Good afternoon. Item 2, Ministers' Statements. Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I have an emergency statement.

Please proceed, Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, the Honourable James Arvaluk tendered his resignation today for personal reasons. I have accepted his resignation effective immediately.

Thank you, Ms. Cournoyea. Ministers' Statements. Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Members' Statements. Mr. Bernhardt.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know this week the National White Ribbon Campaign represents violence against women. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak on the issue which causes the circle of violence. Mr. Speaker, the statistics, and my own experience, confirm that many of the men who are caught in the circle of violence have been either physically or sexually abused.

Mr. Speaker, I want to make a comment on how society overlooks the help perpetrators or abusers need to break the circle of violence. I would like to call on this government to assist with the development of a program for abusers, so that we can all work to achieve zero violence against women. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Members' Statements. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the provisions of the health transfer agreement and deal with the replacement of the Inuvik Regional Hospital and major renovations to the Baffin Regional Hospital. The

transfer agreement specifies that the Inuvik Regional Hospital will be replaced with a facility which will not result in a decrease in the level of service provided at the time of the transfer. The construction of this hospital is to be cost-shared between the federal government and the Government of the Northwest Territories. Although the agreement also specifies that the Government of the Northwest Territories is not to ask Canada for capital assistance in replacing this facility until 1996-97, the federal government has been contributing over $1 million annually towards their share of the cost for replacement of the Inuvik Regional Hospital and major renovations to the Baffin Regional Hospital, so far that we have an accumulated contribution of over $4 million since the health transfer in 1988.

During the debate on the health transfer, the former Minister and the former deputy minister told the House that a facility would take two years to plan and three years to construct. It was anticipated that a new facility would be open in 10 years, around 1998-99. Mr. Speaker, given this time frame, programming and planning for this facility should begin in 1993-94, using the capital funding already received from the federal government, and construction should begin in 1996-97. This is the first year we can go to the federal government for capital assistance, and hope the new facility will open in 1998-99 as was committed.

Mr. Speaker, I raise this important issue at this particular time because a so-called health facilities review is currently being undertaken by the Department of Health. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to continue my statement.

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

Thank you. Given this review, it is of utmost importance that the government reaffirm its commitment to the people of Inuvik and the surrounding region to replace the hospital in Inuvik within the 10 year time frame indicated in the debate surrounding the health transfer. The people in the Inuvik region will expect this government to honour this commitment. Mahsi.

---Applause

Members' Statements. Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I find that I am becoming increasingly frustrated and concerned with the decisions that are coming out of the so-called justice system. Very recently I learned that a former government employee who pleaded guilty to stealing $271,000 from the Department of Social Services may actually serve less than a year in jail. I refer to the case of Diane Doyle, Mr. Speaker. Evidence before the court indicated that Ms. Doyle's theft was approximately 5.9 per cent of the total social assistance budget for her office.

Ms. Doyle was sentenced to a period of three years' incarceration but could become eligible for supervised day parole in six months. In fact, she is now able to receive regular passes for outings from the Women's Correctional Centre in Fort Smith, where she is presently incarcerated. Mr. Speaker, I find this incredible. This offender stole money that had been set aside to help people who, in the vast majority of cases, had no where else to turn. What is the deterrence of a sentence which punishes this magnitude of theft with less than a year in jail? During the sentencing hearing, it was stated that Ms. Doyle's motives were disgusting. According to the evidence placed before the court, she had been feeling burned out and cynical about the government. Apparently she felt as though her superiors were not listening to her suggestion for change and that her accomplishments were not being appreciated. A psychiatrist report stated that she had got herself into a habit of rewarding herself with presents when she believed she had done a good job. The presents, Mr. Speaker, were the amounts of money which she stole from the Department of Social Services.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that from time to time anyone has the potential to become frustrated or discouraged with their job. What kind of message does the Doyle sentence send to them?

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, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does the court honestly believe that this sentence would deter the next discouraged government employee who is tempted to take advantage of a position of public trust? Mr. Speaker, this is just another example of the fact that the courts are not reflecting the opinions and the values of the people they have been established to serve. I agree totally that the judicial system must be able to operate at arm's length from the Legislative Assembly but at the same time there has to be a better mechanism through which public values can be reflected accurately in court judgements, otherwise justice will not only be blind, she will become out of touch with reality. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Members' Statements. Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek unanimous consent to go back to Ministers' Statements.

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

Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, December 1 is World A.I.D.S. Day. The theme is "A.I.D.S.: Community Commitments". The topic this year is of special interest to us because in the Northwest Territories it is essential for communities to become actively involved in stopping the spread of this fatal disease.

In the Northwest Territories, 21 A.I.D.S. virus infections have been reported since 1987, eight of these have been reported in 1992. There is no doubt that there is A.I.D.S. in the Northwest Territories. Most of the infections have been found in young adult males, but women, children and seniors have been affected. Dene, Inuit and non-native residents have been affected.

A.I.D.S. is nearly always fatal. Six of the 21 reported infected persons already are known to have died. Other deaths may have occurred among those infected persons who left the Northwest Territories.

In addition to the 21 known H.I.V. infections, there are many more people in the N.W.T. who are infected with the A.I.D.S. virus but probably do not know about it. These persons will permit the disease to spread further and faster than in previous years. No community in the N.W.T. is safe from A.I.D.S.

Public education efforts over the past few years have provided most Northwest Territories residents with the basic information about A.I.D.S., but it cannot be restated too often.

The A.I.D.S. virus is not spread by food or water, it is not spread by saliva, sweat, tears, urine, hand shaking, swimming pool water, showers or toilets. A.I.D.S. is spread by unprotected sexual contact and by the sharing of contaminated needles for injection.

Knowing about the disease is not enough. If we are to stop the spread of A.I.D.S. people must know that there is a risk of infection from unprotected sex and adopt sexual practices that will protect them from that virus.

It has become clear that public education has not yet been very successful in changing sexual behavioural patterns. Until it is, our efforts to control the spread of the A.I.D.S. virus will not be effective.

In conclusion, I am very encouraged by the action being initiated by regional boards and community groups. I am also pleased to have the support of the Standing Committee on Finance in placing greater emphasis on an A.I.D.S. Awareness Program this year. In the future, we cannot afford to fail in the effort to control the spread of A.I.D.S. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Cournoyea. Minister statements, Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the following individuals have been recommended by Cabinet for Commissioner in executive council appointments to the Northwest Territories Business Credit Corporation. The B.C.C. board of directors will need people for a three-year term, Mr. Speaker. The individuals are: Mr. Al Woodhouse of Iqaluit; Mr. Jim Schaefer of Fort Smith; and Ms. Alison Wynn Barr of Rankin Inlet.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Mary King of Hay River has been appointed as Chairperson of the Northwest Territories Business Credit Corporation.

In all, five directors of the B.C.C. had terms that expired October 4, 1992. These appointments will fill three of those vacant positions. The remaining two vacancies will be considered by Cabinet in approximately six months' time, to provide continuity to the board.

The last official meeting of the B.C.C. board was held on September 30, 1992. Since that time, applications within the authority of the chairperson have been addressed by the Vice Chairperson, Mrs. Mary King, in accordance with the Northwest Territories Business Credit Corporation Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 2, Ministers' Statements. Item 3, Members' Statements. Item 4, Returns to Oral Questions. Ms. Cournoyea.