Item 2, Ministers' Statements. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today as Minister of Social Services I would like to offer sincere condolences to the family and friends of Fanny Maring. In addition, there are a very large number of her colleagues in the entire Department of Social Services who also share these deep feelings for a very special person.

Fanny was a very long-term and valued employee of the Department of Social Services. She was a compassionate and warm social worker who had done it all. Her special qualities were recognized shortly after she joined the Government of the Northwest Territories in 1970.

She welcomed the opportunity to share her knowledge with others. She was a teacher of the Inuvialuit language and was an active member of the elders' committee. On September 9, 1986 she was appointed a supervisor in the Inuvik area office of Social Services.

Fanny played an important role in the lives of all she worked with and for the many clients that she came into contact with over the years. Her recent death has been a shock to us all. She will be deeply missed and will not be forgotten by the people of Aklavik and the Delta region. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 2, Ministers' Statements. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, honourable Members have expressed concern about the criteria for disqualifying a physician from sitting as president of a particular board of inquiry under the Medical Profession Act of the Northwest Territories. The filing of a civil action is quite different from criminal charges or an inquiry into professional competence under the Medical Profession Act. Nowhere in Canada, including the N.W.T., does the filing of a civil suit disqualify a physician from sitting on a board of inquiry. Nonetheless, because of the questions raised in the Legislature about him, the head of the board of inquiry, Dr. Earle Covert, has now decided that he does not want unnecessary controversy to detract from the impartiality and independence of the medical inquiry now before the board. Dr. Covert has therefore made a decision not to sit on the hearing in question involving Dr. Uma Viswalingam. His declining to participate in the hearing will not deprive the current board of its quorum. The inquiry will now be headed by the Deputy President, Dr. Robert Fairbairn. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to advise the Assembly of the activities of the western Members of the Assembly who have revitalized the western caucus. I have been selected to be chairman of the western caucus and I appreciate the confidence my colleagues from the west have placed in me. I would also like to take this opportunity, Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the western caucus to add our congratulations to the people of Nunavut for the successful ratification of their comprehensive land claim agreement. Also of equal importance, the signing of the Nunavut Political Accord.

---Applause

The claim paves the way for the establishment of a Nunavut territory. The Nunavut Political Accord establishes a mechanism and process for the implementation for a Nunavut government by 1999. I can assure our Nunavut colleagues that we are here to work together to achieve constitutional harmony for both the east and the west.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, we, the Members of the western caucus, realize that we have a lot of work ahead of us to develop a constitution for a western territory. There are a lot of other issues which affect our ability to develop some concise plans. These are in no particular order:

- the establishment of a Constitution for Nunavut and a new western territory;

- land claims;

- community transfer initiatives;

- division and the cost of division;

- devolution; and

- the report and title "Working Towards A Common Future" prepared by Jim Bourque and his commission.

Mr. Speaker, it is important that the excellent work that has been done by the many other groups and commissions on constitutional development for the west be taken into consideration as we struggle with the many elements that will exist in a new western territory.

The western caucus looks forward to working with all leaders and people of the west. As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, the western caucus plans to meet tomorrow night with the members of the Committee of Political Leaders to discuss the challenges ahead. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to proceed with my statement.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi. In light of the planned meeting tomorrow night and since there is a general feeling that the mandate and representation at the table for western Northwest Territories constitutional discussions needs to be addressed, the western caucus has suggested that the time is not right to engage in a constitutional discussion in this House. Accordingly, Mr. Kakfwi has agreed to allow his motion to expire on the order paper today. Mr. Speaker, we will have many challenges as we tackle the complex matters of developing the shape the new western territory will take. We see such issues as community transfer as one that has to be taken into consideration immediately and how it will fit into the new western territory.

Mr. Speaker, I indicated that we have many challenges ahead and I can assure you, and I speak for all Members of the western caucus, that as the elected representatives of the west we are up for the challenge. There will be some hard negotiations ahead and the trail may not be easy, but we will persevere and with the support of our constituencies and other leaders, hopefully begin the work that is before us for the good of the generations to come. Thank you, Mahsi, Qujannamiik.

Thank you, Mr. Koe. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize in the gallery and to welcome students from the Rae-Edzo Adult Education Centre and their instructor, Mary Goldsmith. Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to talk about the chronic unemployment problem that is faced by most of the regions in the Northwest Territories. As Members know unemployment is one of the largest factors including some of our other dreadful social problems that face the territories such as alcoholism, teenage suicides, and family and sexual abuse. The list goes on and on. The traditional hunting and trapping lifestyle that has sustained many of our people for so many years has been wounded as the fur industry activists endure assault after assault by animal rights activists. In the interim we have done a poor job of preparing our people for wage employment by increasing the education and job skills of our citizens. What is left is whole communities of people who cannot even find employment enough to access unemployment insurance. In some communities we have upwards of 60 to 80 per cent of our people receiving some form of social assistance annually. Mr. Speaker, this is not a pretty picture.

