Thank you, Mr. Arngna'naaq. Item 3, Members' statements. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to advise this House today of a young Metis lady in my constituency and her accomplishments in the field of aviation. Valerie Cairns is a young Metis lady, born and raised in Fort Smith and graduated from PWK High School in 1987. Valerie Cairns is the daughter of Delphine and Carl Cairns, who must be very proud. Mr. Speaker, Valerie spent two years in Abbotsford, BC, pursuing her goal of becoming a commercial pilot. She took her flying lessons at Coastal Pacific Aviation and the necessary academic courses at Fraser Valley College. Valerie received her commercial pilots' licence in May of 1992, her multi-engine endorsement in December of 1992, and her instrument endorsement in April of 1993.

Mr. Speaker, Valerie started working as a commercial pilot for Northwestern Air Lease on September 1, 1993. She has already qualified as a first officer on the Metro II and on the Beech 99. The president of Northwestern Air Lease says that Val is a very good pilot, with excellent potential, and is a valuable addition to the staff of Northwestern Air Lease.

Mr. Speaker, Valerie Cairns is an excellent role model for the youth of today. A young woman of aboriginal descent pursuing a career in a non-traditional occupation serves as an example to all youth of the Northwest Territories. It sends a message that if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.

---Applause Mr. Speaker, I know it gives me a great feeling of pride as an MLA to fly home seeing her as a co-pilot. I personally look forward to the day when I return to my riding in Fort Smith in an airplane flown by Captain Valerie Cairns.

Hear, hear.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Marie-Jewell. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to make a statement with regard to hunters in the Northwest Territories. Today, Mr. Speaker, I received a letter from one of my constituents. He is a family man and a very good hunter. He said, "Being a hunter in the Nunavut area is just about impossible. I don't want to be a social assistance recipient, but I have no choice but to receive social assistance from the Department of Social Services. This is not a life. I need help for me to be independent in my life-style. I have looked for a job. I cannot find a job. I cannot carve. The only thing I know is hunting to provide food for my family. I cannot even do that any more. I need money to have a machine..." -- I am interpreting -- "...so that I could go out hunting."

Mr. Speaker, the hunters in the Northwest Territories are very important to us. They are important to our life-style and we are not giving them proper assistance, Mr. Speaker. We need to address that question because there are hunters who are very good at hunting, but are not able to go out and provide food for their family. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Allooloo. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Ng on November 22, with respect to communities unable to fulfil their municipal cap provisions.

With regard to the Member's supplementary question on the number of municipalities in financial difficulty, I would advise that those municipal corporations requiring debt recovery plans are those that are in positions of financial difficulty. Under the Cities, Towns and Villages Act, the Hamlets Act and the Charter Communities Act, municipal corporations are not supposed to incur deficits from one fiscal year to the next. Currently, there are seven municipalities in various stages of a debt recovery plan.

The municipalities for which debt recovery plans are in place are the hamlets of Cambridge Bay, Arctic Bay and Clyde River. In all three cases, improvements are being made to their financial administration and the outlook for their financial recovery is good. In the hamlet of Pangnirtung, a three year debt recovery plan was completed in one year, due in part to the hiring of a qualified financial controller. The hamlet is now out of debt.

In the town of Iqaluit, a debt recovery plan is now being prepared under the direction of the municipal administrator.

In the hamlets of Lake Harbour and Igloolik, debt recovery plans are being developed by the hamlet councils, in consultation with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. Thank you.

Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Allooloo. I am sorry, Ms. Mike.

Mr. Speaker, you didn't see me raise my hand, but I have a return to an oral question.

Ms. Mike, we are on oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. Ms. Mike.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to go back to returns to oral questions.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays?

(Microphones turned off)

Could you please turn on your mike and make your request again, Ms. Mike, for the record?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am seeking unanimous consent to go back to returns to oral questions.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to oral question asked by Mrs. Marie-Jewell on November 23, on the alcohol and drug board of management. The decision to eliminate the board of management was made on April 13, 1992, by the Cabinet. At that point, the funding to operate the board was removed from the department's budget. However, at that time, the grants and contributions policy for Social Services required the board of management to review and make recommendations on all new requests for funding. The department reallocated money internally to allow the August 12,1992 meeting of the board to review new proposals.

Mr. Speaker, I have two more returns to oral questions.

I have a return asked by Mr. Antoine on November 24, 1993, on alcohol and drug policies. Mr. Speaker, the department takes, very seriously, the views and recommendations coming out of the various conferences on alcohol and drugs held over the years.

The 1984 Fort Churchill conference Mr. Antoine referred to was an important milestone, in terms of providing input into the development of the alcohol and drug programs.

However, the program has evolved since that time. For example, the June, 1987, document entitled, A Model for the Development of Alcohol and Drugs Services in the Northwest Territories, which was tabled and discussed in the Legislative Assembly, provided the basis for further development.

The department is now in the process of completing an overall strategic plan. One of the major components of that plan will be a strategy to address alcohol and drug addictions. The alcohol and drug workers' conference, held in Yellowknife in March of 1993, marked the beginning of this process.

The recommendations coming out of that conference, the information and ideas generated at the solvent abuse conference held last week, together with the results of consultations that are now under way, will guide the final drafting of the strategy. This plan is expected to be completed in the fall of 1994.

Thank you, Ms. Mike. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Education whether this government has enough resources to start French schools where they are necessary, French first language instructions where there is a demand? My question is, has the department got enough resources to address that concern? Thank you.

Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to indicate to the honourable Member that, under the present situation, there is only one French first-language school and that is here in Yellowknife. In terms of other schools, the potential for those costs is to be provided by the Government of Canada, but there are criteria to determine where numbers warrant those schools. In those particular cases, the schools will be considered but only where the situation results in the appropriate numbers.

Supplementary, Mr. Allooloo.