If I could remind Members again. It seems that probably at least half of Members' statements now are exceeding the two and one-half minutes. This Legislative Assembly has increased the time allotment from two minutes to two and one-half minutes. I would ask Members to try and live within the rules that they set for themselves. Thank you.

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome a former colleague, former Government Leader, Minister, and MLA, Mr. Nick Sibbeston.

--Applause

Members' statements. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Cultural disaffiliation, substance dependency, family violence, neglected and abused children, sexual victimization, feelings of youth hopelessness and depression have been dark and unwanted features of our northern homeland for too long. There is no denying, Mr. Speaker, that these are symptoms of a deeper underlying need in our society, As we find new ways to address the shortcomings in economic development, housing, employment and retention of traditional values, the social pressures which boil inside northern communities and households will become progressively more manageable. I believe we have already begun to make some progress in resolving the root causes of our social problems.

However, we simply cannot overlook the fact, while we are doing this, that people are hurting. We can see in every community throughout the North, children wandering around and turning to solvents, alcohol and, perhaps more dangerously, drugs. Youths, who feel separated from their culture and from their grandparents, are unprepared to cope with the stress of independent living. Men who batter women: families that communicate only through the expression of violence and pain; elders who suffer alone -we must do something to stop this pain. There must be a renewed effort to place effective and culturally aware counselling services within regional and community settings. Our current system of providing clinical expertise through a series of fly-in and fly

out circuit services is simply not working. We need to ensure that these resources are placed within the regions and communities in the Northwest Territories.

The Government Leader's New Directions initiatives states that cabinet did everything it could to protect programs in the social services field. I appreciate that, Mr. Speaker; however, we must now extend the same principle that we have applied to the regional transfer of other government programs to the Department of Social Services. We simply have to look at decentralization as a process through which we can bring mental health counselling, clinical treatment and family-based healing closer to the people who are suffering. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-Applause

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Members' statements. Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak on the goings on in this Assembly this past week. I was not here at the time the motion was made by Mrs. Marie-Jewell. This was because I felt the Government Leader can assess the situation and come to an agreeable solution, and that this was not the way of my upbringing.

Considering the fact that the government is trying to consolidate certain departments in an effort to save money, cabinet has been put in the very difficult position of trying to manage a system with very limited resources.

Under Ministers' statements yesterday, the Government Leader implied that there will be reassignments after reassessing the Ministers' abilities. This is one of the routes suggested by the ordinary Members in their motion. In a consensus style of government, there has to be agreement among a majority of Members. I agree with the outcome of the Government Leader's response. I have confidence in the Government Leader. She will be able to address the concerns of the ordinary Members with regard to the recommendations in her deliberations. I have every confidence in the Government Leader that her decision will be in the best interest of all the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-Applause

Members' statements. Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) Since I have been elected to the House, I am beginning to know the ropes. However, there is some concern about the Government Leader and the Ministers. They are here to represent everybody in the Northwest Territories. Over the last few days I have been concerned about a few things. There are a few organizations and Members that have told me to raise certain things, so I have raised them in this House. I hey must be very concerned about things that are happening around the North for them to come to me and to tell me to bring these things to everybody's attention. If the government is not working for the people, if it does not look like it is working for the people, we are the ones that should remind them. If the people are not happy with the things they do and how they work, these concerns have to be raised. I am really concerned about these things, and that is why I wanted to raise them today. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Todd on June 23, 1992, with respect to outside firms bidding on northern work. Arctic College, in co-operation with the Baffin Divisional Board of Education, is currently seeking catering services for the high school and college students in Iqaluit. The college and the board contracted with the firm of Cini Little in Toronto to prepare the necessary tender documents. This firm was also asked to provide the tender documents to interested caterers in southern Canada.

Arctic College and the Baffin Divisional Board of Education followed established GNWT contract regulations. The bids received will be assessed against criteria which include the business incentive policy. The college and the board are encouraging active bidding and will award the contract according to the regulations.

Mr. Speaker, I have considered the appropriateness of tender documents being made available through a southern contract, and, while this is not an unusual practice, I will be directing Arctic College and the Baffin Divisional Board of Education to use only a northern contract for bidders in the future. Thank you.

-Applause

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr Gargan on June 24, 1992, with respect to factors considered in advancement of children in school. This is a further return to an oral question which I answered on June 24, 1992. Mr. Gargan informed me that it was his understanding that a seven-year-old child in Fort Providence has been held back for three years in the same grade because of his size and his age. As Minister of Education, I would like to emphasize that it is not the policy or practice of the school system to keep students from advancing a grade because of their size and age. I have asked the director of the Deh Cho Divisional Board of Education to look into this matter immediately and reply directly to the Member as soon as possible.

