Good afternoon. Orders of the day, item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Todd.

Mr. Speaker, since becoming the Minister of Transportation, Members of the House have made it very clear to me that there is a large desire for local transportation facilities in the communities. These include wharves, breakwaters and landings for small boats and access roads or trails to local attractions. These facilities are needed to support resource harvesting, recreation, tourism and cultural pursuits.

It has also become clear to me that the needs are not being adequately met. In part, this shortfall can be addressed by speaking more on these programs, and I intend to do so. However, this is not the only answer.

In many cases, communities know what is needed and are quite capable of building it themselves. Often, they are prepared to make a substantial contribution to the work and are asking only for some assistance to pay wages or purchase materials or fuel.

I believe we should support this kind of community initiative and commitment. By doing so, we can respond to community priorities and increase the local control and stake in the projects. We can also stretch our limited dollars a little further.

Mr. Speaker, I am, therefore, pleased to announced that Cabinet has approved a contributions policy for community transportation infrastructure. This policy will increase our flexibility in making contributions to communities who wish to undertake improvements to local access roads and small craft facilities.

Communities will be encouraged to develop proposals outlining the work to be done, including the costs and schedule, the contribution requested and the anticipated benefits. I should caution that this policy is aimed at smaller local projects and our total funding is not unlimited. However, we will make every effort to respond positively to sound proposals.

Department of Transportation staff will also be available to assist in developing proposals and provide expertise where required. We will also continue, where appropriate, with more traditional implementation methods for community marine and access road projects.

This policy will therefore not exclude those communities who do not have the means to initiate such proposals. Nor will it exclude larger or more complex projects which do require more thorough planning, engineering or environmental assessments.

Mr. Speaker, I would be pleased to make details of this new policy available to interested Members and community councils. I hope my colleagues will agree that this policy is a positive step forward towards community control in satisfying local needs and aspirations. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Later on this afternoon, Mr. Speaker, I will table the building and learning strategy on behalf of the NWT Housing Corporation, the Departments of Public Works and Services and the Honourable Richard Nerysoo, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. This important initiative is a result of months of hard work and collaboration between the NWT Housing Corporation and the Departments of Public Works and Services, Education, Culture and Employment.

Every year, our government spends millions of dollars on capital projects. We build houses, schools, nursing stations, recreational facilities and other buildings that are needed in our communities. These capital projects have the potential to create much more benefit to the communities than just the buildings themselves. The jobs generated by construction work are needed by the people in the communities. Jobs are scarce in many communities, and employment is needed so people can be self-sufficient and provide a better quality of life for themselves and their families.

Jobs, training and business opportunities for the communities are what the building and learning strategy is all about. Government, communities and NWT construction industry will work together to create new jobs for northerners on government funded local construction projects. Through these efforts, we will build a trained, skilled, northern construction workforce, and strengthen our northern construction industry.

I would like to thank the Honourable Richard Nerysoo and all those who contributed to the development of this strategy. We will continue to work together to ensure that government-funded construction projects result not only in quality buildings, but also in stronger, more self-sufficient northern communities, citizens and businesses. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Morin. Item 3, Ministers' statements. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The importance of basing education in local culture has long been recognized in the Northwest Territories. Although language and cultural activities have been a part of school programs, communities, educators, school boards and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment have recognized the need to include aboriginal culture and language in the school system in a consistent way.

I am pleased to tell this Assembly that Dene Kede, the first curriculum to provide a Dene perspective on education, was officially launched at a ceremony in Rae in mid-October, and has been officially introduced into schools across the western Arctic. The curriculum encompasses the language, culture and way in which five Dene nations view the world.

Approximately fifty themes, such as drumming, fire, and caribou, are used to teach the four concepts central to Dene perspective: the spiritual world, the land, the self and the people. The purpose of the curriculum is to enhance Dene culture and language, and to help students develop respectful relationships with themselves, other people, the spirit world and the land.

To ensure that Dene Kede is truly community-based, it was essential to involve as many communities as possible in its development. Elders, in particular, had a key role to play at every stage. As a result, the way in which Dene Kede was produced was unique. Over a period of three years, a group of elders from all five of the Dene regions developed the curriculum by identifying the major themes and how they reflect Dene perspective. The staff of the department and 24 other aboriginal teachers acted as support to these elders.

