Good afternoon. Item 2, Ministers' Statements. Mr. Kakfwi.

Ministers' Statements. Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to provide the Members of this House with copies of a new health careers book for grade eight to twelve students. The publication gives basic information on health career planning and features northerners who have succeeded as health professionals. It will be introduced into the Northwest Territories schools this month.

Other components of the department's health career promotion program include; colouring books for kindergarten to grade four students, a summer program for grade nine students, and a health career feature on the popular T.V.N.C. program "The Tube". A Northwest Territories training program for registered nurses is also being planned, predominantly for aboriginal students. Thank you.

Ministers' Statements. Mr. Allooloo.

Mr. Speaker, last week I attended the fall meeting of the Atlantic Council of Fisheries Ministers. We discussed the declining groundfish stocks in the Saint Lawrence Gulf and south of Newfoundland, and the potential impact of grey and harp seals on these fish.

As quotas for southern groundfish stocks decline, fishermen will look elsewhere for places to fish. In the north, our fishery is just starting. I emphasized to the federal government that northern groundfish quotas and licences should not be increased until we know the size and sustainable harvest levels of our northern fish stocks.

Since the market for sealskins declined, seal populations have been increasing. Many Baffin residents are worried about the increase of harp seals. In the Maritimes, Atlantic grey seals are becoming infested with parasites. The Ministers agreed to establish a working committee to make recommendations on the problems. The first meeting will be in January.

Mr. Speaker, I believe it is important to participate at these meetings. In this way, we can ensure that northern concerns are heard and that our needs are reflected in decisions. Thank you.

Ministers' Statements. I would like recognize in the gallery the grade six French immersion students from J.H. Sissons Elementary School, and their instructor, Madeline Fortien.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' Statements.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Christmas is just around the corner. The Christmas holiday is a time to reflect upon special gifts, a time to be generous, a time for peace, a time for friendship, a time when one hears the laughter of joy.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the patients at the Stanton Yellowknife Hospital and on behalf of the students who have been educated through the Sir John Franklin High School, and the St. Patrick's High School, I would like to say a very special thank you to Yellowknife for providing those needs. Thank you.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Members for supporting the passage of Bill 9 on Friday to allow for the manufacture of beer in the Northwest Territories. Working on this bill has not been easy. I first started working on the bill in the previous Assembly as a follow-up to the Special Committee on Northern Economy's report. I believed a small manufacturing plant could replace imported beer, which after all is more than 99 per cent water. We have an abundance of water in the Northwest Territories of excellent quality. We even have very large areas of the Northwest Territories where high quality barley could be grown. Only hops and yeast and a few other ingredients, which are cheap to transport, would need to be imported.

What is needed, however, Mr. Speaker, is a provision whereby the Liquor Commission could establish a lower pricing regime for this northern product. This would result in a slight lowering of revenue for the commission. It would be consistent with our business incentive programs so that northern manufacturers could get a break. This also could be an initiative of our own to signal to the rest of Canada that we need to establish a base for our manufacturing with some form of protection. I would also thank my counsel, Virginia Schuler, for her work, and for the assistance given to me by the staff of the Department of Justice and the Department of Safety and Public Services. Lastly, I would like to thank Mr. Arngna'naaq, the Members of the Standing Committee on Legislation and staff, for their useful suggestions and advice. Thank you.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to stand up today to make a Member's statement in support of the school to be built in Apex in Iqaluit. We all support the system of education as Members. We just heard that the school burned down in Apex. I would like to encourage all the Members of the Legislative Assembly to support the building of the school in Apex as soon as possible. The Members of the east and the west are in a position to support the education system. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Item 3, Members' Statements. Item 4, Returns to Oral Questions. Item 5, Oral Questions. Item 6, Written Questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a written question for the acting Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister please table the following information in the Legislative Assembly?

1. The application for funds submitted to the Workers' Compensation Board by the N.W.T. Federation of Labour to carry out a study for workers' compensation.

2. Copies of all policies, payments, directives, or other financial management instruments developed by the board regarding disbursements of funds made under the subsection 58(2) of the Workers' Compensation Act.

3. A copy of the contribution agreement contract or other undertakings arrived at between the Federation of Labour and the Workers' Compensation Board respecting the terms under which money was provided for this initiative.

