Good afternoon. I would like to inform the House that I feel it is fitting for me to make a few brief remarks in the passing of a long-time employee of the Legislative Assembly, Mrs. Alma Cargill.

On January 8, 1992, Alma Cargill passed away at the age of 60 after a battle with cancer. Alma Cargill worked at the Hansard office of the Legislative Assembly for 15 years. She began working at the Hansard office in 1976 and worked there until the spring of 1991. Alma loved her work at the Hansard office and loved being involved with the Legislative Assembly. She never missed an opening of session. She was a loyal and devoted employee and is sadly missed by everyone in the Hansard office and the entire Legislative Assembly.

Alma is survived by her husband, Jim Cargill, an employee of the architectural division of the Department of Public Works, and her two sons, Douglas and Bob. I would like to offer our condolences to Jim and his family.

Orders of the day for Thursday, February 13, 1992. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Ningark.

Mr. Speaker, country foods are essential to traditional and subsistence lifestyles of many NWT residents. The removal of, or lack of confidence in, any part of this valuable resource has serious implications to northern people. The federal-territorial Slave River monitoring program, now into its second year, was established to determine the level of certain contaminants in the fish and water at the NWT-Alberta border.

Data from the analyses of burbot -- sometimes called loche -- livers and walleye, or pickerel, flesh indicate low levels of dioxins, furans and toxaphene in some of the samples. These compounds were also found in fish samples taken from Chitty and Leland Lakes, which are not connected to the Slave River. No contaminants were found in the water, and Health and Welfare Canada concluded that, based on the small amount of contamination found, there is no health risk. The fish are safe to eat at this time.

Mr. Speaker, the specific source of any of these contaminants is not known. They could be originating from many sources, including pulp mills, forest fires, and pesticide applications, and they are transmitted by air and water.

It is essential that we continue to closely monitor the fish and water to determine if contaminant levels are increasing or decreasing. Additional fish were collected over the past two months and have been sent to the lab for analysis. As well, the Slave River program has been expanded to collect even more fish samples over the next few years.

We expect the northern rivers study program, which looks at the cumulative impact of development on the Peace, Athabasca and Slave Rivers, to also collect and sample fish for similar contaminants. Both studies should give Northerners a better idea of the environmental quality throughout the whole basin. Thank you.

Ministers' statements. Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The development of a successful education system is based on a partnership between the home, the school and the community. In the Northwest Territories, this partnership has been strengthened by the efforts of many hard-working and creative teachers, as well as by many community people who are willing to share their time, knowledge and skills with our students.

To recognize outstanding contributions to education in the NWT, the Department of Education has established two awards programs.

The Partners in Education Award of Excellence program is designed to recognize non-teaching school staff, such as custodians, secretaries, teaching aides and bus drivers, we well as elders and other community members who volunteer their time. The Excellence in Teaching Awards program is designed to recognize any certified teacher, principal, vice-principal, classroom assistant, teacher consultant or curriculum staff.

Nominations for the awards are sent to the appropriate divisional board or school district for review. Nominees who meet the selection criteria receive a regional award. The boards then send the nominations of the top three candidates in each category to the Department of Education for consideration by a review committee. This committee recommends nominees who deserve a territorial award.

This year seven volunteers and 11 teachers will receive awards. The winners of the Partners in Education Award at the territorial level are: Corporal Dave Grundy and Darrin Myers of Yellowknife; Lynn Rollin and Joy Suluk of Arviat; Ray Sliney of Resolute Bay; John Tinashlu of Repulse Bay; and Laura Vital of Nahanni Butte.

Winners of the Excellence in Teaching Award at the territorial level are: Charles Lirette of Inuvik; Florence Sliney of Resolute Bay; Mary Aliqatuqtuq of Broughton Island; Jaqueline Beland of Coppermine; Elisapee Karetak and Christine Purse of Arviat; Kate McDermott and Winnie Pibus of Iqaluit; and Heather Nolsoe, Sylvia Seto, and Marnie Sherburne, all of Yellowknife Education District No. 1.

Charles Lirette and Florence Sliney have also been named the NWT recipients of the Marshall McLuhan Distinguished Teacher Award. These are national awards which recognize teachers who show innovation and use new technologies in the classroom. Mr. Lirette's name will be put forward as the Northwest Territories candidate to be considered for the national McLuhan Award.

Mr. Speaker, a good education system is the result of the co-operative efforts of many people. I would like to congratulate the winners of this year's Partners in Education Awards and the Excellence in Teaching Awards, and thank them for contributing to our schools. Thank you.

I would like to welcome to the Assembly today Bertha Allen, commissioner of the Western Constitutional Commission, and Gary Bohnet, the president of the Metis Nation.

---Applause

Ministers' statements. Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Todd.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out against the so-called "Northwest Territories Way" model for health care services proposed in the Strength at Two Levels document. I believe that this model is inadequate, and I am troubled by this government's intent to proceed with the implementation planning without the benefit of adequate public consultation, cost analysis or the involvement of health boards and professional associations.

Health organizations and the public at large from across the Northwest Territories have raised concerns about virtually every aspect of this health care proposal. They lack the confidence in the ability of the Stanton Yellowknife Hospital to function as a regional hospital. They are unwilling to witness the community hospitals being down-sized so that resources can be centralized in Yellowknife. We hear experts say that nurse practitioner models will not work.

In my own constituency, Mr Speaker, people are worried about the recommendation that our sick and elderly people should now have to travel all the way to Yellowknife for medical treatment instead of the long-established resource facilities in Churchill and Winnipeg, thereby doubling the flying time in some cases and increasing the medical risk associated with medevac travel.

The people of the Keewatin will not accept this particular part of the Beatty report. Public groups, aboriginal organizations, regional councils, professional associations and even the government's own advisory and management boards are revealing that they were never consulted when the proposed model was being developed.

Even the NWT Health Care Association, which, in my opinion, is a group that is too heavily influenced by the Stanton Yellowknife Board of Management to properly or dependably represent regional interests, has called on the Minister of Health to delay the implementation of the model until a comprehensive cost analysis can be completed and until the stakeholders in the health system can be adequately consulted. Similar positions have now been taken by the NWT Health Association, by the Keewatin and Deh Cho Regional Councils and by concerned citizens across the North.

Today, Mr. Speaker, I will also be asking the Minister of Health to respect these legitimate concerns and ensure that the implementation of the Beatty report...

Mr. Todd, your time has run out. This is about the seventh Member's statement in a row that has gone over the time limit. I would like to caution Members that the use of unanimous consent too often may indicate that the rules themselves are not adequate. I ask Members to try to respect the two and a half minute time limit. Thank you.

Members' statements. Mr. Lewis.

Members' statements.

Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Dent.

Minister of Economic Development, Mr. Pollard.

We still intend to participate at the exposition in Seville this year, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, if we had cut and run two weeks ago, our exposure would have been $2.5 million, not counting any suits that might have been brought against us by people that we have been dealing with. Our exposure to run the facility for the entire time that the exposition is going to be on, some five months, is $4.5 million, Mr. Speaker; that is if nobody buys anything. Thank you.

Second supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, the figures provided to me are the best that can be provided. I will be responsible for those numbers, Mr. Speaker.

Final supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Mr. Pollard.