The curriculum was piloted in five schools in the western Arctic in 1992-93, including Fort McPherson, Fort Providence, Rae-Edzo and two schools in Yellowknife. The curriculum is now being implemented in all western Arctic schools and is expected to take up to three years, at which point it will be evaluated. I am proud of this accomplishment and will be providing every Member with a copy of this curriculum. Mr. Speaker, I would like to note that my colleague, the Honourable Stephen Kakfwi, was Minister of Education when work began on this important initiative.

Dene Kede has currently been developed for students in kindergarten to grade six. Work on the curriculum for grades seven to nine is scheduled to begin in 1995-96. I am also pleased to announce that work is proceeding on Inuuqatigiit, the Inuktitut language and culture curriculum, which will be piloted in January of 1994. I will keep the Assembly informed of progress on this curriculum. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Nerysoo. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to speak about the proposed closure of Akaitcho Hall. Akaitcho Hall has served the needs of all students in the Northwest Territories for more than 25 years. It is an institution that has helped to graduate many of our leaders, by giving them a sound environment in which to learn and grow. The proposed closure, in the spring of 1994, of Akaitcho Hall limits the educational opportunities for our children. If we are to continue to want the best possible education for our children, we must provide them with choices. I do not believe that the divisional boards of education can supply the same recreational, cultural and educational opportunities that are available in a city the size of Yellowknife. The divisional boards can not provide large enough student numbers in each grade level to ensure a variety of classes and options. To replace Akaitcho Hall with a home boarding program is not an option. The majority of the people who would be involved in offering their homes through this program would be of European descent. Taking a native student and placing them in such an environment serves, again, to reduce the opportunity to maintain one's own cultural identity.

In the capital project address on November 19, the Honourable John Pollard stated that one of the biggest concerns this government had was the lack of educational facilities for the development of our children. I submit, Mr. Speaker, that the need for Akaitcho Hall is far from over and that the department's failure to include this fact in this planning may show short-sightedness on their part. Akaitcho Hall has served, in the past, as a melting pot of all cultures in the Northwest Territories. Students who attend Akaitcho Hall are exposed to a different aspect of Dene and Inuit culture. The interchange of ideas and culture results in our children having a greater understanding and appreciation of the diversity of the people of the Northwest Territories. This understanding can not be achieved in a home boarding program.

Children from the smaller communities with a native heritage must be exposed to larger communities such as Yellowknife to lessen the cultural shock that might occur, should they decide to further their education in the south. We need educated native-born northerners with the necessary skills to guide and shape the destiny of the Northwest Territories into the 25th century. The closure of Akaitcho Hall...

Mr. Gargan.

Mr. Chairman, I seek unanimous consent.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and honourable Members. The closure of Akaitcho Hall robs northern students of the freedom to make their own choices. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Gargan. Members' statements. Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today, with regard to being the deputy speaker. I will be resigning from my position as Deputy Speaker, as I have served my two year term. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank you and the two other chairpersons. I am sure the Members are aware that there would be a person from amongst the Members to be elected as a Speaker and a deputy speaker. I would like to encourage every one of you to be the Speaker or the deputy speaker. Thank you very much, to all the Members for giving me support when I was chairperson and when I was a deputy speaker. I really appreciate your support. (Translation ends)

My resignation as the deputy speaker will be effective at the end of the Fourth Session of the 12th Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Pudluk. I think all Members join me in thanking you very much for your contributions, not only in the last two years as deputy speaker, but for your many, many years in the House. Thanks so much, Mr. Pudluk.

---Applause

Members' statements. Mr. Whitford.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of my highlights this past summer was to arrange for a prospecting course in Baker Lake. The process was tedious and time-consuming, as two NWT government departments were involved and the federal department of Indian and Northern Affairs. However, the course did take place late in the summer. I spoke to some of the students during the course and afterwards. The students were ecstatic as they took in the information from the instructor. I have stated in this House previously, that I believe our corner of the country is one of the last frontiers, as it relates to minerals. I think the potential in mineral development is incredible. This is where the north will find its financial resources to build the much-needed infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, there has been a record number of mineral claim staking in the area of north Great Slave Lake and they are going to continue to move eastward. In 1992, 20 million acres of claims were recorded, with 3.1 million acres in the month of December alone. There were more claims staked in one month than had occurred in many years. At the end of 1992, the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs gave out an additional 7.1 million acres in prospecting permits. This calendar year, between the months of January and October, 45 million acres were recorded.

Mr. Speaker, the people of the Northwest Territories have to be intimately involved in this development. One of the ways to start is by running similar courses in the communities. Our people have to start staking some of this land. They have to learn what it means to be a miner, otherwise, mining companies will be up here with no involvement by the people. Much the same as has happened in the development of our government over the past three or four decades.