4. Copies of any correspondence from the Workers' Compensation Board to the Federation of Labour which specify the board's expectations regarding;

(a) the purpose of which the funds were granted;

(b) accounting and audit requirements respecting the use of these funds;

(c) procedures for the recovery of any unspent surplus funds;

(d) the time period during which the project was to be carried out; and (e) the requirements for the development of a report for other products to be prepared within the funds provided.

5. A listing of the contact people at the Federation of Labour who were involved in this funding application. This should include the names specified on the original funding proposal as well as all names on any correspondence or documentation subsequently received from the Federation of Labour in connection with this project.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 6, Written Questions. Item 7, Returns to Written Questions. Mr. Clerk.

Mr. Speaker, I have Return to Written Question 11-12(3), asked by Mr. Patterson to the Minister responsible for Education, Culture, and Employment Programs, concerning the statistics on in-service training person years.

G.N.W.T. In-service training person years are made available through the Public Service Career Training Program (P.S.C.T.P.) and the G.N.W.T. In-service Apprenticeship Program.

Public Service Career Training Program (Fulltime Program) Description

The Public Career Training Program provides salaried trainee positions to train affirmative action candidates for permanent officer and management level target positions with G.N.W.T. departments, boards and agencies. It provides training, counselling, monitoring and administrative support for the development and delivery of individualized training programs of up to 3 years duration. Training programs include a combination of on-the-job training provided by an employee of the applying department, board or agency and specialized short courses of up to six weeks in length.

The number of trainee positions provided to each region is based on the percentage of the total number of public service employees that are in each region (headquarters region includes Rae-Edzo). Other determining factors include the objective of allocating at least one new position to each region. Regional Trainee PY Allocation Committees, which include the regional director, regional superintendent of advanced education and regional superintendent of Personnel, allocate available trainee positions each February. Approximately 70 trainees are supported during a fiscal year, with over 95 per cent native participation. There were 48 trainee positions being supported as of November 30, 1992. There will be an additional 22 trainee positions available for 1993-94 at the February 15, 1993, application deadline.

G.N.W.T. In-Service Apprenticeship Program Description

The G.N.W.T. In-Service Apprenticeship Program administers in-service training for approximately 55 long-term northerners leading to certification at the journeyman level. Training is provided through work experience within G.N.W.T. departments such as Public Works and Transportation, and through annual attendance at institutional apprenticeship courses. The program has over 90 per cent native participation.

Available apprenticeship positions are allocated at the beginning of the fiscal year and during the year as positions become available. Allocations take into account priority occupations and the training capability of the department requesting the position. A waiting list is established for requests that cannot be accommodated.

The number of requests received and positions allocated per region is affected by the number of G.N.W.T. journeyman positions in the region and suitability of workplaces and workloads to accommodate new apprentices.

The list of the apprentices being supported at November 30, 1992 is attached.

Item 7, Returns to Written Questions. Item 8, Replies to Opening Address. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was arranging some notes. I appreciate that you recognized me. I have been very quiet this year, Mr. Speaker. It has given my constituents some concern since I had plenty to say during the 11th Assembly when you were a Member of this Cabinet. For four years, I used every conceivable place on the order paper to raise issues of concern to the people who elected me. One criticism I heard time and time again during the 11th Assembly from my colleagues in the Cabinet and outside of it was I talk too much. My constituents told me, on the other hand, that I did not talk enough, so I have had to compromise. At least I am here every day, and I do make some contribution from time to time. I was also told by several of my constituents that my publication, the Blade, which was used as a means of keeping in touch with my constituents, was too light-hearted and frivolous. I needed to bring weightier matters to their attention.

There are sometimes bizarre and unusual goings-on that take place in this Legislative Assembly. If I had wished, I could have published some hilarious issues in the Blade this year, Mr. Speaker, but I resisted. It has been an unusual year. It has also been the most painful of all the years I have spent in the Northwest Territories. I represent the people of Yellowknife Centre, which is an incredible mixture of people, both aboriginal and non-aboriginal. There are wealthy people who live in penthouse suites in detached homes on beautifully landscaped lots. There are single people who live in single rooms at the Gold Range with a bathroom down the hall. There are old people who have lived here all their lives and who have paid their dues, and they live at the Avens Seniors' Centre or the Mary Murphy Centre.