With that said, I would say that we have done some good work during the past year to help change this. We are attempting to concentrate on improving the educational system. We have taken steps to ensure that northerners obtain jobs from government contracts and we have instituted employment training programs in conjunction with the construction of capital facilities that will improve job skills of our people within the smaller communities.

However, more has to be done to stem the tide until these programs can be fully implemented. One such proposal is the re-institution of the Local Initiatives Program. Such a program was recently advocated by the Keewatin Regional Council at their fall session. I will be tabling a copy of this resolution later today. Such a program should be community based and employ people on a short-term basis to work on community improvement projects. It should be employment driven for areas of high unemployment. People could work for two or three months at a time, then would be able to access unemployment insurance benefits at the end of the project. Funding for such a project could come from a variety of sources such as reprofiling social assistance monies. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask for unanimous consent to complete my statement.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Todd.

...such as reprofiling social assistance monies, accessing job training funds, or seeking other types of funding from the federal government or from within our own budget.

In my mind, it is much more important at this critical time to use our limited resources to put our people to work than to spend millions of dollars on museums and the cost of television.

It is my belief that programs designed to ease the chronic unemployment problem and to get our people off of social assistance are of the utmost importance, particularly at this time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to recognize an individual who has been working for a long time with the Baffin Regional Health Board. We deal with the health issues in the Legislative Assembly and I would like to recognize the chairman of the Baffin Regional Health Board, Mr. George Eckalook. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak on a process which I feel is an area that needs to be addressed. This process is the manner in which this Legislative Assembly reviews the capital, and the operations and maintenance budget. At the present time the Cabinet, which is composed of eight Ministers, decides how the operations and maintenance budget as well as the capital budget are to be allocated. These are then reviewed by the Standing Committee on Finance which is made up of seven Members. During these reviews the seven Members and the eight Ministers are able to hold detailed discussions on what funds will be allocated and spent in the Northwest Territories for the next year.

This process, Mr. Speaker, is done in a closed meeting room. The meetings can be attended by any of the other Members who are not Members of the Standing Committee on Finance if they are in the city of Yellowknife at the time. As all Members know, we who are not Members of this committee, are not able to be in Yellowknife when the Standing Committee on Finance is meeting. Therefore, 15 Members of this 24 Member Assembly make decisions and form recommendations to be brought into this House. This process makes it all the more frustrating when one begins to realize that senior bureaucrats, who are not elected people, have more say over what funds will be allocated into the communities that I and other Members represent, before we can even begin to formulate a response to the proposed budget.

I and the other eight Members who represent 20 communities, which is close to one third of the 66 communities in the Northwest Territories, do not have any input into this process until decisions and recommendations have already been formulated. The present process allows the standing committee Members the opportunity to criticize and review the budgets behind closed doors. They are able to say whatever they wish to the Ministers. We, who are not Members of the committee, are not given the same privilege. We are then asked to agree or disagree on these recommendations at the beginning of the latter part of the process, which by this time is at the Committee of the Whole stage.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek unanimous consent to continue with my statement.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you. In short, what I am trying to say, Mr. Speaker, is that there are Members and communities which are not fairly represented by this process because they have no input into the budgets before they are discussed in the Assembly. The process we are using at this time is duplicated, especially for those Members who are Members of the Standing Committee on Finance, as they are able to raise their concerns to the Ministers twice.

If I may, Mr. Speaker, one suggestion would be to bypass the standing committee stage as it would make the process fair by allowing all Members to participate in the formation of the budget. It would also reduce costs to this government as all Members would then have to meet only once to form the budget recommendations.

One of the concerns raised by some of the Members was that there is no public process at the standing committee stage. This suggested process then brings the proposed budget of this government directly to the Legislative Assembly and brings the whole budget process to the public as it happens. Another suggestion which would make it fairer for all Members and the communities that they represent would be to bring in all the ordinary Members to the standing committee meetings. I urge this Legislative Assembly to reconsider the present process and review it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Zoe.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Zoe.

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had not intended to speak today, however, I do want to correct the record on a matter which I think is important. I believe on November 18 in a debate here regarding the criteria for allowing physicians to retain privileges I made a remark with regard to Dr. Covert, suggesting that criminal charges had been laid against him. If for any particular reason I have caused him any problems, then I apologize for that because the action that is being brought before the court are civil proceedings and not criminal charges.