As is the norm, our people will be given token positions to show the numbers are there. They will not be in a position to be able to influence the major decisions that will have to be made. I encourage the Government of the Northwest Territories to start campaigning across the north the potential for jobs in the mining industry. Where that starts, Mr. Speaker, is in education.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to continue my statement.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We must make information about job opportunities, and the possibilities of mining, readily available to young people across the north, and train them in those positions. In fact, when approached properly, it offers a unique opportunity for northerners to create businesses, owned and operated, by northerners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Arngna'naaq. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Dent.

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

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Today I'd like to acknowledge the performance and contributions of two pages who are from Inuvik. Bernadette Binder and Kevin St. Amand have been with us for the week and a half. They are both from Samuel Hearne Secondary School in Inuvik. They are grade ten students. They were chosen from among many applications from students in Samuel Hearne. The two applicants were chosen based on their scholastic abilities plus their ability to be on time and perform various tasks that have been assigned to them. So, I would like to acknowledge their being here, the work they've done and I would also like to thank the school staff who chose these two from all the other students. I would also like to thank my wife and children for hosting these two, during their stay in Yellowknife. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Koe. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like Mr. Koe, I'm very pleased to inform Members of this House that serving this week as pages are two young students from Rankin Inlet. On the immediate left is Pauline Sabourin and on the right is Shauna Tatty. These two young students were selected by the teachers of the Maani Ulujuk Secondary School, based on their academic performance and their attitude. I'm extremely proud of Shauna and Pauline, and I know their parents, Robert and Annie Tatty of Rankin Inlet and Marie Sabourin of Whale Cove are equally proud they've been selected to serve as pages through the sitting of this Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, this is the third occasion that I've been able to sponsor students from the Keewatin to travel to Yellowknife to serve as pages. The experience for all of these students has been tremendous and I intend to sponsor more students in the future. I hope, Mr. Speaker, that, through your office, we can see an expansion of this program so that more students from outside of Yellowknife can have the opportunity to see how the Legislative Assembly operates. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I'm waiting for the light, although the clock started ticking.

---Laughter

Am I on? Mr. Speaker, although I know this is not Friday, but it is getting very close to Christmas, I have seen the light...

---Laughter

...and I rise today to inform the House of a veritable miracle in the House. This relates to the ongoing saga of the town of Iqaluit. Mr. Speaker, on November 12, I was informed in the grave, sombre tones of a letter hand-delivered from the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs that, even with the debenture interests forgiveness relief granted by the FMB, "The town will be still be saddled with a considerable financial burden which it cannot meet with its present funds."

"The long and short of it," the Minister went on to say in his very unsettling letter, "is that the town of Iqaluit is incapable of meeting its financial obligations, for which reason, I have been directed by Cabinet to declare the town under the control of a municipal administrator." Mr. Speaker, it got worse.

On November 18, in a further letter to me, the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs stated, "Even with the debenture refinancing, the town was still facing a deficit of nearly $1 million, much of which is due December 31, 1993." My anxiety rose. If that wasn't bad enough news, Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard, speculated in this House, on November 24, in a return to a question about the financial obligations of the town of Iqaluit, "As late as yesterday, I was told by someone that amount may go as high as another $2.4 million." The miracle is this Mr. Speaker -- and I will get to who the miracle worker was later in this statement -- after all these grave warnings, even with the debenture relief having been approved, a financial crisis and crippling debt looming and year end deficits, the new municipal administrator reported to the people of Iqaluit, at a public meeting which I attended last Monday night, "The financial situation has been stabilized."

---Applause

"The patient is out of danger," he said. "The town can meet the debenture payments." Hallelujah!

---Laughter

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, in less than four weeks...(Microphone turned off)

---Laughter

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

Agreed.

---Agreed

There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you very much, Members. You can see I have been rejuvenated by my visit to Iqaluit.

(Microphone turned off)

We got to hallelujah. The miracle is this, Mr. Speaker. In less than four weeks, Mr. Beaumont has turned a threatened $1 million to $2 million deficit into financial stability. The financial crisis has been averted. Financial crisis has become financial stability. Mr. Speaker, Robin Beaumont is a miracle worker. He has saved hundreds of thousands of dollars each day he has been in office. I cannot understand why the citizens of Yellowknife didn't elect him mayor.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, we should clone Mr. Beaumont.

Boo.