There are homeless people who stay at the Salvation Army. There are other homeless people who sleep in any warm doorway they can find. There are many kinds of settlers in this community, Mr. Speaker; people like myself who came to this country, were fascinated by it, raised a family, and have felt part of something very important and very special. I feel it has all been very worthwhile, a life well-spent, beginning on Baffin Island and ending up thirty years later here in the capital city. The soul of this community, however, is not government or bureaucracies. The soul of this community is mining. I grew up with mining people. They are tough, resilient people with a big sense of community and comradeship shared by all men who work under difficult and dangerous conditions. My father often told me, "you will not like it underground, son. You will meet great people down there. You will make great friends, but the roof is very heavy and there are no windows." It seems to me ironic, Mr. Speaker, that in the year that we see the destruction of the Miner's Mess at the Yellowknife Inn, we feel chaos in the mining industry which was its inspiration.

Forever etched in our memory will be the most devastating mining disaster in our history. People whose roots go back to the 1930s and 1940s and the early shacks of a gold mining town, feel that there is an industry in danger of collapsing around them. As an elected person, I have never felt so weak and so helpless in all my life. We see around us only a glimpse of what lies ahead for us as a society.

What lies ahead for the people of the Northwest Territories are problems which can only be solved by tremendous courage, intelligence and an incredible amount of hard work and dedication. What I see on the other side of this House is a handful of people working very hard but with no sense of where the people want to go. I have no doubt we have a hard working Premier. I have watched events unfold throughout the year with a sense of dread and frustration, Mr. Speaker. While much of our labour force in the mining industry is on the ropes doing its best to defend itself, our government finds itself in an almost identical position.

From what I was able to learn this weekend, the public has lost confidence in the system by which it is governed. Over the weekend, I heard the following comments:

-We should ask the federal government to step in and take it over;

-There should be an immediate general election so we can turf the whole lot of you out;

-We should start a petition so that people can really express their opinion;

-This government should go into receivership like anything else that goes belly up.

I have been quiet a long time, Mr. Speaker. The survival of public government has been my passion and my main reason for remaining in politics. The government we now have is the one we have claimed to be proud of for so long. We no longer have executive government, Mr. Speaker, what we have is consensus government, and what a nightmare it is. The Executive is just one more committee whose Members are paid a substantial amount of money to be held hostage to the majority where the most powerful and the most threatening within that majority decide which Minister should have the next week of sleepless nights.

My friend, John Ningark, summed things up best last week when he said, "our problem could be summed up in three sentences: 1) There are people like myself who are happy to serve in any way they can; 2) There are people within the Cabinet just renting space and I am not sure for how long; 3) There are others just waiting anxiously to move in as soon as a space becomes vacant."

In the 11th Assembly, we saw the need to organize ourselves as ordinary Members so that we could hold government accountable by working together. This had never happened before. There was never any feeling among this group of ordinary Members which we call Ajautit, which means to push people, that we were a government-in-waiting. We were not there to topple people over and then bet on which way they were going to fall. It simply organized itself so that we could get good government, and many of you remember that.

The 12th Assembly has seen the Ordinary Members' Committee and the Standing Committee on Finance bring the Executive Council to a complete standstill. It is no longer a matter of working to make government accountable; it is a matter of engaging in a power struggle day after day after day. There are people fighting for turf and others defending their turf.

This is supposed to be the best of all possible models of government, at least that is what we tell the rest of the country, since everyone is involved in decision making and in sharing power. Unfortunately, as everyone plainly sees, it just spells chaos. Public confidence in what we do here is rapidly disappearing. Some people believe that there is an intentional undermining of public government so that there can be a new beginning for aboriginal people. There is a strong belief that there are native people who are intent on destroying public government from the inside. By far, the majority of people I have talked to, however, believe that we are incapable of governing ourselves; aboriginal and non-aboriginal people alike.

This Assembly is only a year old, Mr. Speaker. Already, many of my constituents are sick of it. People want order in their lives. The city is in a mood of deep anxiety. The public service is demoralized. The private sector is in bad shape. Mining faces a very uncertain future.

