Members' statements. Ms. Mike.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am going to be talking about the Cumberland Sound fish harvest. The fishing industry is becoming an area of great economic importance for the Baffin Region. There are two fisheries in Pangnirtung which launch their winter fish harvest from Cumberland Sound. I am very pleased to inform the House that the harvest this winter was a successful one overall. As of early June, P and L Services had reported a harvest of 475,000 pounds of fish from Cumberland Sound, and the Cumberland Sound Fisheries had reported 504,000 pounds. This is a total catch of 979,000 pounds. The large majority of the fish harvest was turbot or Greenland halibut, although there was some char caught as well. This is over 600,000 pounds more fish than was caught last year, and we

are still below our quota.

Mr. Speaker, this catch means that approximately $550,000 was paid to 115 fishermen for their labour in Cumberland Sound. This is employment for local people that did not exist six years ago. Virtually all the turbot was shipped to markets in southern Canada and the United States. Industry-related income to the Pangnirtung area, including prices paid to fishermen, wages and use of local aircraft services, has been estimated in a range of $800,000.

Mr. Speaker, this is money that is now in Pangnirtung that was not there six years ago, and this is money that is coming from the South because of the vision and hard work of Pangnirtung residents. Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the efforts and achievements of the people of Baffin Island.

Ms. Mike.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to complete my Member's statement.

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

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am proud of the efforts and achievements of the people of Baffin Island. I also feel that the fisheries industry is one that has great potential for our region. It has not been many years since we first took a look at the commercial fishing possibilities, and there is still room for unbelievable growth. The government must ensure that our efforts to expand this productive industry are supported in every way possible. Thank you.

--- Applause

Members' statements. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to rise today and make my Member's statement. Mr. Speaker, I would like to make the Members of the Legislative Assembly aware that the Bourassa government and Quebec Hydro remain committed to the construction of a massive hydro power project near Great Whale River. The scope of this project is overwhelming, Mr. Speaker. The airstrip, the roadway to be built, and miles and miles of territory to be flooded, will affect the land, animals, birds and fish of the region forever. Mr. Speaker, if they are going to be building roads, the roadways in Northern Quebec will undoubtedly lead to the introduction of unwanted social influences. I would like the Members to be aware that the environment and the way of life of the people will be destroyed forever. I think all the Members are aware that we should not be destroying our environment, and there might be some diseases that are coming up our food chain if there is going to be a massive project of this kind. If Hydro Quebec goes ahead, the bird sanctuaries and all the wildlife habitats will be destroyed, and I know there are going to be a lot of contaminants that flow through this river and...

Your allotted time has expired. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Mr. Speaker, I would like unanimous consent to proceed with my Member's statement.

There is a request for consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Proceed, Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Members and Mr. Speaker. Some of the committees I represent could not get a representation in the assessment panels. We have not been allowed sufficient time to do technical submissions. More funding is required to allow NWT committees to prepare presentations to the environment assessment committees. It is not just Sanikiluaq people; It is also the people from the other areas of Nunavut that have to be involved in the assessment review panels.

There could be diseases that come from contaminants in this area, and also there are going to be a lot of social problems that are going to be coming to the North if this project goes ahead. There are many things that could be damaged permanently, and I would like the Members of the Assembly to be aware of them. Thank you for letting me finish my Member's statement.

Members' statements. Mr. Koe.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to say a few words about literacy and the Northwest Territories Literacy Council. Many people in the Northwest Territories cannot read and write. Statistics show that illiteracy rates are highest in the smaller communities, and especially among the aboriginal people.

As we move to develop institutions that would give people greater control over their communities, it is critical to have a literate population. We need literate people to work for local governments and the justice system and to administer land claims. We also need people who can read and write about what is going on, so they can participate in and influence decision-making. Achieving a literate society is a tremendous task.

In 1990, the NWT Literacy Council was established to promote literacy in the Northwest Territories in all aboriginal and official languages. In May, I had the pleasure of attending the

conference and annual general meeting of the council, which was held in Inuvik. For the past two years, the council has been funding community-based literacy projects. It has also produced several promotional items, including brochures, T-shirts, posters and a display stand. In the coming year, the council will continue to produce promotional items, publish a newsletter, and put together a resource kit to assist organizations in implementing community literacy projects.

