Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Nunavut Caucus I would like to commend the Dene and Metis people on the successful negotiation of their land claim which was signed and ratified by them earlier this year while the Legislative Assembly was not in session.

We, in Nunavut, realize how much hard work is involved in the successful negotiation of a claim, and how long and involved the negotiation process is. I congratulate those leaders and negotiators of the Sahtu Dene/Metis who have laboured so long to make a better life for their people.

This represents another significant step down the road towards concluding the settlement of outstanding land claims by the aboriginal people of the Northwest Territories and will, I am sure, enable the Sahtu Dene and Metis to realize a better future.

We, in Nunavut, wish them all the best for their future as they implement their agreement. We look forward to working with them in the future as we move together towards 1999. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ningark. Item 4, Members' statements. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday in Fort Smith a funeral was held for the late Phillip Mandeville who was the 12-year-old son of Arlene Mandeville and August Abraham. Phillip died last weekend after a long battle with cancer.

Mr. Speaker, Phillip was a very special boy to the residents of Fort Smith. He touched everyone's heart in our community, just as Terry Fox touched every Canadian's heart as he battled with cancer. The community rallied together, which is one thing about Fort Smith that does make me proud. When people need help, every resident is there to share and care and help them with their needs, just as the Prime Minister explained how the warmth of the north is present by the way people care for each other.

Many times students would bring loonies to school to raise money for Phillip and his family. Dances were held, donations were generously given to Phillip's family so the family's travel costs to and from the university hospital in Edmonton could be financially assisted. This fall Phillip's family was granted a trip to Disneyland by the Children's Wish Foundation, although, unfortunately, Phillip and his family were never able to take the trip.

Excuse me, Mrs. Marie-Jewell, we seem to be having...(technical difficulties)...check out Mr. Pudlat's...Can somebody help Mr. Pudlat, please? Is that okay? Okay, I'm sorry, Mrs. Marie-Jewell. Would you proceed, please, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This fall Phillip's family was granted a trip to Disneyland by the Children's Wish Foundation, although, unfortunately, Phillip and his family were never able to take the trip due to Phillip's deterioration and illness.

Mr. Speaker, many times I recall seeing Phillip wheeling his little wheelchair with the spirit of strength as he went about his little business. I know the residents of Fort Smith will remember Phillip for a long time.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my constituents I want to express my sincere condolences to Arlene and August, Phillip's sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles, grandmothers and all his relatives in Fort Smith. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Marie-Jewell. Item 4, Members' statements. Mr. Whitford.

Thank you, Mr. Whitford. Item 4, Members' statements. Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, thank you. With respect to the situation in the town of Iqaluit, I would like to acknowledge a letter I received from the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, while I was meeting with the Standing Committee on Finance yesterday. I want to reaffirm with Mr. Allooloo that it is possible to get hold of a Member in committee. I thank you for the letter which offers to provide me with a detailed briefing of the situation which I will take up. I also note that the Minister will take my advice on the appointment of an advisory committee.

Mr. Speaker, today I wish to address another area of concern, however. I know the Government of the Northwest Territories would prefer to think that the town of Iqaluit is the main culprit in the financial problems which have arisen. However, today I wish to draw Members' attention to failings of the government to meet their legal and moral obligations to the town. These failings, in my view, have aggravated the town's financial problems flowing from the land debenture affair.

For example, it was only after I raised questions in this House earlier this year that a payment of $833,000 -- which had long been owing to the town and which had been carried by the town -- that was owed under the social services agreement, was finally paid. In talking to the town of Iqaluit prior to the dissolution of the council, I understand that by December of this year, once again, the deficit of social services program costs is expected to reach $480,000. The town does not have the funds required to pay social assistance recipients for the month of December.