I was not fully aware of the depth of this feeling, Mr. Speaker, until I talked with several Yellowknifers on Saturday morning. I completely lost my voice by this time and did a lot of listening. This seems to have come a long way from being a response to the Commissioner's Address, Mr. Speaker, but the Commissioner lives on my street and I know he likes his addresses, no matter how short, to be replied to.

It would be my proposal, Mr. Speaker, that Mr. Ballantyne, Mr. Dent and myself be nominated from the floor on Wednesday so that Yellowknifers can at least witness, one more time, that they are correct in feeling the way they do about what they thought was their government.

I am not going to go around soliciting anybody's nomination or anybody's vote. I am talking about one quarter of the people in the Northwest Territories. People are angry and frustrated.

To end on a humorous note, Mr. Speaker, which I will try to do and I hope you will appreciate it, I could offer Ms. Cournoyea to join our Cabinet for a salary of $1 a year which she could pay me out of her own pocket. I could also give her my undated letter of completely unconditional discharge. For any western Members still breathing like a furnace to take up one of the seats of the not-so-mighty, she could then offer them my seat at the same salary. I cannot think of a more imaginative solution to the current power struggle to which I can see no end.

Mr. Speaker, for the sake of my constituents, I should also give one more explanation of why I have talked little during the past month.

A year ago, I undertook to work, once again, on a private Member's bill enabling breweries to be established in the Northwest Territories. I wanted to work on some practical project which could lead to the development of a small, environmentally friendly industry in the north. I did it because I believed it could attract investment, create jobs, and lead to a distinctive northern product.

To guide a private Member's bill through this Assembly is time-consuming and requires a lot of patience. It also means that I have to be kind and full of good will to all my colleagues. I do not know if it is un-parliamentary to say this, Mr. Speaker, but it is not my style to kiss anybody's backside for anything. Being quiet and full of good will is the closest I could get to it. I would like to thank the Members for allowing Bill 9 to proceed, for I believe that it leads to the further reduction of our dependence on our imported products.

Meanwhile, the public awaits with great cynicism the next chapter in our evolution. I hope after this week I will no longer be hearing words like "Mickey Mouse outfit", "Disney Land", "Demolition Derby Politics", or "Kamikazi Assembly". Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 8, Replies to Opening Address. Item 9, Petitions. Item 10, Reports of Standing and Special Committees. Item 11, Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills. Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Legislation has reviewed Bill 2 and Bill 7 and wishes to report that Bill 2 and Bill 7 are now ready for the Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Pursuant to rule 66(3), Bill 2 and Bill 7 are ordered into the Committee of the Whole. Item 11, Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills. Item 12, Tabling of Documents. Mr. Kakfwi.

Item 12, Tabling of Documents. Item 13, Notices of Motion. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Wednesday, December 9, 1992 I shall move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Iqaluit, that this Legislative Assembly recommend to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories that Rebecca Mike, the Member for Baffin Central and John Todd, the Member for Keewatin Central, be appointed to the Executive Council Cabinet.

Item 13, Notices of Motion. Item 14, Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills. Item 15, Motions. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion regarding the appointments to fill the vacancies on the Executive Council Cabinet.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS, section 55(1) of the Legislative Assembly Executive Council Act requires that there should be an Executive Council of the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS, vacancies exist on the Executive Council due to the resignation of Mr. Arvaluk, the Member for Aivilik, and Mr. Patterson, the Member for Iqaluit;

AND WHEREAS, it is desirable to fill these vacancies;

AND WHEREAS, Members of the Executive Council are appointed by the Commissioner on the recommendation of this Assembly;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Iqaluit, that this Legislative Assembly recommend to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories that Rebecca Mike, the Member for Baffin Central and John Todd, the Member for Keewatin Central, be appointed to the Executive Council Cabinet.

The motion is in order, Mr. Nerysoo. To the motion, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had not intended to speak at great length on this motion, in fact I had not thought of speaking to this motion at all.

However, I did want to indicate to both Members, Mr. Todd who served so well as the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Finance, despite the fact that many may suggest his responsibility was one that challenged the responsibility of the Cabinet. In my view it was his responsibility to do so, as a result of the direction received by the Members who were in his committee. I also wanted to say how thankful we are, at least on this side of the House, for the work and commitment he made to the ordinary Members. I believe that no matter where Mr. Todd sits or Ms. Mike sits, they will receive the support of the Members on the consensus approach.

