relocate this position to the Hay River Reserve. Mahsi Cho, Mr. Speaker.

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was going to make my statement yesterday but, in view of the statements about the accomplishments of Nunavut, T.F.N. and statements about Louis Riel, I felt the issue I wanted to raise could perhaps wait until today.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday in the gallery, there was a man from Toronto. His name is Matt Gleason and he is a man to whom people involved in voluntary, charitable business turn to when they have money problems. Because of the turndown in the economy and because of the cutbacks in government funding many of us have tried to find innovative, imaginative ways of raising funds to help these organizations to survive very difficult times.

What we learned is that there are many ways in which charitable and other organizations can raise money in addition to just putting on bingos and selling raffle tickets. There are all kinds of wonderful ways in which you can, in fact, give money and have more left in the end because of the magic of our taxation system. I recommend all those people in communities who are faced with the same problems that many of us have in the city, should organize themselves and get into the community. You can learn an awful lot about the way in which life insurance policies can, in fact, be bought and used to your advantage not only to your estate but also to your financial position personally. I found it rather a magical evening to listen to this person who is in the business of helping people raise money for the voluntary sector.

What I would like to suggest is that the government, which spends an awful lot of money, could use that kind of imagination in trying to solve our problems.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, because I am going to stay within my time, I would like to remind Members that in the charitable organization business, the Council for Disabled Persons will hold a celebrity auction on Saturday, 7:00 o'clock, downstairs and, if you are lucky, you will be able to get Mr. Allooloo to teach you Inuktitut for a couple of lessons. Thank you.

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Antoine.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. November 15 to the 21, is Addiction Awareness Week. All across the Northwest Territories community groups have organized special activities, workshops and traditional events. Nahendeh residents are participating actively in this year's Addiction Awareness Week. Dry dances have been organized for teens in Fort Simpson and Nahanni Butte. Special public health videos are being shown at the Health Centre in Fort Simpson. There are special programs for students in the schools and workshops and elders discussions have been scheduled in most communities. Even the R.C.M.P. public relations mascot, Sober Bear, is getting into the act by visiting seniors' homes and schools.

Addiction Awareness Week is a time when we can all reflect on the accomplishments that have been achieved at the community level. There is a great awareness of the problem at the grass roots level and new treatment facilities, such as the one being built on the Hay River Reserve, are increasing rehabilitation options. However, this week is also the time for thinking about community needs that have not been met.

In the Minister's statement today regarding salaries for drug and alcohol workers, they are so low that it is a national embarrassment. I am thankful for the Minister's statement today, when he stated that the salary level of the drug and alcohol workers' will increase. This is long overdue. We need to find ways of ensuring that elders become more involved in the healing process. Our elders want to help, Mr. Speaker, they have been our counsellors and healers for generations yet they are often ignored when program development decisions are made at headquarters.

Your allotted time has lapsed.