I do say, Mr. Speaker, that the concern I raised at that time still remains a concern of mine with regard to the Minister's decision on appointments and key areas of responsibility for the medical professionals of the Northwest Territories. I hope in the future the Department of Health, the deputy minister or whoever is assigned this responsibility, can adhere to or at least listen to the Members' concerns on this side of the House. For that I want to correct the record. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Speaker, as Members of this House are well aware, a public inquiry has been appointed to inquire into the management of health services and the problems of medical services at the Fort Smith Health Centre. I feel very strongly as do my constituents that this process must be open to the public. We have a right to have confidence in our health care system and this can only happen if we are given complete and accurate information.

The opening session of the public inquiry will be held this Friday in the Fort Smith Court House at 2:00 p.m. November 27, 1992. I wish to speak about the public inquiry in the Assembly today to assist in making the inquiry known to people in my constituency, and to encourage all those who have an interest to attend. All members of the public have a right to watch the proceedings.

There may also be people who have information or experiences that they feel should be told to assist the inquiry. Anyone who feels they may have such evidence to give may contact legal counsel for the inquiry, Mr. Brian Barrington-Foote in Calgary. Mr. Barrington-Foote will be calling witnesses to give their evidence before the inquiry. Members of the public are also requested status or standing before the inquiry. Gaining standing gives an individual or group certain rights such as the right to call witnesses, to cross-examine witnesses called by other parties and to make submissions to the inquiry. Anyone who wants to request standing should give notice to Mr. Barrington-Foote by today and should be present at the opening session of the inquiry on November 27, this Friday afternoon.

Mr. Speaker, I have sent information to my constituents about the inquiry through the mail. I want to encourage anyone who wants to participate in the process to get in touch with Mr. Barrington-Foote immediately. Thank you.

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I never cease to be amazed at the moral perfidy and outrageous self-righteousness of the animal rights fanatics. I refer to a very expensive and hysterical two page ad including a full page picture of a doe-eyed harp seal pup on a floe edge in yesterday's Globe and Mail. The international fund for animal welfare had the nerve to decry the plight of unemployed fishermen while ignoring the devastation they have wreaked on the incomes and self-sufficiency of the Inuit seal hunters of the Northwest Territories, Quebec, Labrador and aboriginal trappers across the country. That people in this country are contributing generous money to fund this kind of emotional propaganda says that the aboriginal people and their representatives must again loudly speak of the devastating effects these evil people have wreaked on a key element of the very cultural identity of my Inuit constituents.

How many more young people must be killed by suicide? How much more alcoholism? How much welfare dependency will be required before these people realize what harm they have done and are doing to the self-reliant subsistence hunters of Canada's north. Shame on you that you could put the protection of a population of seals, now growing out of control in numbers ahead of the survival of a proud way of life and source of independent income from a race of people who have always reached out a helping hand of friendship to visitors from the south.

My Inuit constituents think these well intentioned do-gooders from the friend to animals movement with their questionable scientific facts are not only patronizing but genocidal in their missionary zeal. The Inuit hunters from northern Canada, the people from my constituency struggling to make a living in a southern style wage economy on Baffin Island, in one of the most costly locations in the country, are saying that the people from Greenpeace and its descendants are committing the worst crime of all: exploitation and colonial style eradication of the subordinate culture all in the name of protecting what they call "a beautiful and trusting creature, a fitting symbol...

Mr. Patterson, your allotted time has elapsed.

May I ask for consent to conclude, Mr. Speaker?

Perhaps you would like to ask for unanimous consent.

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Patterson.

The Inuit subsistence hunters from northern Canada, the people from my constituency struggling to make a living in a southern style wage economy on Baffin Island, in one of the most costly locations in the country, are saying that the people from Greenpeace and its descendants are committing the worst crime of all: exploitation and colonial style eradication of the subordinate culture all in the name of protecting what they call "a beautiful and trusting creature, a fitting symbol of Canadian wildlife."

What about the other species under attack by these friends of animals, the Canadian Inuit? When is someone going to speak up and advertise for the cultural survival of a race of human beings? The ad is titled "It's Not A Seal, It's A Scapegoat." Mr. Speaker, I say to the international fund for animal welfare "it is not the seals, it is the Inuit who are the scapegoats." Qujannamiik.