I hope neither Member will forget how important it was for all of us to reach a consensus, to listen to the interest, the needs and the concerns of every Member, no matter what constituency that Member came from and I believe that it is only fair that as you go across to sit on Cabinet, you reflect upon the consensus building that was apparent, in the committees in which you worked, and in the ordinary Members. You can be assured that if that consensus remains and your willingness to work with us is apparent you will receive the support of every Member on this side of the House. Despite the fact that we may not always agree with your initiatives, we will always defend your ability, whenever it is convenient or necessary as a result of constructive consolidation with all Members of this Assembly.

---Applause

Is there a seconder to the motion? Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to second this motion and sincerely wish the Members-to-be of Cabinet every success in the challenges ahead. I think I am qualified to say that serving as a Member of the Executive Council is a difficult job at the best of times. As our former colleague, Mr. Butters, used to say, "the easy decisions are made before they get to the Cabinet table; it is the tough ones that come to the Minister's desk and to Cabinet." It is a difficult job, and I think it is an especially difficult job in these difficult times that we are facing in the Northwest Territories. I know that all the Members will give these new Executive Council Members their support and understanding. I do sincerely hope that they will operate, along with the change that will be contemplated later this week, in a new and better climate of cooperation.

Mr. Todd and Ms. Mike have energy, enthusiasm, experience and skills to bring to the Cabinet table, and I wish them every success. Qujannamiik.

---Applause

To the motion.

Question.

Question has been called. Mr. Nerysoo, you have the opportunity to conclude the debate. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

---Applause

Item 16, First Reading of Bills. Mr. Allooloo.

We have a copy of Bill 15 today, Mr. Allooloo. The motion is in order. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 15 has had first reading. Item 17, Second Reading of Bills. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River, that Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Act, be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill would amend the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Act to provide that the affairs of the corporation be conducted by the president in accordance with the directions of the Minister instead of by the board of directors, and to remove reference to the board of directors. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question.

Question is being called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 3 has had second reading. Accordingly, the bill stands referred to the Committee of the Whole. Item 17, Second Reading of Bills. Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek consent to proceed with Bill 15 for second reading.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River, that Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Wildlife Act, be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill would amend the Wildlife Act to remove the requirement for a reindeer reserve caribou licence in order to hunt caribou on that reserve except in the proportion of the reserve within the Gwich'in settlement area. Thank you.

Mr. Allooloo. Your motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 15 has had second reading. Accordingly, the bill stands referred to a committee. Item 17, Second Reading of Bills. Item 18, Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters: Tabled Document 2-12(3), "The Justice House" Report of the Special Advisor on Gender Equality; Committee Report 1-12(3), Standing Committee on Finance Report on the Review of the 1993-94 Capital Estimates; Committee Report 3-12(3), Final Report of the Special Committee on Constitutional Reform; Committee Report 4-12(3), Report on the Review of the 1993-94 Capital Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation; Bill 1, Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1993-94; Bill 10, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act; Bill 13, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4, 1991-92; Bill 14, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 1992-93; Appearance of the Languages Commissioner. Mr. Nerysoo, you are in the Chair.

Thank you. If I could call the committee to order. We were dealing with Bill 1, Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1993-94 and Committee Report 4-12(3), Report on the Review of the 1993-94 Capital Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. We were also dealing with Committee Report 1-12(3), Standing Committee on Finance Report on the Review of the 1993-94 Capital Estimates. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Antoine.

Mr. Chairman, let us deal with Committee Report 4-12(3), Report on the Review of the 1993-94 Capital Estimates for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Thank you.

I believe, Mr. Antoine, we had concluded all the matters relating to that particular report and had concluded all the recommendations. Is it the wish of the committee that we deal with Bill 1 and get into detail? Comments, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

I have some general comments, Mr. Nerysoo. I believe the committee wanted to do Bill 1 to go into the details of the N.W.T. Housing Corporation Capital Estimates.

