Thank you, Mr. Pudluk. Good afternoon. I would like to welcome all Members back to the continuation of the 3rd session of the 12th Legislative Assembly. Before proceeding to the orders of the day I would like to inform the House I have received the following message from his honour the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, "Please be advised that I wish to recommend to the 3rd session of the 12th Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories the passage of the following bill: Bill 17, Appropriation Act No. 2, 1993-94." Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Todd.

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Mr. Speaker, for the past year, Members of this House have given clear direction to Cabinet that changes must occur at the Workers' Compensation Board of the Northwest Territories.

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I would like to share with all Members the steps that have been taken during the past several months to act on specific concerns raised by Members. Later in my statement, I will be announcing the appointment of a new chairperson and three new directors of the board.

First, Mr. Speaker, a significant change has been made in the senior management of this organization. Mr. Gerry Meier came on stream as the new general manager of the board on December 29, 1992. Mr. Meier has a wealth of experience in both the public and private sector, including four years as the deputy minister of labour with the Government of Saskatchewan.

Second, a legislative review of the Workers' Compensation Board was initiated by the former Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Dennis Patterson. This review is based primarily on the reports and recommendations of the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions.

I am pleased to announce that the report has now been completed by the chief commissioner, Mr. Garnet Garven, and I will be presenting the findings of this review to the House early next week.

Third, Mr. Speaker, the honourable Member for Deh Cho has spoken quite eloquently in this House for some time with respect to problems in obtaining coverage for hunters, trappers and fishermen under the Workers' Compensation Act. There are two difficulties with respect to this issue: providing a clear definition of "principally-engaged" and establishing a satisfactory level of benefits for hunters and trappers. The Department of Renewable Resources is currently negotiating a memorandum of understanding with the board that will deal with these difficult questions.

Fourth, Mr. Speaker, in keeping with the direction of the Members of this House, the staff and directors of the Workers' Compensation Board are travelling to the regions to speak with employers and employees regarding Workers' Compensation issues.

Fifth, Mr. Speaker, there has been a great deal of debate surrounding the increases in assessment rates for 1993. As Members are aware, assessment rates increased on average approximately 12 per cent over 1992 rates.

To ease some of the financial strain on businesses, the Workers' Compensation Board recently announced significant improvements to the instalment payment policy. Under this policy, employers can pay four equal instalments over the course of the year. This schedule more closely matches the actual operation of employers.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, the board is researching and developing proposals for the introduction of a merit rebate/surcharge penalty program. If such a program is introduced, employers with a superior accident record would receive a rebate on their assessment. Conversely, employers with poor accident records would be forced to pay a premium assessment.

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Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to announce the new board appointments. These appointments fill vacancies created by the resignations of Mr. Grant Horseman and Mr. Ron Williams and the expiration of the term of Mr. James Evoy. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank these individuals for the contribution they have made as directors of the Workers' Compensation Board.

Mr. Speaker, the new directors of the board are Mr. Jim Bourque.

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Certainly, Mr. Bourque needs no introduction to Members of this House having served the government and the people of the Northwest Territories in a variety of roles for over 30 years. Mr. Bourque has been appointed for a two year term. He was nominated for this position by the Metis Nation of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Fred Coman has over 30 years of northern business experience and is a highly respected member of the community of Iqaluit and the Baffin region. Mr. Coman was nominated by the honourable Member for Iqaluit. He has been appointed for a one year term.

Mr. Speaker, Ms. Vivian Stevely is a registered nursing assistant employed by the H.H. Williams Hospital in Hay River and is the national director of the Public Service Alliance of Canada for the Northwest Territories and Yukon. Ms. Stevely was nominated by the Union of Northern Workers. She has been appointed to a one year term.

These appointments are effective immediately. Mr. Speaker, the interim chairperson of the board, Mr. John Hill has resigned so that he can concentrate fully on his full-time role as the chairperson of the Public Utilities Board. I would like to express

this government's gratitude to Mr. Hill for serving as the chairperson of the board under difficult circumstances.

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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that the new chairperson of the board is Mr. Jeff Gilmour.

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Mr. Gilmour is currently the assistant deputy minister of the Department of Justice. Mr. Gilmour's strong legal, administrative and managerial background provide him with the skills necessary to guide the board during these difficult times. Mr. Gilmour's appointment is effective March 1, 1993.

Mr. Speaker, I would note that there were many outstanding nominees for both the board of directors and chairperson of the Workers' Compensation Board. The appointments made today recognize the importance of the two largest stakeholder groups of the Workers' Compensation Board, labour and employers.

At the same time, I have taken into consideration the broader community interests of the Northwest Territories, in particular, aboriginal, gender and regional interests.

It is my opinion that the new appointments will reflect the view of the Members of this House that the Workers' Compensation Board should be more sensitive and open to the needs of all its clients. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, February 19, 1993 I will deliver the budget address. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On behalf of the Ordinary Members' Caucus I wish to make a statement concerning the long-term staff housing strategy announced by the Minister of Personnel on December 3, 1992. Mr. Speaker, Members are generally agreed that the government is heading in the right direction with its initiative on rent increases. We support the intent of the strategy which encourages home ownership among government employees in our constituencies, moves rents toward real costs and has the GNWT eventually withdrawing from the provision of staff housing.