We should clone him and put him to work in departments of the government. We should make him a special assistant in charge of fighting deficits for Mr. Pollard.

---Applause

Maybe, Mr. Speaker, he should even been put in charge of managing the Ministers' home travel budgets.

Boo.

Now, Mr. Speaker, not everyone believes in miracles. Some of my more cynical constituents are not

convinced that miracles have been wrought by the new municipal administrator. If Mr. Beaumont is not a miracle worker, Mr. Speaker, if such powers are not given to mere mortals, even retired senior MACA officials with Mr. Beaumont's experience, then what other explanation can there be? The only other explanation I can think of is, after the debenture refinancing, perhaps the town of Iqaluit was not in a financial crisis after all. Mr. Speaker, if there was not a grave financial crisis after the debenture refinancing, then I ask Members of this House, what was the real reason for the dissolution of the mayor and council of the town of Iqaluit? Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Patterson. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Lewis.

I know, Mr. Speaker, you have been just waiting for someone to get up and thank you for your service.

---Laughter

Having stood, Mr. Speaker, on an impulse, after hearing Mr. Patterson's passionate words about miracles, then I won't accuse you of ever having wrought any or performing any. But over the last two years I have appreciated your good humour and your attempt to keep everybody on the right track. I only became aware, yesterday what an incredible astute politician you really are, even though you are Speaker. It has taken me a long time, but yesterday I noticed that when you arrived in the Chamber you were wearing red socks that were perfectly colour coordinated with the poinsettias to your right and to your left, and that you have arranged to have a photographer in the gallery to capture this moment in history...

---Laughter

...when you were going to tell us that you were going to now fully represent the people who elected you.

It does leave me with one thought, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Pedersen had a similar kind of problem. When you take on this responsibility then you do, in fact, give up your right to speak and it poses tremendous problems for everybody. So, I suppose what I'm doing is to thank you for those years of self-sacrifice when you have in fact given up these rights in order to serve the rest of us to the best of your ability. Thank you very much.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Lewis. The picture is for my mother.

---Laughter

The son she always wanted. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question by Mr. Arngna'naaq on December 1 regarding financial assistance to the family of the missing hunter from Arviat.

I am advised, Mr. Speaker, that the official search for Mr. Napayok is over, although family and friends are continuing the private search.

The Government of the Northwest Territories has been working with hamlet officials, the RCMP and the military to ensure the effective use of the resources of all agencies involved in the search. The regional direction and officials of MACA are monitoring search activities and providing what advice and assistance is necessary to the local search committee coordinators.

I have asked the regional direction in the Keewatin region to review all search-related expenditures to determine if some of the costs incurred by the family are eligible for reimbursement under government policy.

I understand that private donations raised may be sufficient to cover all these costs, but we will review this situation when the final costs are determined. We expect that this determination will be made within the next ten days.

I have two other returns, Mr. Speaker.

A return ask by Mr. Ng on December 7 with respect to negotiations for the Arctic A airports.

On Tuesday, December 7, the honourable Member for Kitikmeot asked me if, in the even of a successful transfer of the Arctic A airports from the federal to the territorial government, how the Department of Transportation intended to operate the airports themselves, contract their operation to a private firm or further devolve them to municipalities.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Transportation has no special preference or commitment to any one way of managing and operating the airports it may require and remains open to all three options the Member suggested. Department, private or municipal operation each have their pros and cons. The department would look at each airport on a case by case basis and determine which method of operation seemed to make the most sense in the particular circumstances.

The department would probably operate the airports by itself for a while, at least until the inevitable wrinkles with the transfer were worked out and the department had become familiar with their operations. At that stage, it could begin to consider the best long-term operating arrangements for each of the airports.

Again, I want to emphasize that negotiations have only begun and, as I said to the Member, unless we get a good agreement, I cannot say, with certainty, that a transfer will take place at all. It is far too early for me to start making commitments about the best way to operate them.

I also have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Pudluk on November 30 regarding the availability of funding to communities visiting Greenland.

In October, 1993, the main delegation from Pangnirtung going to Greenland was the entire council, as well as two hamlet administrative staff. Council had been planning this trip for over a year so that they could review different management systems, the structure of council, committee systems and program management. They were not representing the Baffin region in any official capacity but rather were looking for possible solutions to some of the problems facing their own community.

The community requested financial assistance from my department as they were recovering from a substantial deficit. Since the council had been making a strong effort to retire their debt and put new systems in place to exercise better controls, the Baffin regional superintendent made a recommendation that the department provide some financial assistance in recognition of what the council had achieved. The Minister of the day agreed to make a contribution. The council was required to identify some of their own funds to help offset the total cost. These visits are planned as exchange visits and the hamlet council of Pangnirtung agreed to host a delegation from Greenland in return.