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Honourable Members are aware of my long outstanding concerns about our present adoption legislation. Recently a constituent came to me for assistance with contacting children whose whereabouts are unknown following an adoption. Although I believe strongly that there should be some way to initiate

contact, I am unable to help parents and children in this situation because of outdated, poorly thought out and culturally insensitive legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I think Members will agree that all children wherever they live have a right to know as much as possible about their background and culture. In some provinces there have been moves to accommodate some cultures. I am told that Quebec has recently given its assurance to China that children adopted from that country will be provided with full information about their cultural background. Children who have been adopted within Canada are not given any assurance of this basic right. Our laws do not take into account aboriginal traditions and values.

Family laws across Canada at the present time prevent a child who is adopted through Social Services, or his or her parents, from obtaining any information about each other in most circumstances until that child turns 18 years old. This is true even if a child, both parents and the adoptive parents all agree that some type of contact would be beneficial. I really do not see how government can feel that they have the right to assume this amount of control over peoples lives.

The long awaited Family Law Review report includes some recommendations on adoption. I do not agree with everything in this report. However, it does recommend that in the case of departmental adoptions, where children are older and have ties to their families or communities, the court should have the discretion not to sever all bonds and that access to parents or other family members should be considered. I agree strongly with this recommendation.

Mr. Gargan, your allotted time has lapsed.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to continue my statement.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to continue. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and honourable Members. The long awaited Family Law Review report includes some recommendations on adoptions. I do not agree with everything in this report. However, it does recommend that in the case of departmental adoptions where children are older and have ties to their families or community, the courts should have the discretion not to sever all bonds, that access to the parents or other family members should be considered. I agree strongly with this recommendation.

I believe that the need for contact with some family or community is even more crucial for aboriginal children. Therefore I agree with a further recommendation which provides that in the case of a private or departmental adoption of a Dene or Metis aboriginal child, confidentiality will not apply unless the birth mother applies for it for a specific period of time.

Mr. Speaker, now that this report, which we waited over four years for, is completed, I trust the Minister of Justice will be moving quickly to bring all outdated family law legislation to current status which reflect and respect the needs, traditions and values of aboriginal people. It is time that our views were respected instead of ignored. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There have been several irresponsible statements recently attributing reasons why wildlife seems to be behaving in a strange fashion. We have so many animals which are not following their traditional paths, etc. This happens from time to time, Mr. Speaker. I am very interested, and always have been, in the environment. I think it is irresponsible for people to say that caribou are behaving this way because of all the mining activity, the helicopters, planes, etc. without having any evidence of it. In fact there is quite a body of evidence to suggest that one of the things that affects human beings and animals more than anything else is climate. I am not trying to present any scientific case but we know the weather has been unusually mild and pleasant over the last while. If there is anything which affects people and animals it is the climate. When it is hot you take your coat off and so on and if you find you are cold you go to a warmer climate. These things affect people and animals.

I would like to suggest that those people that like to attribute the strange animal behaviour, for example just outside my house recently in the back there was a mink in the tree just looking down at me as I was putting out the garbage. There was also a fox the other night on my back porch. These had nothing to do with helicopters, Mr. Speaker. I would suggest that they were around because it happened to be a good place to be at this time of year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Lewis. Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. On September 29, 30 and October 1, 1992 the Deh Cho Tribal Council hosted the "Justice In Deh Cho, 1992 Forum on Justice and Legal Issues". Sixteen resource people attended the conference to share with the community their knowledge, experience and feelings in relation to justice issues.

The aboriginal justice directorate, the aboriginal policing directorate and the aboriginal corrections directorate are all federal initiatives helped to fund the conference as well as send key facilitators to explain what their directorate did as well as to offer some suggestions. The Government of the Northwest Territories Department of Justice also helped to fund and send facilitators to inform the communities what the direction the G.N.W.T. is starting to take. Key aboriginal resource people also participated. These people shared with the communities their experiences, difficulties and suggestions to deal with justice issues and aboriginal communities and organizations.

Joan Ryan and Marie Dell Rabesca from the Dene Cultural Institute justice project in Lac La Martre made presentations regarding Dene traditional justice. Joe Tambour and Roy Fabien presented workshops on alcohol and drug abuse, family violence, sexual assault and healing. Aboriginal people from the south such as Frank Brown from Bella Bella, B.C., Chester Cunningham from the Native Counselling Service of Alberta and Liz Scout, an aboriginal policing consultant to the Woodlands Cree Reserve, all participated.

The "Justice in Deh Cho Forum" consists of plenary sessions and workshops. The topics covered were the tribal and police band forces, community based policing and the R.C.M.P., alternative youth corrections, aboriginal correction models, justice of the peace program, community justice committees, elders' circles and reflections on possible ways to integrate community justice with the existing system.

