Good afternoon. Orders of the day for Tuesday, March 3, 1992. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Whitford.

Thank you, Mr. Whitford. Members will join me in welcoming Mr. Louis Pilakapsi, the president of the Keewatin Inuit Association.

---Applause

Ministers' statements. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce appointments to fill two vacancies that presently exist on the Workers' Compensation Board. Mr. Robert Kuptana and Mr. Gordon Wray will assume their positions on the board effective immediately.

Mr. Kuptana, a resident of Sachs Harbour, previously served on the board for several years. At present, he is working as a translator for the Tungavik Federation of Nunavut.

Mr. Wray, a resident of Baker Lake and Yellowknife, is well known in both the business and political sectors of the Northwest Territories. Prior to serving as a Member of this Assembly, he was an active businessman in the Keewatin Region.

Mr. Speaker, I am confident that both of these individuals will prove to be valuable contributors to the operation of the Workers' Compensation Board and I look forward to working with them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise, today, to express my disappointment in the conduct of the Minister of Workers' Compensation Board, who just announced his appointments for the Workers' Compensation Board.

First of all, Mr. Speaker, I want to make it abundantly clear that I am not against the individuals chosen, as I feel that Mr. Wray does have the ability to do the job. However, I do want to indicate the process used for these appointments is not one to be proud of. Mr. Patterson has consulted with only a few Members of this Assembly in determining who should be considered for these appointments. In consultation with many of the Members, it appears that Mr. Patterson has only consulted with the eastern Members of the Assembly, and this convinces me, in regard to the concern that I expressed in this House before, about Mr. Patterson's eastern mentality as a Minister.

Secondly, Mr. Speaker, it is the issue of the motion placed forth in this Assembly that has been totally ignored. On December 12, 1991 this Assembly moved, and I quote: "that the government of the NWT postpone filling membership vacancies in all government-created boards and agencies until after March 31, 1992." Today is only March 3; "and further, that where it is clearly in the public interest to reappoint members of boards and agencies, that these appointments be made for the shortest possible term." Mr. Speaker, the Government Leader's response at the time was, and I quote: "Mr. Chairman, I would like to compliment the committee on its work and its diligent look at the concerns on the many boards and agencies that we have in the NWT. The government has no problem with the recommendations. It compliments the kind of thinking that we have had on some of the requests that have been raised by the general voter of the NWT. "So once again I would like to compliment the committee on their work and suggest that the recommendation be supported." End of quote by the Government Leader.

These appointments certainly are contradictory to the Government Leader's comments in December, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to tell Mr. Patterson that as a Member of this Assembly I am not the least bit impressed with the process you used and with the total ignorance in violating and ignoring this House's recommendations. Thank you.

Members' statements. Mr. Lewis.

Mr. Speaker, I had no difficulty at all in the 11th Assembly in finding many questions to ask in question period in the interests of making this government accountable. The government came into power in the fall of 1987 and we had our main estimates to deal with right away. Within a few weeks the standing committee on finance could get on with its work. It had been prepared by the previous government, but the 11th Assembly dealt with the estimates and the budget was ready very soon past. Mr. Speaker, our government has been in office since November and we are still waiting for the main estimates, and we will not pass our budget until June or July. Until the Minister of Finance makes his budget speech, we will continue to deal with what I consider to be a phantom government. We know nothing about its plans, its policies, or its programs.

In this environment, Mr. Speaker, in my own defence, it is very difficult to know what questions to ask, because we do not know what we are doing. I feel like I am flying through very thick clouds. Mr. Speaker, we have an obligation to make sure that the 13th Assembly, which will meet about four or five years from now, does not have to go through this process. We talk about accountability all the time, Mr. Speaker. To make governments accountable, we have to know what it is trying to do. It is unacceptable that a government be in power for nine months before it shows its face. Thank you.

Members' statements. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome the chairman of the Baffin Divisional Board of Education. He could not leave yesterday, and I would like to recognize the hard work that he has done, and I would like to welcome him, Joe Enook.

---Applause

Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a return to a question asked by Mr. Gargan on February 25, 1992, on the effect of Crown office staff turnover on the appeal of the Paul Quassa case. Mr. Gargan asked whether he could be assured that staff turnover within the office of the Crown will not influence the decision on whether or not there will be an appeal of the Quassa matter.

I am advised that a decision has been made not to appeal the sentence in the Paul Quassa case. I have also been advised that the turnover of personnel within the Crown office has nothing to do with this decision.

In the Northwest Territories, the Attorney General of Canada, and only the Attorney General of Canada, has a role in deciding which cases the Crown will appeal. She is accountable to Parliament alone. Our government has no role in criminal prosecution decisions. Thank you.

Returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Social Services whether or not he is prepared to provide us with the details and the specifics of the items being considered for negotiation with the federal government that he indicated or announced today.

Minister of Social Services, Mr. Whitford.

Please clarify, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The honourable Member indicated today that the Department of Social Services is involved in embarking upon a partnership with the Department of Education in negotiating a five-year agreement with Employment and Immigration Canada and Health and Welfare Canada to enhance employment opportunities.

I want to ask the honourable Member if he could provide this House with at least some general parameters of those negotiations and the types of programs to be included in that particular agreement.

Mr. Whitford.

The question has been taken as notice. Oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board. Can the Minister advise this House as to the length of the appointments of both Mr. Kuptana and Mr. Wray?

Mr. Patterson.