Other such exchanges have taken place in conjunction with a memorandum of agreement signed in April, 1989 between the Greenland Home Rule Government and this government. Broughton Island, Lake Harbour, Pond Inlet and Grise Fiord are other communities that have participated. Some have received financial assistance and some have not. Each request is considered separately, on its own merit.

However, the department is not funded specifically to provide financial assistance to councils wishing to travel to Greenland or other locations. There is no application process prescribed and no money allocated to assist in travel costs. There is no assurance that if any further requests are received, further funding could be provided. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, as requested by Mr. Dent in an oral question asked on December 2, I will be circulating to Members today, the guidelines for negotiated contracts.

I also have a return to a question asked by Mr. Ng on December 1, 1993. Mr. Ng asked if there were one or two financial coordinators in the official languages unit of the Department of the Executive.

There is one financial coordinator in the unit. The position has been filled since April of 1993, and was created to ensure better financial reporting by departments.

I also have a return to a question asked by Mr. Gargan on December 1, 1993, regarding funds for communities under language agreements.

Both the territorial and federal governments have committed funding for community-based initiatives relating to the aboriginal languages through the Canada-NWT cooperation agreement for French and aboriginal languages. Under the 1993-94 annual appendix for aboriginal languages, approximately $2.5 million is directed to community-based contribution programs. This represents 45 per cent of the available agreement funding and does not include funding directed towards the communities through the delivery of other GNWT programs and services funded out of the agreement.

This funding can be categorized into two areas:

i)Funding which is accessible by community groups or individuals for projects they propose. These include the following contribution programs:

- community proposed geographic place name projects, $55,000;

- community proposed language enhancement initiatives,

$460,000;

- community proposed literacy projects, $112,000; to a total of $627,000.

ii)Funding driven by community needs and carried out at the community level. These include the following contribution programs:

- community based broadcasting organizations, $240,000;

- community based teaching and learning centres, $1.11

million;

- community based teacher education training program,

$550,000; for a total of $1.89 million.

It should be noted that when the 10 per cent cuts announced by the federal government were applied, the impact upon community-based contribution programs was minimal because a greater proportion of the cuts was applied against other programs. All of the above mentioned projects had their funding increased from the 1992-93 fiscal year, with the exception of the teaching and learning centres.

All of these contribution programs are administered by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. These contributions are allocated through normal GNWT procedures. All NWT communities can access these funds, and many communities are already experiencing the benefits of these programs. Specific details with respect to contribution recipients or rejections can be provided by the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to a question asked on December 1 by Mrs. Marie-Jewell regarding the date the Premier became aware of lapsed funds under the languages agreement and also a question on the languages agreement. Both questions are addressed in this one reply.

During the 1992-93 fiscal year, all departments were asked to identify projected lapses on four separate occasions, September, November, December of 1992, and February of 1993. Additional requests for information were made at the monthly languages coordinators meeting which includes representatives from all departments.

In response to the official languages unit request for projected expenditures in December of 1992, the departments projected a zero dollar lapse for aboriginal languages and $397,000 lapse for French.

Final activity and financial reports required by the agreement were submitted to the official language unit one month after the end of the fiscal year. By the end of April, the GNWT was aware that the level of lapse was higher than they had been projecting a few months earlier.

Various Members of this House rose to make statements to protest the ten per cent cuts to the agreement in March of 1993. At that time, the GNWT was only projecting a four per cent overall lapse. Even with the actual lapses, concern with the cuts remained. The government signed a multi-year agreement with the Government of Canada. To have cuts imposed unilaterally during the life of the agreement shows a disregard for the commitment to the GNWT and community groups by the federal government.

The official language unit has increased its efforts to better monitor the agreement funding through exploring variance reporting for vote 4 as well as advising departments of their continued obligation to monitor their programs effectively. Appropriate and effective management of all program resources is expected of individual departments.

Every effort is being made to ensure that the projections are accurate to reallocate available funding appropriately. Based on the information provided by the departments for the interim activity report, the GNWT is expecting no lapse for aboriginal languages and $269,000 for French. Lapses for French are due mostly to year end expenditures such as accommodation services and payout of benefits. This will be monitored closely.