Twenty seven recommendations were made, Mr. Speaker. They were presented to the Deh Cho Tribal Council. These recommendations had three main themes, there is a need for more workshops, education...

Mr. Antoine, your allotted time has lapsed.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. There were three main themes. One, there is a need for more workshops, education, resources and discussions on both alternative measures and the current system of justice functioning in Canada today. The communities would like more information on how other aboriginal are dealing with crime and social problems.

Two, the pilot project for the Deh Cho region has been requested.

Three, a full-time staff person to assist the communities with their justice concerns and initiatives as required.

There were 12 recommendations presented regarding policing. It was felt that there should be more interaction and more information sharing between the R.C.M.P. and the communities. More aboriginal police forces for the Deh Cho regions were requested. Non-aboriginal police officers should be given in-depth cross cultural awareness training as the majority of the people in the communities are Dene. The tribal council has been directed to continue working in the area of determining the approaches each member of its communities wishes to take in developing community based justice projects. A regional proposal should be advanced to ensure that the follow-up and support work required in justice projects is available to the tribal members.

The recommendation of the forum indicated that there is a definite need to continue this process of discussion and development. The initiative will require the support of federal, territorial, aboriginal and community resources. Mr. Speaker, the support of the Legislative Assembly to the Deh Cho Tribal Council in its initiative to develop reform in the area of aboriginal justice is crucial. Mahsi Cho.

Can I remind Members of the two and one half minute time limit. I have noticed the last two or three days Members are going over the time limit. The rules are there and I would ask Members to try if they could to work within the rules.

Also can I please recognize in the gallery, George Eckalook, Mayor of Resolute Bay and the Chairman of the Baffin Regional Health Board.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' Statements. Item 4, Returns to Oral Questions. Point of Privilege, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Point Of Privilege

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise pursuant to rule 32(1) of the Rules of the Legislative Assembly on a Point of Privilege. Having provided you with written notice for at least one hour in advance of my Point of Privilege, Mr. Speaker.

Pursuant to rule 32, the honourable Member provided to the Chair a copy of her statement at 1:05 and is working within the rules. You can proceed, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, today I want to make a Point of Privilege. I deny printed allegations made against me in an editorial in Monday's November 23 edition of News/North. I wish to clarify a misunderstanding which I believe has been created by the headlines in an article on page A-3 and by the banner headline on the front page of that same edition.

Mr. Speaker, I will deal first with the matter of the article on page A-3 which is covered by the headline "Marie-Jewell Accused of Interference" and the sub-heading which reads "Education Chairman Charges M.L.A. Tried to Save Brother's Job". The article deals with comments made by the chairperson for the South Slave Divisional Board of Education after I raised matters pertaining to the suspension of house parents at the Lutsel K'e student boarding facility in Fort Smith. The headline and sub-headline indicate that I have endeavoured to interfere in the operation of the divisional board for the purpose of trying to save my brother's job. Mr. Speaker, this is inaccurate, untrue and misleading. My brother is employed as a journeyman painter with the Department of Public Works. He takes pride in his work and he does not need anyone to save his job. I only hope that the careless journalism reflected in News/North's presentation has not caused him personal or professional embarrassment.

I would now like to clarify the basis for my own involvement in this matter. It is correct that allegations have been raised about the house parents and that there has been a temporary suspension with pay while these allegations are considered by the divisional board. It is no secret that my sister-in-law was under contract as one of the house parents and has been as such involved in this matter. However, I was not asked nor did I volunteer to look into the situation on behalf of my sister-in-law. I have made it very clear in all my correspondence and in my discussions with the Minister that my interest in this respect are on behalf of the other house parents who have been suspended. This individual is a long time resident of Fort Smith and is a constituent of mine. I believe that any resident of the Northwest Territories should be able to bring an issue of concern to their elected Member of the Legislative Assembly and to receive the attention and action to which they are due. What sort of elected official would it be who said "I am not going to help you with that one. My family is involved and I do not want to risk the political fallout." I struggled with this constituency request, Mr. Speaker, because I knew very well that it might open the door for persons embroiled in local politics to misrepresent the reasons for my involvement.

However, for me the choice was clear. Do I deny representation to a constituent because there is a potential political risk? Or do I trust that the media and the public will look at the facts and recognize that I am acting in an ethical and responsible fashion? I made the latter choice, Mr. Speaker, and I am not unhappy about that. I believe that it was my duty to raise issues that are important to the constituent who brought them to my attention.