I have another return, Mr. Speaker, to a question asked by Mr. Antoine on June 23, 1992, with respect to education assessments of NWT children. Children in the NWT, who are experiencing difficulties learning, are given both informal and formal educational assessments within the school system. These assessments assist in planning appropriate programs, and are conducted by the classroom teacher, the special needs teacher or the special needs consultant within the child's own community.

In some cases, children are referred for further specialized assessments which involve professionals such as medical specialists. At present, these assessments are often conducted by a multi-disciplinary team from Stanton Yellowknife Hospital or at the Glenrose Hospital in Edmonton for children of the Western Arctic. Some children may also be assessed in their own community by the clinical assessment team from the Department of Social Services.

The Department of Education is aware that accessing these specialized services might be difficult. Referrals for specialized assessments must be made through a medical system or the Social Services system. These assessments are paid for by the Department of Health or the Department of Social Services. School boards have no designated funds to either provide or contract for specialized assessment services.

Because this is not just an educational issue, a working committee with representatives from the Departments of Education, Health and Social Services is looking at ways to improve the delivery of all services to children, including specialized assessment services. This committee will make recommendations for improving the access to the delivery of support services to children within the NWT during the next school year.

Mr. Speaker, I have another return which is somewhat unusual. This is a reply to a question asked by one of my colleagues, the Hon. James Arvaluk, asked on June 19 with respect to the Keewatin teacher education program. This is a further return to Question O579-12(2) which I answered on June 19, 1992.

Seven of the potential 10 to 12 students have applied to enter the second year of the Keewatin teacher education program in September 1992. After discussions between my department and the Keewatin Divisional Board of Education, it was agreed that the board would provide funding for two students to enrol in the program in September 1992. Funding for the remaining students who enrol will be provided by the Department of Education. Thank you.

One thing for clarification. I was not quite sure you said this was a further return. I am not aware of anything in the rules that allows further returns. I think I will review Hansard tonight, and tomorrow I will make a ruling on that, because it is a now concept to me. Returns to oral questions. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a return to a question asked by Mr. Gargan on June 18, regarding aboriginal residents registering for business incentive policy. The benefits of the business incentive policy are available to businesses that are majority northern-owned and that maintain permanent business facilities in the NWT. The BIP compensates those businesses for the higher costs of maintaining those facilities and employees. The contracting departments are only able to determine if a business qualifies for the benefits, if, at the time of the tender evaluation, the business has registered. Native-owned and administered firms will have no problem obtaining registration. Departments must evaluate hundreds of tenders each year, and it would not be possible to check the status of non-registered businesses at the time of each tender evaluation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Returns to oral questions. Mr. Whitford.

Returns to oral questions. Mr. Patterson.

The head office of the RCMP Public Complaints Commission has advised that the panel which heard the matter has not yet delivered its report, though it is expected to be delivered sometime this summer.

The two members of the Weber-Malakhov expedition were attempting to reach the North Pole on skis. They were unable to fully complete their journey due to poor ice conditions. On June 21, 1992, the two adventurers were picked up by an aircraft belonging to Bradley Air at latitude 88 degrees 48 minutes. There are no costs to the Government of the Northwest Territories for their aerial pickup.

Returns to oral questions. Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Todd on June 17, on the status of franchise agreements.

On December 17, 1991, 1 indicated to this Assembly that there appeared to be a great deal of confusion over the purpose of franchise agreements, and that little progress had occurred to date to successfully conclude agreements between the corporation and communities in its service area.

Currently, the corporation has a request before the Minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board to authorize franchises between the corporation and each of the 10 unorganized communities. It is anticipated that this authorization will be provided shortly.

In addition, the Public Utilities Board has scheduled public hearings into the terms and conditions of the standard form franchise agreement for July 9-10, 1992, in Yellowknife. It is anticipated that these hearings will result in clarification of the requirements and parameters of an appropriate franchise agreement. These parameters will be communicated to all communities within the corporation's service area with a view to encouraging settlement of these franchise agreements. Thank you.

Returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. Oral questions. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Health. Yesterday, the Minister tabled the Abortion Review Services Committee Report. The committee reviewed abortion services and procedures at the Stanton Yellowknife Hospital. The Minister commented that the committee did not refer any matter for specific investigation by a professional licensing or other disciplinary body because it did not find professional malpractice. My question to the Minister is, can the Minister confirm, in this House and to members of the public, that not withstanding the finding of the review committee, that it is the right of any woman who considers she has been subject to professional malpractice to bring civil action against the doctor concerned as well as against the Government of the Northwest Territories?