Mr. Speaker, I have a reply to an oral question asked by Mr. Patterson on December 2, concerning the Government of the Northwest Territories' commitment to spreading conference business throughout the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, I will be circulating today, copies of two letters respecting the need for spreading conference business throughout the Northwest Territories. The first letter, which was issued on January 20, 1993, resulted in the development of a listing of proposed GNWT sponsored conferences for 1993 along with an estimation of the number of participants and the location of each conferences. This listing, which I will also circulate today, reflects that out of 107 conferences and meetings planned for 1993, only 27 were to take place in Yellowknife.

The second letter which I issued following Mr. Patterson's question on December 2 was intended to enforce the position that our conference business should be spread throughout the NWT whenever and wherever possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Allooloo on December 2, regarding the cost of sending a student from Pond Inlet to Iqaluit.

A kindergarten to grade 12 education program is offered at Takijualuk School in Pond Inlet. As well, there is a student residence in Pond Inlet, the Samuel Angnetsiak residence, to accommodate senior secondary students from Grise Fiord, Resolute, Arctic Bay and Nanisivik. There is one other student residence in the Baffin, the Ukiivik student residence in Iqaluit, and a student home boarding program in Igloolik for senior secondary students from Hall Beach. If a student were to be accommodated in Ukiivik residence from Pond Inlet, travel from Pond Inlet to Iqaluit, including one return trip home at Christmas, would cost approximately $2,190. In addition, there would be the cost of providing accommodation and meals in the residence. The total cost per student in the Baffin for providing travel to and from home, accommodation and meals can be estimated by averaging the total costs of operating the two residences and one home boarding program for each student receiving these services. The average cost of these services per student is $24,500.

Under the current policy and direction for senior secondary education, this does not mean, however, that $24,500 or any portion of that amount, is available to be contributed to any student in the Baffin to support their attendance at schools outside the Baffin region. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I have a return to a question asked by Mr. Koe on Monday, November 29 regarding student loan agreements.

Students receiving student financial assistance from this government are required to sign a number of documents both in advance of receiving assistance and upon completion of their studies. The same forms are used for students attending post secondary education inside and outside the Northwest Territories.

I believe that's a return to a written question. We'll wait for the appropriate time on the order paper. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister responsible for Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. The current Department of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources has a staff of 24. This department used to be very small, but grew significantly in the past four years. It is difficult to determine what work is being done by the department or why it is structured the way it is. My question to the Minister is, is the department really an understudy, learning the role of the federal government in anticipation of being able to play the part after a transfer of responsibility to the GNWT?

Minister responsible for EM&PR, Madam Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, the department carries a number of ongoing duties. To best express the role of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, it is not staffed to understudy. They actually take on a role in representing the

territorial government in the area of responsibility that we have. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Ng.

Supplementary, at one time the Department of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources was staffed primarily by oil and gas experts. The department now seems to have a mineral policy division with four people and a mineral development agreement division with six people. Can the Minister advise this House whether the department is, in fact, focusing more on mineral development, which are the pressing issues of the moment?

Minister Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, that is true. We do have an agreement with the federal government which is a mineral development agreement. The department does a lot of work and has refocussed on the mineral development area, although we still do some work with oil and gas. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Ng.

For those staff who are geared toward mining activities, what are they doing to ensure northerners are involved in and have a fair share of the action in the mining developments?

Minister Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, what I would provide for the Member, if he wishes, is the total make up of the department, and the goals and objectives. I could extensively go through each activity but it would be a rather long response. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is also to the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. Mr. Speaker, I'm aware that the Minister and her staff have spent considerable time, probably over the last six years, working on the northern energy accord which focuses solely on oil and gas issues. I'm also aware that the progress on the agreement really was stalled and not concluded by the previous federal government.

My question is this, Mr. Speaker, given that there is now a new government in Ottawa which has been talking, very supportively, about completing the job of devolving responsibilities to the Northwest Territories -- we heard the Prime Minister make those very positive comments in the House -- what has the Minister and her government done to reopen discussions on the northern accord since the election of the new government?

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that from the very first meeting with the Prime Minister, the outstanding issues were outlined to him. Although the housing issue and the health issues are the priorities that we would like to get off the table, the northern accord was also placed on the agenda of unresolved issues. The MP from Nunatsiak has also been given the same list of priorities, including the northern accord. The MP from the Western Arctic, Ms. Blondin, was also given the whole list and the issue of the northern accord. As well, the deputy minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources has had a couple of meetings with officials from the government and Indian Affairs on trying to push the issue forward and resolve the outstanding areas of concern. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm happy to hear the matter is being treated as a priority and is being worked on. My question to the Premier and the Minister of Energy has to do with the content of the draft accord. Mr. Speaker, I believe that when the enabling agreement to negotiate the northern accord was signed in 1991, it very much focused on oil and gas. I think mining activities in those days were much lower than they are now, particularly exploration activities.

