Good afternoon. Orders of the day for Monday, March 9, 1992. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Kakfwi.

Members will join me in welcoming the grade six French immersion class from St. Joseph School.

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Ministers' statement. Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Members' statement. Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I stand today to express the concerns of our fellow Canadians, especially the people in High Arctic, on the decreasing population of the Peary caribou in Arctic communities, on Queen Elizabeth Island. We have known about the decreasing population of the Peary caribou. Without being told by government, the people in the High Arctic started using a conservation method and decided they would not kill a lot of caribou. In the 1960s the caribou were migrating from those islands to other parts. For many years the populations were decreasing, and now they seem to be increasing again in the Arctic Islands. We do not want these caribou to be depleted, so we have agreed up in the northern communities to conserve these caribou.

There have been some surveys done, and now they want to do a survey this spring, in May. I believe May is not an appropriate month to do a survey because the new calves will be born in and around May. They will be using airplanes and helicopters when they are conducting their survey, and they will be affecting these caribou, especially during the birthing periods. We, as Canadians, and the High Arctic people, have agreed to not have this survey conducted during the month of May. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not done but my two minutes are up.

Are you asking for unanimous consent to proceed, Mr. Pudluk?

Yes, if it is okay, I would like unanimous consent.

Are there any nays? There are no nays. Proceed, Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) Thank you, fellow MLAs. This has been a question, especially from the community of Resolute. We are totally against the survey going on in the month of May, because of the conditions when these caribou calves are born. It is quite cold still in the month of May up in the Arctic Islands, and at night some of these calves get very weak. If there was to be a survey done with the airplanes and the helicopters, a lot of calves would go through a hard time with these disturbances.

The people doing the surveys would have to abide by the rules of our people in the communities about the Peary caribou, if we want to protect them and conserve them. If they are just going to be disturbing them, especially at the early stages of their young lives, it will not help with the conservation or increasing their population. I do not want the survey to be done in May. Either before May or after May would be an ideal time.

They have not exactly spoken about their opposition, but they have stated that the month of May is not an appropriate time to do these surveys. This is a big concern today, and we would like to work with these people who will be conducting the surveys and the conservation organizations of these Peary caribou. We would like to work with them and support them so we can reach a common goal. We have not totally opposed them, but I just want to let them know that the time they have stated for the survey is not appropriate. Mr. Speaker, that is the end of my statement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Members' statements. Mr. Arvaluk.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The federal government has been carrying out research to find out whether dump sites and other materials left by US military during the post-war are contaminated with PCBs and other chemicals. They have found no PCB contaminants, and for that reason they may place the Coral Harbour clean-up as a low priority.

One can notice that if the federal government is stating that it will take three millions dollars to clean it up, then I can tell you there is a lot of garbage out there. There are barrels on the shoreline. There are old buildings that they have tried to collapse and they are still standing there; in fact, the old dump site is still very much present.

UMA Engineering Ltd., engineering planners and surveyors of Edmonton, have recommended that since there have been no PCBs found there, the clean-up should be done with the local workers with the available equipment. The community of Coral Harbour has commented that since there is a local contractor with heavy equipment, with qualified operators, the clean-up should be done by them, provided it is done over a five-year period.

Mr. Speaker, I urge this government to strongly recommend to their federal counterparts to initiate the co-ordination and funding for this project as soon as is practical. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Members' statements. Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, May 31st will mark the first anniversary of the opening of the Uqqurmiut Centre for Arts and Crafts in Pangnirtung. This centre is owned and operated by the Uqqurmiut Inuit Artists Association, of which I have the pleasure of being a volunteer board member. Other volunteer board members are: Rose Okpik, the chairperson; Lazalusie Ishulutaq; Josea Maniapik; Ipeelee Alivaktuk; Judy Anilniliak; Geela Keenainak; Joelie Maniapik; Jamasie Mike; and Simon Shaimaiyuk.

The Uqqurmiut Inuit Artists Association was originally founded in 1987 when the community became concerned about the potential closure of our print shop. The association established itself as a corporation without share capital on April 27, 1988, thereby opening the door to accessing government assistance as a not-for-profit community venture. Membership in this unique organization is open to all Inuit artists of Pangnirtung for a nominal fee. The company is owned in common by the artists of Pangnirtung and all proceeds are used to benefit the arts community.