MACA had agreed as well that the town of Iqaluit would not bear increased costs as a result of the shutdown this year of the high temperature hot water system. Yet, DPW and MACA have nonetheless billed the town for these costs which now amount to about $300,000. Mr. Speaker, I will be pursuing the matter of some $800,000, currently being carried by the few ratepayers of the town, through written questions. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Patterson. Item 4, Members' statements. Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would first of all like to thank the people in the communities. I experienced something I have not experienced before and I don't think I will experience again because I'm getting too old. I went from Yellowknife, by boat, up to the Arctic waters to Resolute Bay and I thank all the communities that I stopped to talk to. There were not very many people in some communities because they were out camping for the summer. The experience I had this summer was very exciting. I saw a lot of things I hadn't seen before. Previously, I had only seen the territories from planes, but I am happy to say that I have experienced NWT communities by water.

I thank all the people in the communities that I met. I was the only one in Spence Bay going up to Resolute Bay with my children. I'm saying that people should experience what I did this summer, travelling to Resolute Bay. Sometimes, it is very dangerous and you worry about yourself. We started on July 16 and we completed our journey on August 16 in Resolute Bay. I was thinking if I was a lot younger, I would have had a lot more time and if I was much younger, I would do it again. I would like to thank all the communities I visited on my trip for their assistance.

---Applause

I think all Members join me in congratulating the honourable Member on a very impressive voyage. His courage and skill is an example to all of us.

---Applause

Item 4, Members' statements. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to make a brief statement. First of all I would like to thank Ms. Mike for her statement about alcohol awareness. We have to be responsible when we are using alcohol and other substances. Mr. Speaker, we represent the people of the Northwest Territories and whenever we campaign we always tell our people that we will be representing them as best as we can. We should set an example. I would like to tell my constituents to be responsible for their actions and to be responsible when they are using alcohol.

I'm very happy we have an national addiction awareness week. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to say that we should help promote this awareness week as part of the people of Canada. We have to work together to promote national addiction awareness week. I would like to mention that in this House today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Pudlat. Item 4, Members' statements. Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) This is a very important issue we are talking about today. The communities should know about the hardships of drugs and alcohol. We have been talking about it for the past week. I feel that we should not just have to think about this for a week. We should always be thinking about issues like this. When they made me a chief of Fort Simpson about 20 years ago, the elders told me that alcohol creates great hardship.

My understanding is there are many people who understand alcohol problems. There are many people who have gotten away from using alcohol. These are things that people should be helping each other with. I feel many people know about a lot about this issue. We talked about it for a week. In my community they are doing something about this alcohol awareness week. Tomorrow there will be a feast in Fort Simpson. They are creating some activities in acknowledgement of this. People can learn things from people who work in this field. Elders are in the communities to be learned from also. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Item 4, Members' statements. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Lewis.

Madam Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would have to look at this in detail. In my time in this House, since 1979, the role of the Commissioner and the speech from the throne has conventionally been delivered as it is. I remember an occasion when the address was made, there were a lot of statements on births and deaths. I hope that if there is another way that the ordinary Members would like us to approach that, we can have a discussion on it, if you feel certain things can be moved to the speech from the throne. I am certainly open to any kind of suggestions and direction on that. In the daily activity of government, it is the Cabinet and the Government Leader who are doing business on behalf of all Members. I presume, given that, it was just a convention of where the business was conducted. If the Member would wish us to redirect some of the broader policies in the Commissioner's address, we would be quite happy to do that. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is this. We no longer have an executive commissioner. We have someone who represents the Crown and does it from the Speaker's chair in the opening address. Because we find the traditional Commissioner's opening address is delivered through the Premier, does this mean that she sees a different role for the Commissioner to the one we have had previously? Is this a reflection of a new way of thinking?

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, if you want to hear about how I feel about it, there was no intention of putting a different role on the Commissioner. It is just where the business was done and was reflected from that. As I said before, if ordinary Members feel it should more be reflected in the throne speech, we can do that. It is a normal convention that has been carried on before on how we had done business. I know that as we become more government in terms of our duties and responsibilities...where the statement comes from was from the Ministers and Government Leader. However, if the ordinary Members feel there should be more put into the Commissioner's address, I am open to any suggestions along that line. Thank you.