However, Mr. Speaker, we take issue with the manner of implementation of this new strategy. Government has taken an insensitive approach and given employees no proper advance warning. It appears that changes to the strategy are now coming weekly. Not only are employees confused, but there appears to be mass confusion among those directing the implementation of the strategy. Mr. Speaker, the whole program has been poorly thought out and applied inconsistently: the lack of notice; the lack of consultation with employees, the utility suppliers and the private sector; the poor communication; the failure of the government to take into account unique circumstances in communities and regions; the failure to provide timely information to answer employees' many questions and concerns; and, the lack of coordination among departments has caused alarm, anxiety and poor morale among employees.

Coupled with this is the government's callous and detached attitude. Mr. Speaker, the Ordinary Members' Caucus agrees that there are many important issues which require clarification and modification. In particular, Members are determined to demand clarification from the government on the following issues:

-the relevance and currency of using Yellowknife market rents as a basis for calculating new rents;

-how to achieve the government's stated goal of rent equity between communities when the only criteria for rent calculation is square footage without regard to age, condition or varying costs of living;

-the charge of different rents for identical units;

-the fairness of the formula for calculating the hardship allowance;

-the definition of "income" and whether the definition of...

Mrs. Marie-Jewell, your allotted time has expired. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

I have six seconds left, but I will not have enough time so I seek unanimous consent to conclude my Member's statement.

The six seconds is on the other end of the zero, it is not before the zero, it is after. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to continue. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and my honourable colleagues.

- the definition of "income" and whether dependents and extended families can be considered;

- whether rent can be adjusted to consider over-accommodation resulting from limited choice of units in small communities;

- the cost and benefits of improving staff housing to make it energy efficient, the interior and the plumbing to a minimum acceptable standard;

- the method for calculating purchase prices;

- the impact of the proposed removal of the private accommodation allowance and the provision of incentives to private home ownership;

- the numbers of houses to be offered for sale to employees;

- the effect of sales of staff units on operational needs in a community;

- the impact of the sale of staff housing units in level II and III communities on operational requirements if any employee retires or sells the unit to the private sector;

- whether multiple units will be available for sale;

- the future status of lease staff housing especially where these units are the majority of available staff housing;

- the availability of units in the NWT Housing Corporation access program in all regions and communities;

- incentive for energy conservation;

- the cost and benefits of individually metering all the utilities;

- the status of employees' current rental agreements;

- the latest proposed dates of implementation;

- the imposing of new rents on new employees and those who move even in advance of the implementation date;

- the administrative cost and cash flow impact on the municipality and on the NWT Power Corporation;

- the projected impacts and cost of staff turnovers; and,

- whether this would have projected impact on affirmative action.

Although recognizing that not all tenants will see rent increases, those that do will be burdened with paying more than their disposable incomes on rent while, at the same time, having to keep up with the higher cost of living. This seems unfair.

The Ordinary Members' Caucus believes that there must be a process developed soon to ensure a fair method of consultation and review of the timing for implementation of the strategy. We want this government to listen to those people most affected by the policy, before proceeding any further. Members of our caucus will ask the government for detailed answers in the days ahead and invite the government to cooperate with a review process which will deal thoroughly and fairly with the outstanding issues.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister of Personnel for taking the opportunity to advise me that he will make a Member's statement in an attempt to address our concerns. We look forward to his statement tomorrow. Thank you.

Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak about a historic event which happened on December 23, 1992. On that day the Gwich'in Land Claims Settlement Act was formally proclaimed and given royal assent by the Governor General.

Legislation provides the Gwich'in with a land base and resources to more fully manage their own affairs and a guaranteed role in public government institutions. Legislation not only confirms rights and benefits to the Gwich'in, but sets a stage for similar agreements and restructuring of public government institutions governing land, water, renewable resources and the environment for the Mackenzie Valley. The enabling legislation refers to the agreement and contains the first constitutional process for self-government negotiations. This shall have a major impact on the future of government in the north. The current government has taken a pro-active approach by discussing with the Gwich'in communities, community transfer initiatives.

Community transfers will allow the Gwich'in to develop greater control and understanding of the administration of government, an essential step towards self-governance. Self-government negotiations must be a partnership between government and the Gwich'in. This Legislative Assembly must support this initiative because it will set the stage of the development of a new order of government and bring our northern society together.

As a government, we must be aware the Gwich'in self-government negotiations may override many of our policies, programs, financial arrangements and legislation. I hope that this government, and this Assembly, will work in an open and cooperative fashion to ensure the successful implementation of the land claim. I understand that it is our responsibility to look after the interest of all residents of the north, however, we must also respect the different cultures and authority of our communities to determine their own futures.

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

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

Mahsi. Mr. Speaker, I feel that the Gwich'in have a vision for the future that is reflected in their agreement and this must be respected.