But, Mr. Speaker, Uqqurmiut is far more than just an arts and crafts enterprise. The association's mission is aimed at keeping the traditional and contemporary art of the Eastern Arctic alive. Emphasis is placed on allowing artists not only to participate in, but also to control, the development and marketing of their products.

The association also works to keep our heritage alive through educational programming. This will be the third year that high school students in Pangnirtung will be invited to participate in special programs which teach basic weaving skills.

The association offers regular Saturday workshops for any members of our community who wish to learn traditional artistic techniques, and it has sponsored our young artists to attend Arctic College workshops throughout the Baffin Region.

Ms. Okpik has also represented the North as a delegate to the federal task force on museums and First Peoples. Uqqurmiut has exciting plans for the development of carving, print making and archive facilities within its already successful arts centre...

Ms. Mike, you have exceeded your time limit.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Proceed.

Uqqurmiut has exciting plans for the development of carving, print making and archive facilities within its already successful arts centre. The board will continue to take an active approach to fund-raising to support these new developments. It is my hope that the Government of the Northwest Territories will be able to assume an enabling role in assisting these fund-raising initiatives, rather than hindering the development of this unique organization with bureaucratic regulations. The people of Pangnirtung need and support Uqqurmiut. I trust that the government of the Northwest Territories realizes this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Members' statements. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the past three weeks there has been a great deal of debate in this House regarding the Workers' Compensation Board. Members on this side of the House, myself included, are seriously concerned about that organization and its operation. We have raised many different issues and concerns; issues and concerns that have not been answered satisfactorily.

As most of the Members are aware, I served for eight years on this board before I was elected to the Legislative Assembly. It has recently been brought to my attention that members of this board and staff have been putting together a record of the time I spent travelling on that board, how I voted, what I said, when and where I travelled. I am not sure this information is true, but frankly, it does not surprise me the least bit. I do not know what purpose it serves to do this. Perhaps they hope that I will back off from holding them accountable in decision-making.

However, I want to assure the board, and more importantly, injured workers and Members of this House, I have no intention of refraining from performing my duties in this House. I will continue to question this board to ensure it lives up to its obligations to serve all injured workers in the Northwest Territories. I should think that the board has much better things to do than to dig up my old records. If not, they should perhaps read Hansard for the past three weeks and be reminded of the issues that it could begin working with. I am sure that Members and committees of this House will continue to examine the board and its operations in detail over the next two or three months. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Antoine on February 27, 1992, about the community secretary's position in Jean Marie River. The community secretary position in Jean Marie River is a GNWT staff position. Unfortunately, we have not found a qualified candidate in Jean Marie River. As there is no accommodation in Jean Marie River, this position has not been staffed by an outside candidate. The Department of Public Works has been working with the community to construct a duplex on a lease-back basis for staff housing. It is likely that the unit would be available in the summer of 1993.

The department asked Public Works that consideration be given to temporary accommodation. Economic Development and Tourism officials met with the community March 3, 1992, to put together a proposal for the community's development corporation to purchase a trailer unit and lease it to the government for a staff unit. Depending on approval dates, a trailer could be delivered on the winter road or on the barge. Subject to approval of temporary accommodation, the department could staff the community secretary position in July 1992. In the meantime, the department is assisting the community by funding a works co-ordinator, part-time, in the community, and has hired a clerk in Fort Simpson to maintain their financial records. Thank you.

Returns to oral questions. Oral questions. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board. Mr. Speaker, I believe that there is a definite need to review the existing Workers' Compensation Act, particularly with respect to the provision which grants exclusive jurisdiction to the board. I wrote to the Minister before the beginning of this session with regard to these concerns. It is unfortunate that information from or about the Workers' Compensation Act has still not come. I have no choice but to ask the Minister about the matter today. Could the Minister responsible for the Worker's Compensation Board advise the House whether or not an internal review has been initiated on the Workers' Compensation Act?

Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Patterson.