I made this clear to the News/North reporter, Mr. Francis Thompson, when he asked me for my comments. Although my clarification is included in the last third of the article, either the reporter or his editors chose to represent the situation inaccurately in their choice of headlines.

I am also concerned about this article, Mr. Speaker, due to a quote attributed to the chairperson of the divisional board, Mr. Steven Cooper. Mr. Cooper reportedly stated that, "I think it was uncalled for to bring up this question in the House." As a member of the legal profession, Mr. Cooper should be aware that it is the privilege of Members to be able to raise any issue in this House, pursuant to the rules of the Assembly and to your rulings on procedure and convention.

If honourable Members will check pages 77 through 79 of the unedited transcript from November 19, they will see that my questions to the Honourable James Arvaluk revolved around whether appointments to the board's panel carried the sort of independence necessary for such a review. My question on pages 107 through 110 in the unedited transcript from Friday, November 20 were required only because the Minister had responded to the previous day's questions with inaccurate information about the status of the house parents' temporary suspensions with pay. In neither of these instances did I raise any matter that could have provided any specific benefit to the constituent who requested my involvement or incidentally, to my sister-in-law, other than to ensure that a fair and impartial review was held.

I also wish to emphasize that it is clearly stated within Mr. Thompson's article that I followed the protocol that should be expected of an M.L.A. who is following up on constituency concerns.

I will elaborate on that here as well. Upon first learning of this issue from my constituent, I called the Minister who was, understandably, in the east due to the Nunavut ratification vote. When I found he was absent, I contacted his Deputy Minister, Mr. Hal Gerein, who indicated that the appropriate contact person on this matter would be Mr. Cooper in his capacity as chairperson of the divisional board.

I contacted Mr. Cooper only because I was referred to him by Mr. Gerein. If the education officials now believe it is inappropriate for M.L.A.s to contact divisional board appointees, then they should work the snags out of their own referral procedures. When I contacted Mr. Cooper I made it clear to him that although my brother's family was involved I was acting at the request of the other house parent. If I should not have been talking to Mr. Cooper at that point to whom should I have been talking? The allegations that there was any abuse of authority or inappropriate protocol related to my standing as a Member of this House are totally false and misleading. Again, it is regrettable that this was not realized by either Mr. Thompson or by his editors when they are making decisions on how to present this matter to the public. Those are my comments on the matter of the article on page A-3, Mr. Speaker.

I also wish to comment on the editorial titled "Ethics A Wide Open Question for M.L.A.s" which appears on page A-7 of the same edition of News North. I will resist the temptation to comment on the overall substance of the piece which I found shallow, poorly researched and juvenile in tone. I will, however, take serious exception with the following reference: "then there is Jeannie Marie-Jewell, Fort Smith M.L.A. accused this week of influence peddling, an accusation she has faced in the past." To accuse an elected official of influence peddling is extremely serious. It implies illegal behaviour. I absolutely reject the allegation. In common usage the term "influence peddling" has been reserved for situations in which an M.L.A. has sold their ability to affect government policy or decisions in exchange for some material benefits in form of money or gifts.

Mr. Speaker, I want this House to be clear on the fact that I have never done that now or at any time in my political career. I can sleep with my conscience at night. Nor would I behave in such a fashion at any point in the future. I resent the editor's suggestion that by asking the Minister to make sure that contractor review procedures were fair and impartial I was trying to peddle or sell my political influence. That is absolutely untrue and it is an irresponsible allegation for this Yellowknife based newspaper to make.

Mr. Speaker, I realize that this is now considered to be the trend for the press to attempt to generate disrespect and suspicion about politicians. It seems to be something that is taking place at a national level and it is probably a function of the times we are presently living in. However, when the young and often inexperienced people who work for our northern media attempt to follow this trend without considering the facts, or when they go too far and use terms like "influence peddling" without realizing the implications of what they have written then I believe there is cause for all of us to become concerned. It is for that reason I chose to make this fairly detailed statement under rule 32(1) today. I would like to thank you for allowing me leave to do so, and my honourable colleagues for their attention.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, on a lighter note perhaps I should not worry too much about this. If lawyers and newspaper reporters are now both finding me intimidating, then perhaps I am doing my job effectively.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Marie-Jewell. I would like to comment that if any Member feels it necessary to rise under rule 32(1) to clarify an article or report concerning them I hope that the media will cover their explanation and their remarks with the same providence as they covered the original story. Thank you.