Currently discussions are proceeding to develop legislative drafting guidelines that shall create a land and water regulatory system for the Gwich'in settlement area and an environmental assessment and review process that shall recommend terms and conditions for development in the Mackenzie Valley. Clarity of the regulatory process shall provide the degree of certainty that developers need in order to invest in the north and ensure that development is sustainable for our future generations.

The Gwich'in tribal council's goal is to continue to build on their aboriginal and treaty rights. This requires the Gwich'in to work hard during land claim implementation as well as develop and deliver programs and services to their people who are culturally relevant and community based. I hope that government will support the Gwich'in's initiatives. It is this independence and control that our community members requested and demanded for many years.

Strength and determination of the Gwich'in leadership and personnel are a testimony to the community's unity. A conviction of their vision for the future created a focus that was never distracted by difficult negotiations, and now they have the tool to implement their vision. The vision of the future is outlined in the Gwich'in tribal council's mission statement, "Gwich'in land, culture and economy for a better future." All of this effort, in 15 years of negotiations, is for the purpose of improving the quality of life of the Gwich'in.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the Gwich'in, thank the Government Leader, and other government officials, for their efforts in completing this historic legislation. I would also like to thank Minister Siddon, and his officials, for having the foresight and determination to settle this land claim. Mahsi Cho.

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Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Antoine.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to say something on the trapping industry today. People in Nahendeh are very concerned because this year has been a very bad year for harvesting. In my region, there are many experienced trappers who have kept trap lines for many years. They are finding that this year's yield has been barely enough to pay for the costs of gas, equipment and provisions. For example, in Nahanni Butte, Francis Betsaka usually brings in about 120 to 130 pelts before Christmas. This year, he caught only 17 before Christmas. In Fort Simpson, the Gabe Cazon family typically harvest about 200 furs before Christmas. This year, however, they caught only 27 or so during that time period. (Translation ends)...be confined to the Northwest Territories.

Preliminary statistics suggest that Canada's total fur harvest may be down by as much as 50 per cent. There are projections that the Alaska harvest could be down as much as 75 per cent. There are probably several reasons for this. For example, renewed activity by animal rights activists may keep fur prices low. There are suspicions that the new traps are just not effective enough and difficult for some trappers to use. Late freeze-up and unusual snowfall have made it difficult to be out on the land this winter. On top of that, there is no game out there, there are no rabbits or chickens on this land, likely due to natural population cycles. These are the animals that feed many of the fur bearing animals.

Regardless of the cost, we all know what the effect will be. Many of the most committed professional trappers have already pulled their traps this year.

Mr. Antoine, your allotted time has elapsed.

Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Mahsi.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Many of the trappers, as I was saying, have already pulled their traps over a month ago. It is very uneconomical to trap because of the lack of furs. Trapping does not pay for the fuel it costs to go out to their lines.

With the continuing pressure of the recession, there will be a need for many of the proud and independent harvesters in our communities to rely on social assistance, which seems to be their only alternatives at this point. I understand that social assistance payments in Fort Liard may have already increased by over 200 per cent. For Dene and Metis, Mr. Speaker, trapping has been the traditional backbone of our northern economy. It is one of the ways our culture continues to survive in this modern world. This government cannot stand by and allow people who have always relied on their own bush skills and natural wisdom to face the prospect of welfare dependency.

In this session, I will be calling on the government to do the following: stabilize annual trappers' income, perhaps through the development of an effective harvesters' assistance program; emphasize student funding for adult education programs in the communities, which will allow trappers to benefit from upgrading and career access programs so they will have occupational alternatives during lean years such as this one; embark on immediate studies of alternate economic development potentials including eco-tourism, which will employ harvesters during years when the fur yield is low; conduct an immediate and objective evaluation of the impact, which the trap exchange program has had on the yield for this year's fur harvest; and renew its efforts to campaign against the vicious and harmful lies being spread by animal rights organizations across North America and Europe.

This government must hold itself accountable for the continuing survival of the traditional fur industry in the Northwest Territories. We cannot afford to stand by and do nothing. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to inform Members of the steps I have taken to conform to the conflict of interest guidelines as contained in the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act. Mr. Speaker, as of February 5, 1993, I have severed all business ties with my former company, Evaz Group of Companies. The severance agreement has been negotiated with Evaz Group to effect my resignation from the board of directors. I have tabled a letter with the Government Leader outlining the details of this agreement. A copy of this letter has been included with my confidential disclosure statement. The shares that I hold in this company have been placed in trust with a northerner who is familiar with my former company and the Keewatin region.

The departments and board, for which I am responsible, have been informed by letter that matters concerning my former company should not be brought to my attention, but should be brought to the Government Leader for disposition. Mr. Speaker, I have also tendered my resignation as a director or officer of all other private companies and development corporations for which I have served. A detailed disclosure statement listing my personal assets was filed with the clerk of the Legislative Assembly on January 11, 1993. In closing, I note for the record, that I have made every possible effort to arrange my personal and business affairs in a manner that conforms to the intent of this legislation. Thank you.

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Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Patterson.