Thank you. Is it agreed that we deal with this in detail?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Northwest Territories Housing Corporation

Bill 1. General comments, page 3-10. Are there any general comments? Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

General Comments

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I made most of my general comments to the Minister before he appeared in front of the Standing Committee on Finance. However, I did want to confirm with the Minister some of the concerns with regard to his current strategy. It is not a concern, but a clarification that most of the intent of the corporation now is to look at housing in the north through a H.A.P. program. I believe the modified H.A.P. program has received a lot of compliments. I want to compliment the Minister for putting all the work and effort into redesigning that program, which would make it easier and more accessible to the people of the north.

However, at the same time, I am concerned that we may be placing too much of our effort into the remodified H.A.P. program and may, at some point in time, lose sight of the public housing needs in the communities. Regardless of the survey unit that he initiated in which people had indicated they would like to own their own home, I hope that the Minister is cognizant of the fact that public housing is needed and that the units should be made available to the communities that request them. I wanted to make him aware that, in as much as we want to build H.A.P. units across the territories, there are some communities that will need public housing. We are fortunate in our community that we can use the rent supp program in lieu of the public housing units, but there are many communities across the north that would not be able to take advantage of that. They still need public units. I hope not all housing dollars allocated will go into just total H.A.P. units and that we will keep some for other programs to be made available.

Mr. Chairman, my comments are mainly to commend the Minister on changing the H.A.P. program to make it more easily accessible to the people of the north. I believe the hard work that he has put into this has come into fruition. I look forward to looking at the program in the next year to see what areas that have to be still worked on to ensure that this program is delivered effectively. I am pleased that we are getting a lot more units in totality for the dollars that we are spending. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank the Member for the concerns she raised. We will take a look at it. This year, our programs are 50 per cent access and

50 per cent public units, whether they be rent supp or public. I fully understand that public housing is still needed in all the communities. We will just keep working to try to solve that need. I have told the Members already that if we work with and consult with the communities on the allocations, possibly we can work something out if it is needed between communities, as long as we keep the same number of units. Thank you.

Thank you. General comments. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I agree with my colleague the Member for Thebacha. We appreciate the fact, Mr. Chairman, that this program in your introduction makes it easier for people who do not have the time to build their own home because the N.W.T. Housing Association is able to build those homes and turn them over to the people who want to take advantage of the program.

By the same token, Mr. Chairman, I think we should not lose sight of the social housing needs of the people who, in my mind, are disadvantaged. When I say disadvantaged, I am talking about the people who are getting older but who are not yet eligible for senior citizens' homes and people who are middle-aged but are disadvantaged through some physical inability to build their own homes.

There are many people who want to build their own homes, and to own their own homes, but there are equally as many people who are not sure if they want to own their own home, because some people are a little more daring than others. In that sense, Mr. Speaker, I think we should not forget the people who need the public units. I agree 100 per cent with the Member for Thebacha. I also would like to commend the Minister of D.P.W. and N.W.T. Housing Corporation for taking the risk in introducing the new program which ordinary Members have been concerned about. I think, Mr. Chairman, that the Minister did the right thing by introducing the program at this time to make it more accessible to the people within this jurisdiction. Thank you.

Thank you. Any other general comments? Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The two major concerns people have had with the old H.A.P. program is just what the Member has referred to. It is the inability to have time off work to build, or they do not have the skills to build. So I think we have come a long way in adjusting that issue, as well as too low or too high of an income. Those are the major problems. I think we have come a long way to address those issues. We are still looking for communities' input and advice on how to make the programs better yet. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Any other general comments? Mr. Gargan.

Mr. Chairman, I just have one problem I would like to make the Minister aware of. This fall, Mr. Chairman, several public houses were completed and were ready for occupancy and, during the selection process, some people in my own constituency were not too happy with the people who were getting it and members serving on that board did not declare whether or not they had a conflict of interest. It ended up that perhaps some allocations were questionable and Mr. Brian Hiebert was going to redo the point system; he was going to look at it again and see if there was some conflict there.

