Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to elaborate further on some of points made by my honourable colleague from Inuvik regarding the N.W.T. Workers' Compensation Board. You will recall, Mr. Speaker, that I have commented on this troubled and inefficient agency on several occasions in the past. It has now come to the point where the situation is becoming ridiculous.

The Workers' Compensation Board is a monolithic adversarial board which, in my opinion, in the current terms, is out of control. The 12 per cent average increase in employers assessments, which it announced a short time ago, is totally unacceptable. In fact, it would take a special type of being short sighted to even contemplate a decision that would so terribly tax the private sector businesses throughout the Northwest Territories.

Notwithstanding the hours of time and effort that were devoted by Members of this House to a public review undertaken by the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions, there apparently has been no improvement. Like my honourable colleague from Inuvik, I am concerned that a badly needed legislative review, which was recommended by the standing committee will not be finished by December 31, 1992.

Mr. Speaker, it is time for the Minister to show a sense of leadership that has been sorely lacking to date on this issue. He must assume responsibility for assuring that there is an appropriate second opinion on the actuarial analysis of the employers assessments in time to implement rates which are not as punishing as the ones the board has tried to push on to northern businesses at this time. He must act immediately on the legislative review process recognizing that a legislative action paper is expected as a matter of confidence by December 31, 1992. He must implement standing committee recommendations which call for him to take a more active role and ensuring board accountability and to establish a stronger regional presence and he must give strong consideration to whether all current members of the board are committed to seeing that W.C.B. change and evolve to better serve all northern workers.

I am sure that I will have more to say during question period later today, thank you.

---Applause