---Applause

Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a question to the Minister of Communications. I will not be talking about all the communities but they are having problems with the communications in their communities. Sometimes you can hardly hear when you are talking on the long distance telephones. Perhaps there is a problem with the satellites, or are there problems other than satellites? Perhaps this has been addressed to NorthwesTel in the past. Perhaps the Minister could clarify for me if they have identified and what kind of problem NorthwesTel is facing with their long distance equipment? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am unaware of the problem. I will look into it and get back to the Member today. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. In my Member's statement today I spoke about the chronic unemployment problem in the Northwest Territories and the associated problems with unemployment. I advocate the establishment of a local initiative program similar to what we had in the 1970s that was funded by Canada Manpower that would put some of our people back to work on community improvement projects and give them access to U.I.C. Could the Minister tell me if he is willing to consider the establishment of such a program that would get some of our people off social assistance and put them back to work? Thank you.

Mr. Pollard.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to look at that. I should advise the House that the Financial Management Board is expecting a paper before the end of this year with regards to looking at a guaranteed income for people in the Northwest Territories. The reason for that is the same as the concerns that the Member raises and that is that people are on social assistance many times and are not feeling they are contributing to society. They would like to work. There are rules and regulations that prevent that. There are people who wish to access those kinds of funds and take some training. Again they have difficulty. So we will take the recommendation of the Member, Mr. Speaker, and look at it seriously. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Todd.

I appreciate the Minister's statement and I am assuming that he is working with the Minister of Social Services etc. to see where the crossing of funding goes. Would the Minister also give consideration to meeting with the federal counterparts to explore the possibility of some federal cost-sharing funding of such a program as is done in other provinces or has been done in the past aside from within our existing territorial budget? Would he also look at the federal situation?

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that we would have to have some discussions with the federal government who would also be involved with us. This matter was brought to the attention of the western Finance Ministers at their recent meeting a month ago. There was an expression of interest from some of the western provinces. I think we would have their support in trying to make some special arrangements with the federal government to try out a new scheme in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Supplementary, Mr. Todd.

Yes, Mr. Speaker. Given that the Minister has made a commitment and there is work currently going on, there is a sense of urgency in this. I am wondering if the proposal he is currently looking at, when he can tell us he will be reporting back to the House on the program so we can actually get to work at putting people back to work? For example, if I may, can we get a report or a review of what they are proposing by the February sitting?

Mr. Pollard.

We will certainly be prepared to give an update by that time, Mr. Speaker.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Education whether or not he is prepared to table in this House an assessment of the recent announcement that was made by the Prime Minister regarding additional training funds that would be made available across Canada?

Mr. Arvaluk. Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has been speaking at various fund raising functions across Canada with regards to new initiatives that the federal government may or may not take. I would imagine coming from the Prime Minister it is fairly certain he will move in that direction. Apparently the federal Minister of Finance will be making all these things clear to us on December 2, Mr. Speaker. It is my understanding that he is going to provide provincial and territorial finance Ministers with information regarding all aspects of this package. I would suggest, at that time, Cabinet will be aware of it and be willing to make available to the House its analysis. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Social Services. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Social Services currently has a policy that allows for a wood, oil or heating policy which assists senior citizens to be able to provide these type of resources in need. I would like to ask the Minister whether or not he would consider expanding that policy which would allow for electric heat, electricity, to be part of this policy? Thank you.

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I am now reviewing the Wood For Seniors Policy, as it is called, with a view to looking at improvements and, perhaps, more flexibility. I am aware that some seniors who rely on electrical heat and, also, propane and natural gas, are requesting a subsidy for

those fuels. So I can tell the honourable Member that I am prepared to look at ways in which we can meet these needs. Payments in cash is one option. I will be prepared to report back to the House on the result of that review which should be in place well before the next winter season. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Supplementary, Mrs. Jewell.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize that the Minister wants to expand or to look at his current policy but, the current policy I believe now allows for oil, I cannot recall the exact amount of litres, but also one to five cords of wood and I believe it now allows for propane. If he is looking at natural gas or electricity, I would like to know if he can consider, because the individual seniors who rely on these type of resources for heating in their individual's homes, will he consider both natural gas and electricity prior to next winter now that we are going into winter? Thank you.

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, the present policy only covers wood and oil. I would be pleased to consider both natural gas and electricity, as suggested by the Member, and propane as well. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Transportation. The federal government recently announced a major infrastructure of transportation initiative of somewhere in the region of $18 to $25 billion, I believe. What action has the Minister of Transportation taken to meet with these provincial counterparts to determine what opportunities there are for the N.W.T. within the transportation strategy that is in place?

