Good afternoon. Orders of the day for Thursday, June 25, 1992. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, the Hon. Stephen Kakfwi will be absent from the House today to attend a speaking engagement with the Chancellor's Club in Calgary. Thank you.

Ministers' statements. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to report that cabinet has recently approved an outline for a training strategy for use with GNWT construction projects. A senior management committee, with membership from the NWT Housing Corporation, Public Works and Education, prepared the outline and will complete the development of the strategy by the end of the year. A series of pilot projects will be used to develop and test new approaches to construction trades training. The committee will recommend ways that strengthen the participation of NWT communities in the training initiatives and that rely on the expertise of NWT construction companies. The objective is to increase the opportunities for training in skilled and semi-skilled trades for GNWT construction projects. These efforts will result in increased certification of NWT construction workers and increase the number of NWT workers who can fill jobs in the construction industry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-Applause

Ministers' statements. Mr. Whitford.

Ministers' statements. Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the ordinary Members' caucus has met and discussed the response of the Government Leader to address our previously expressed concerns. We were not surprised with the Government Leader not taking visible action to address our concerns.

Members strongly feel that in order to address our concerns the following must be done: the Department of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources and the NWT Power Corporation should be delegated to another cabinet Minister; the Department of Health be delegated to another cabinet Minister; the responsibilities for Social Services be reassigned to another cabinet Minister in order to allow the Departments of Health and Social Services to be amalgamated; the responsibilities of the Departments of Education and Culture and Communications be reassigned to another cabinet Minister.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be placing forth a motion reflecting the ordinary Members' request. Mr. Speaker, the ordinary Members feel that if and when these steps are taken, our concerns will be addressed accordingly. Thank you.

-Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My follow Members probably recall a time when I presented a question to the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. The people of Sanikiluaq have been interested in obtaining a vessel, since they have a lot of work that is related to the bay in their area. They could also use it for hunting purposes. I wanted to further find out what will be happening because they will be submitting a proposal for funding in order to obtain a vessel, and I wanted to bring that to your attention, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the traditional knowledge working group was established in October 1989. Elders worked with representatives from the government and aboriginal organizations for several months to find practical ways to preserve the traditional knowledge of aboriginal people and to use this knowledge in the planning and delivery of legislation and services for northern people. The working group prepared a report with 20 recommendations for the government. This report was tabled in the House nearly one year ago in July 1991.

Mr. Speaker, this government has expressed its commitment to preserving and using the knowledge of aboriginal people. Surely this is basic to governing effectively in the Northwest Territories. Yet in all this time, there has been no strategy outlined as to how the government will use these recommendations.

Mr. Speaker, I am also concerned about the failure of the government to make use of the recommendations of another group. The aboriginal languages conference was hold in Yellowknife March 25-27, 1991. Again, aboriginal delegates and organizations made comprehensive recommendations to the government to revitalize aboriginal languages and to involve communities with designing and providing services in this area.

The Minister of Culture and Communications said back in 1991 that he would give serious consideration to the recommendations from the aboriginal languages conference. Yet again, there has been no response or plan presented to this Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister has received written concerns from myself and from the Dene Cultural Institute and the Inuit Cultural Institute about the lack of a formal response. Members of the Metis Heritage Association and the Inuvialuit social development program also feel that this is taking too long.

I will say that I have received a written response from the Minister saying that his department is reviewing the reports and outlining programs that are being conducted by his department related to traditional knowledge and culture. But Mr. Speaker, the response I received concerns me. The department is doing a little...

Mr. Gargan, you have exceeded the time limit.

Mr. Speaker, I would like unanimous consent to continue my statement.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. The department is doing a little here and a little there for aboriginal language and culture. But it seems to be ad hoc with no comprehensive plan or strategy. The government needs to develop a strategy, and there must be greater community control in this area. This is where the traditional knowledge working group and the aboriginal languages conference recommendations are invaluable.

In light of the constitutional developments and the now direction throughout the country to recognize the aboriginal inherent right to self-government, this government should move toward devolving Dene and Inuit cultural programs to the proper recognized aboriginal authority. It is time that this government too, recognized and supported the right to self-government. The plan of this government to reshape northern government should include a strong commitment to further the self-government of aboriginal people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Members' statements. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have looked very carefully at the New Directions paper tabled by the Government Leader, and I have one concern which I have shared with the chairman of the standing committee on finance and also with the Minister of Finance. It concerns the decentralization of the Science Institute of the Northwest Territories. About six years ago, the federal government commissioned a study on the establishment of a Polar Commission which would provide Canada, as a major polar country, with a science institute or commission that would coordinate all northern science. Three years ago the federal government passed an act creating this commission which provided for a northern office. When people in Yellowknife met with the commissioner who came to examine this issue in the NWT, we told him that he should have a northern office when this legislation is put together. That is exactly what happened, and that commission is now in place. Mr. Whit Fraser was appointed to head it up.

Now the possibility of establishing a northern office, combined with the Science Institute of the NWT, seems to have been lost because you decided to get rid of it. I think that was bad planning; it was not thought through very carefully. I would urge the government to rethink that one issue because I believe that science is of interest to us all, and It has to play a co-ordinating role in one location. Thank you.

Members' statements. Mr. Zoe,

Mr. Zoe, your time limit has been exceeded.

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