The draft accord, as I understand it, does not address mineral issues. So, my question to the Premier is, in working to resolve this issue of the northern energy accord, does our government plan to expand the accord to cover mineral responsibilities? Thank you.

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, as the Member knows, when we developed the northern accord, it was anticipated that the principles and the overall management could very well have the mineral activity attached to it. The principles and the organization was there. In a recent discussion with officials we talked about what could be in a mineral accord. There has been a draft of a potential mineral accord which has been floating around for a little while. It has been acknowledged as an area which we should pursue.

We've made it a point because of the concern of benefits accruing to northern residents, and the fact that we have done the work on what could be a mineral accord which is fashioned after an oil and gas accord. The normal process we envisage has to take into account deliberations with aboriginal groups, although a framework has been done already. The discussion, I believe, is taking place this week, or took place a few days ago, with the deputy Minister in Ottawa and officials, is how we can move forward with the devolution of minerals, as well. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I find that answer very enlightening and I'm sure the House will want to be informed, as developments occur, in light of the importance of this issue to this Assembly. Related to that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Premier another question. She has told this Assembly that a comprehensive mineral strategy was coming soon. I believe reference was made by the Premier on December 3. My question is, when will the comprehensive mineral strategy be tabled with this Assembly? Thank you.

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, the paper is being translated. I thought I would have it today but, hopefully, it will be here tomorrow. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Dent.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I can give a very long answer. We have been working with the mining industry for about two years. We have worked extensively with the Chamber of Mines. We have tried to make sure that, at every level, the Northwest Territories' interest is recognized and what is happening here should be supported. We have tried, at every level, to work with the aboriginal groups. For example, in the projection of future requirements of energy for mining operations, we have had several meetings with the mining industry over the last two years to try to get some framework on their requirements, how far along they are with their projects and the anticipation of when they will come on stream.

There is a great deal of apprehension with the mining companies because they have their permits issued from the federal government, that we will be overlooked as a jurisdiction. As a result, we try to spend our time creating goodwill and the fact that we should be the people who are involved, along with the aboriginal groups, to have our foot in the door first, so we may take an active role, not only in businesses, but also employment and in ownership as well. The Dogrib Nation has been a group of people who have stepped forward in terms of trying to identify where they can be involved in supplying energy to mineral development projects in this area.

We have tried to focus on the area where we have a mineral development agreement with the federal government. This was difficult to negotiate in terms of the allocation under the EDA on how much is available for mineral development, as opposed to how much is available for economic development. We have put a very strenuous effort in trying to make sure the geological surveys and the areas where we could identify as being potential areas for aboriginal groups in terms of selection of land. One of the important parts of aboriginal claims is what lands you select, sub-surface and surface. There was a lot of work with aboriginal groups to try to get the work done so they would know where the highly potential areas are.

In terms of the TFN claim, they wanted to know where to select sites. We worked with that group over a number of years to develop the knowledge of their area so the site selections can be taken as part of their claims. All of the information we have been gathering, through the mineral development, geological surveys and information findings, has been presented as updated as possible to the aboriginal groups, so they can have a stakeholders' interest in those mineral developments. We have charted our course to try to make sure the stakeholders' interest gets developed in terms of selection of land.

In terms of working with the mining industry, I believe over the years, to have the mining industry acknowledge that the Northwest Territories residents should be the first they consult and deal with, has been a difficult task because they get their permits from elsewhere. But a great deal of work has been put in that area.

We have done an overview of the NWT operating mines, an overview of the 1993 NWT exploration and an overview of the 1993 diamond exploration projects. Those have been provided. With Mr. Antoine's group of people we have done development in that area as well. They want to be involved with the development of the Praire Creek Mine.

In terms of the Yellowknife/Coppermine corridor, I have asked the Minister responsible for Economic Development and Tourism to coordinate the transportation corridor and the people in the usage of that area. We have done extensive studies related to mineral development in that whole geographic province as well as the Izok Lake zinc/copper/silver deposit. There is also our continuation of work with the Government of Canada in terms of the Coronation Gulf study on where the money should go and what we should emphasize. The amount of work in terms of the Colomac Mine, we are again starting up our work with the Dogrib and Colomac to make sure they have a working agreement in that area.