The council has declared October 9 as NWT Literacy Day. The council will be organizing a reading challenge and a writing contest for this event. The work of the council has been done primarily on a voluntary basis. A part-time worker has assisted with the administration of the council's business. The literacy office of advanced education has also provided administrative assistance. I understand the council will be submitting a proposal for funding for staff positions, and I hope this is supported. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to recognize the valuable contribution the literacy council is making to the Northwest Territories. Mahsi.

--- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Koe. That was one of the closest ones we had to two and a half minutes today. Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Nerysoo on June 16 regarding the executive secretary at the Inuvik Regional Health Board. An advertisement had been placed in a southern Canadian newspaper in an effort to recruit an executive secretary for the Inuvik Regional Health Board.

The chief executive officer of the board advises that before seeking candidates from outside the Northwest Territories, two attempts were made through local advertising to recruit an executive secretary. A renewed effort will be made to find a qualified local candidate, or one who might, through on-the-job training, acquire the necessary skills.

The department supports the decision of the board's chief executive officer to recruit or train a local NWT resident for the executive secretary position.

I also have a reply to an oral question asked by Mr. Gargan on June 18 regarding the number of abortions performed in the Northwest Territories. In response to this question by Mr. Gargan on March 30, 1992, 1 gave the following return on April 2, 1992: The former Minister of Health was asked the number of abortions performed per year in the NWT and whether the NWT abortion rate is the highest in Canada.

The number of abortions reported for NWT women during 1990 was 335; 255 of these procedures were performed in the NWT, all of them at Stanton Yellowknife Hospital.

The most current available data for other Canadian jurisdictions are for the calendar year 1989. During 1989, 261 abortions were performed for NWT women. This represents 17.6 per cent of the number of NWT live births during 1989. The comparable figure for Canada as a whole is 18 per cent. Rates higher than those in the NWT were: Yukon, 28.3 per cent; British Columbia 25.4 per cent; Ontario 21.8 per cent Thank you.

Returns to oral questions. Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mrs. Marie-Jewell on June 19, 1992, concerning the difference between proposal call and tender call. The advertisement in News North on Monday, May 25, 1992, was a notice of an invitation to tender. On June 2, 1992, when the bid documents were opened, there was some confusion as to the best process to use to evaluate the bids, the procedures for a request for proposals or the procedures for a tender. On the advice of the Government Services officer prior to the opening of the bids, Arctic College decided that the bids should be treated as requests for proposals. Requests for proposals are evaluated on a number of criteria, whereas tenders are evaluated on overall price.

When one of the bidders later complained that all bidders should be informed of the bid prices, Arctic College staff consulted with Government Services and Justice. On the advice they had received, Arctic College decided that tender procedures which would make the bid prices public would be more appropriate. A letter announcing the per-meal bid prices was sent to all bidders on June 19, 1992.

Although there was confusion as to whether or not the bid prices should be made public, contract regulations were not violated, and all bidders received the same information. The bids received on the cafeteria food services contract for Thebacha Campus are to be evaluated at the end of June. Thank you.

Returns to oral questions. Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Koe on June 19, 1992, concerning student financial assistance for postsecondary studies. No changes to the NWT student financial assistance program are being implemented at this time. The department is presently reviewing and assessing applications for assistance for the 1992-93 academic year. Residents meeting the eligibility criteria will not be denied assistance under the regulations of the Student Financial Assistance Act. However, the Department of Education is considering the possibility of making changes to this program. These changes will be presented and reviewed during the standing committee on finance review of the Department of Education budget this summer.

I have another return, Mr. Speaker, If I may. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mrs. Marie-Jewell on June 19, 1992, concerning denial of educational leave. The only GNWT employees who have been granted education leave for the 1992-93 academic year are those who are currently studying and are in the middle of their education programs. Due to fiscal restraint, education leave funding was not available for any employees who applied to begin a new program of studies or to continue in a second degree program in the 1992-93 academic year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Returns to oral questions. Returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. Mr. Speaker, millions of dollars are leaving the Northwest Territories every year to purchase goods and services from the South. My question to the Minister is, will the Minister inform the House whether this government, in keeping with the SCONE report and some of the economic initiatives that have been put in place, has, as of yet, embraced an overall import substitution policy?