I just wanted to let you know because I think we still have problems with regard to people sitting on the board who look more towards their immediate families or relatives for those allocations. I think it should be clear to the Members that we should have someone from the band or the hamlet in the communities when the selection process is on, or even allow the bands or the hamlets to look at the list based on the priorities and points so that they will know who should be eligible. Even before hand, we could question whether or not the point system is actually accurate towards those individuals. I would like you to look into that. Again, I know that you have done a good job with regard to the H.A.P. allocations, but I hope we do not lose sight of public housing for people who cannot afford a house, and I am looking at single parents and young people who have just a small family. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have to do everything possible for those that can afford it and those who are willing to get into home ownership. For those that cannot afford it; young people or older people, whoever they are, we have to try to make as many public units available as possible. One way of doing that is freeing up the units from those that can afford to move out and move into their own homes. I have the same concern as the Member does about the housing authorities. The whole issue of housing authorities, the societies, is the next thing we are going to start working on. We are going to try to redo the rental program so that it is fairly spread out across the Northwest Territories. We should be able to report back to this Assembly by the spring on those two issues.

If you have band people in the community, they should belong to the housing authority, the Metis should belong to the housing authority as well as the local council. Those are the key players, so they should all have equal representation on that authority, and it will happen. Thank you.

Thank you. Any other general comments? Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess Mr. Gargan and I came from the same background; from the small communities where the potential for favouritism is very high. All we want is fair management of the program with no favouritism coming from the members who are in charge of determining who should get the homes under the program. There should be nothing based on family ties. I think whoever is giving out the points should, at any time, declare a conflict of interest where he or she seems to be in that position. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I agree 100 per cent with the Member and that is the reason we are going

to look at the housing authorities and we are going to make sure that everybody understands the rules they have to work under. We will make it as simple and clear, the same as conflict guidelines, as simple and as clear as possible. Thank you.

Thank you. Any other general comments. It is agreed that we go into detail?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. I just wanted to remind Members that there are new inserts as a result of some of the changes. Detail of capital, N.W.T. Housing Contributions, North Slave, total region $6.321 million. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. South Slave, total region $4.631 million. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Western Arctic, total region $7.011 million. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Baffin, total region $5.060 million. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Keewatin, total region $3.383 million. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Kitikmeot, total region $4.544 million. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Total contributions $30.950 million. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Total activity $30.950 million. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Program Summary, information item, total capital expenditures $30.950 million. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Does the committee agree that this concludes the Housing Corporation? Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank the Members for passing this budget and I would like to thank the Housing Corporation staff for working on it. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Does the committee agree that the detail to Bill 1 is concluded? Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Prior to proceeding with Bill 1, I would like to ask the Standing Committee on Finance if it has any other matters that it wants to deal with in its reports? Mr. Dent.

I believe that there are amendments to the total dollar figures. We will deal with that in Bill 1, when we get to the conclusion.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Concerning Bill 1, I have two committee comments that I would like to make. The first one is on the Workers' Compensation Board. Mr. Chairman, every year the Standing Committee on Finance recommends and the Legislative

Assembly passes a motion that the Workers' Compensation Board provide its capital and main estimates at the same time as the government to facilitate their review. Every year the Workers' Compensation Board fails to provide this budget at the same time as the government. If they have difficulty meeting these simple requests, it gives us concern about the rest of the operation. The committee once again requests that the capital and the main estimates of the Workers' Compensation Board be provided to the committee at the same time as the department in order to facilitate our review.

Finally Mr. Chairman, I have the committee's comments on the work of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. Every year the Standing Committee on Finance recommends and the Legislative Assembly passes a motion that the Northwest Territories Power Corporation provide its capital and its main estimates at the same time as the government to facilitate the review. Every year the government says that this will happen, and every year the Power Corporation fails to provide its budget at the same time as the government. If they have difficulty then we have some concerns about it. As we have recommended in earlier reports, the committee would like the capital and the main estimates of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation to be provided at the same time as the department noted to facilitate our review.

That is all, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Thank you. I believe those matters were raised in Committee Report 1-12(2). Does the committee agree that we have concluded Committee Report 1-12(3) and Committee Report 4-12(3)? Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Does the committee agree that we go into a clause by clause discussion of Bill 1? Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. We will deal with Bill 1, Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1993-94. Are there any general comments?

Clause by clause.

Clause By Clause

Clause by clause? Thank you. Clause 1. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Clause 2. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Clause 3. Agreed? Mr. Dent.