Mr. Whitford. Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, there was a proposal made to transportation ministers of all provinces and territories from the federal government. It came up at the last western finance ministers' meeting and I think finance ministers were concerned about the federal government, once again, coming forward with a program and they were concerned whether the federal government was going to be there after three, four, five, six, seven or eight years.

There was a letter drafted from this western group to the federal Minister and what it outlined were some of the concerns with the new federal program that was suggested.

There was also a meeting between deputy ministers of transportation from the western provinces and the Northwest Territories. I do not think the Yukon attended. That resulted in some further clarification. So, at the present time, there has been a proposal made and there is some scepticism, to say the least, amongst people with regard to the intent of the federal government to get us on the hook and then back out of the funding later on down the road.

I might add, and I am moving in Mr. Whitford's domain here, but his department did recommend to us that the federal proposal was attractive to us, if we could get some real solid, I asked for hostages, Mr. Speaker, from the federal government, so that I would know that they were not going to pull out on us down the road. So it is still under active consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Todd.

So it is under active consideration. Do we have a paper on what we suggested to our provincial counterparts about where we fit within this initiative that is being proposed by the federal government? Is there something we can take a look at or is this some secret document that we cannot get access to?

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, I did not mean to mislead anybody that there was a contract and it was ready to be signed. This was a suggestion from the federal government to all Ministers of transportation across the country. There is some documentation and I would defer to the Minister of Transportation to see if he will provide it. Thank you.

Mr. Whitford.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Supplementary, Mr. Todd.

I guess the point I am trying to get at and I do not seem to be getting an answer on it is this. In our approach to our provincial counterparts the way I understand it, it was a collective provincial/territorial approach to the feds. Is it an integrated part of the transportation strategy that was developed under previous Assemblies? Is it a part of that? Is our approach fitting into the strategy or have we just done this strategy and now it is on the shelf? I want to know how we are approaching this $25 billion initiative. Is there some plan out there and are we using a transportation strategy that was developed under previous Assemblies? That is what I am concerned about.

Mr. Whitford.

Just for the clarification of our procedures, according to our precedent, the Premier has been able to pass a question to another Minister. If the Minister of Finance feels that the question is within his or her jurisdiction, I would ask that if the Minister takes the first question, that he take the next three supplementary questions, if he has to he can take them as notice. Jumping from Minister to Minister, unless it is from the Premier, causes some confusion. Supplementary, Mr. Todd.

I am not trying to be awkward on this issue, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister tell me specifically what is in the package that you presented to your provincial counterparts for the Northwest Territories. Some of us do not have roads. We want to know are there other parts in there? Is there marine development? What, within the package, did the Northwest Territories seek to get provincial support for to move forward on a collective presentation to the federal government under this $25 billion initiative. What is in it for the north?

Mr. Pollard. Ms. Cournoyea.

Just to avoid confusion, Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories has a strategy, policy and paper which has been developed over a number years, the policy of which everyone is aware. At every opportunity when we travel across Canada and attend meetings we continually represent that transportation strategy.

The issue now is what parts of that strategy can we fit into whatever it is that the Prime Minister of Canada is presenting to us, which the Minister of Finance has expressed. We are not quite sure what is in that package that the federal Minister is identifying as being the formula that is going to be used to make those expenditures. As much as possible, we do have a strategy and what we can tap from that strategy to fit into that formula. I think what the Minister of Finance was trying to say is that we are not quite sure what parts we can access taking into consideration that we do have a transportation strategy. Thank you.

That was your final supplementary. Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Pudlat.

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I will get an update on the plans which have been put in place under the Green Plan; which communities have been identified, where the areas are and where the drums are. I will have the Minister of Renewable Resources present a report to the honourable Member.

Supplementary, Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for the answer. Some of the barrels which I am talking about are very close to the communities. There are also barrels which are located quite far away from the communities. Could these barrels also be cleaned up? Thank you.

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I will take this question as notice and present the report. If there are some areas the Member feels are not being addressed they could possibly be incorporated at that time. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to pursue the questions on the transportation strategy and the negotiations with the federal government. I am not sure who to pose the question to, Mr. Speaker. What framework is this government using in these negotiations with the federal government in terms of the transportation strategy?

Mr. Whitford.

Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

I guess this is an issue and a concern. You have had some meetings with western counterparts. I assume you have had some discussion with your federal counterparts on this issue. You must have some kind of strategy development or document which you use as a basis for your negotiations and discussions. All we are asking for is can you provide us with some of that documentation, strategy, or the plans you have?

Mr. Koe, would you pose that as a question?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Sorry. Will the Minister provide to this House some of the documentation, plans or strategy that he uses as a basis of his discussions with his western highways counterparts?