The Mackenzie corridor has not been paid a lot of attention to in terms of the mineral projects there. We are trying to work on an interim arrangement so that until such time that devolution can take place, the aboriginal groups can have an involvement in rights issuance. We have a difficult time with that because the Government of Canada has always dealt with permits a certain way, which is a similar argument where we have northern benefits and open bidding processes.

So there is a tremendous amount of work, but it is exciting work. I think all of these issues can be planned around how people can be involved. We have done a number of assessments on hydroelectric potential for new mines. I presented this Legislative Assembly with a list -- or I can if you haven't got it -- of the hydro potential for new mines. This is work that has been carried out as well. Thank you.

I would like to remind Members that broad, general questions often lead to long, comprehensive responses. Written questions are a more appropriate vehicle for some of the questions. I will also remind Ministers to try to keep their responses a bit more concise. Mr. Dent, supplementary.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, this is an ongoing representation we make on behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories. In supporting the mineral industry, there are certain areas we feel would be appropriate to support, in terms of feeding into the mining industry. We have taken the position, up to this point in time, that we are not supporting building of new towns, such as Pine Point or Nanisivik, where you have major infrastructure. But, what we do support is, if it is a fly in and fly out, that, at all opportune times, we would offer support to the mineral industry to come into existing communities, particularly Yellowknife, and use that as a base; particularly in supply and services, or Hay River, or some of the areas which are established already. Recently, we have two of the mining companies who have established their offices in Yellowknife and other companies are also looking at how they can, once they have decided whether they are going into the development stage, utilize communities such as Yellowknife. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, we have not provided any commitment for any support, such as a winter road, or anything else, neither were we asked. We were mainly asked to deal with the community in terms of support, training programs, business opportunities, as we have been in the past. There was no request and we made no commitment. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, the mining industry's position is that, if people are trained and available, their first preference, indeed, would be to hire from the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Once again, my question is to the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Mr. Speaker. Unlike 20 years ago, the exploration companies are aware of the impact of land claims on the work that they want

to do in the Northwest Territories. As a result, they are dealing directly with aboriginal organizations across the North. We have all heard, I am sure, about the trip which BHP has provided to about 30 people from the Dogrib area, with regard to looking at a mine in the south. In the Department of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, they are expected to find expertise to deal knowledgeably with the exploration and mining companies. I would like to ask the Minister, what type of expertise assistance is the department sharing with northern aboriginal organizations, to ensure that they are getting a fair deal as opposed to being offering trips which, at times, is perceived as a way of buy-off by these types of companies? Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, first of all, the BHP trip was offered to the aboriginal group directly. What we did, before the trip, was to provide background information on the mineral industry and any informed knowledge that the group wanted. Our role is more to work with the groups in the Northwest Territories, but this was a specific offer by BHP, which they took up. However, as Department of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, responsible for trying to make sure we have as much involvement as possible, we do try to support the groups, upon request. Sometimes, we have requests for just general information. Sometimes, we have requests to arrange meetings in support of them, when they are asking for meetings with various companies. When companies are coming into the Northwest Territories, we try to make sure that they not only meet with the Government of the Northwest Territories, but meet with the aboriginal groups, particularly in communities that are close to the area of exploration and development. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Just to follow up, Mr. Speaker, on Friday, December 3, 1993, in reply to an oral question from the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, there was reference to transportation subsidies, to offset the cost of travel for workers living in the more remote areas and communities. How will this program be applied to either the employer or the employee in the territories? Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, that particular response was in relationship to some of the difficulties we have had in the past where, whether it is the Department of National Defence and the DEW line or the oil and gas industry, the industry and the southern operators often find it very convenient to recruit in the south and either stage from Winnipeg into the communities, or from Edmonton or Montreal. They provide those transportation costs. But, in the past and up to this time, they have been very reluctant to supply that same kind of transportation support from Iqaluit to Izok Lake, for example, or from Tuk to the DEW line site in Cambridge Bay. We have had a difficulty in the past. I think this is one of the discussions we are having, on how we can provide support to our working residents to get to those locations where there is work and how we promote that. We haven't come to any conclusion on that, but it is a question that has to be answered and it is an issue that has to be resolved. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Would the program, which is being developed, be applied to not only the workers, but specific communities, particularly the communities that are greatly affected by the mining industry development that is happening in the territories? Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, the position of the department and the government is that the first point of contact, benefit and opportunity, should be the immediate community around that development. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.