Good morning. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Whitford.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ordinary Members are sometimes criticized because they have become very well organized and effective. During the last Assembly, a process was initiated to hold government accountable but it was not as effective as it is now. One of our failures was the unsuccessful attempt to prevent our participation at Expo in Seville. A coalition of Members of the Standing Committee on Finance, Mr. Pollard, and the previous Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Wray, convinced the Assembly that our participation would be a good thing. I predicted it would be an unmitigated disaster. Although we await with interest the result of the internal audit, we already know it was a misguided, crackpot, ill-conceived, warped, obliquitous, grandiose misadventure of the worst possible kind. I include myself among those ordinary Members of the 11th Assembly who should be scorned, ridiculed and maligned because, despite our numbers, we failed to prevent an almost felonious squandering of millions of taxpayers' dollars.

I have visited Spain on and off since the 1950s and have a special affection for the country. When we debated our participation, I was amused at the vision of feeding gourmet meals to poor people who traditionally attend grand events with enough food and drink of their own to feed the entire family for a week. The debate over our participation during the last Assembly is a classic case of how intelligent people, in this Assembly, were blinded by a magnificent vision of the Northwest Territories competing with the nations of the world in a world market and winning.

We were blinded by Mr. Wray's persuasive vision of northern products invading the European and Japanese markets because the north American population was too small to handle our huge economy. We behaved like a desperate third world country begging for attention. It was the ultimate ego trip.

Mr. Lewis, your allotted time has expired. Mr. Lewis.

Mr. Speaker, I will not ask for unanimous consent to continue because I have made my point.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am very concerned about this government's commitment to the development of the emerging market communities. The Minister of Economic Development and Tourism has informed us that it is the government's intention to spend a greater portion of its money in these communities. I do not see the government following through with a strategy to carry this promise out. Last June, I questioned the Minister regarding the government's decision, at the time, to locate the proposed fire

aircraft maintenance facilities in Fort Smith rather than in Fort Simpson. The rationale was that Fort Smith had a more sophisticated economy. The Minister was not willing to reconsider that decision.

Mr. Speaker, communities such as Fort Smith and Hay River are more developed in large part because the government has spent more money in the past in those communities on the development of their infrastructure. With more development for infrastructure, it then seems to be easier for government to rationalize the decentralization of programs and the placements of new government facilities in those communities. The benefits to develop communities continues to grow. In the meantime, other communities with great potential are left out. Fort Simpson has the potential to develop a solid economic base, to be the transportation hub for the Mackenzie, but it needs coordinated government support to lay the foundation for its future.

The Special Committee on Northern Economy, in 1989, recognized that government must carry on the work of development in underdeveloped communities until it is viable for the private sector to take over. Fort Simpson needs the assistance of a government plan for the development of more lots and subdivisions to accommodate growth in the community, and a plan for water and sewer services required for the new living areas. If business and industry is to grow, alternatives for a cheaper power source for the community must be explored. The options of receiving a power supply for the hydroelectric facility at Taltson River and of connecting with the BC power grid should be explored. Fort Simpson is a tax-based municipality, but not a large one. The government must demonstrate that it is solidly behind its desire to progress. The pay off for this investment, in terms of economic growth...

Mr. Antoine, your allotted time has expired.

Mr. Speaker, that concludes my statement, thank you.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, I learned that the manager of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce branch in Fort Smith had announced the banks intention to close the branch on June 4, 1993. This will leave my constituents with no local banking options. Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, I rose to question the Minister of Finance on the government's intention in this matter. Mr. Speaker, it was only as I rose to ask the question that I realized I may be perceived as being in a position of conflict. Accordingly, I did not pursue this issue with the Minister as I might otherwise have.

I wish to take this opportunity to identify, for the record, my conflict on this issue and advise my constituents how I propose to deal with this conflict, bearing in mind the high ethical standards expected of Members and the needs of my constituents. The nature of my conflict, Mr. Speaker, is that the CIBC branch in Fort Smith rents one half of a duplex which my husband and I own. For the record, Mr. Speaker, my concern with the recent announcement of the CIBC is not the potential loss of income to us, rather my sole concern is that my constituents have adequate local banking facilities available to them regardless of which bank makes these facilities available. Nonetheless, I recognize that by pursuing my questioning this issue could be perceived as using my office as an MLA to influence the decision of the CIBC so as to further my personal interest. This is contrary to the letter and spirit of the conflict of interest provisions of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act.

The concern of my constituents with respect to this closure needs to be addressed and heard in this House. Accordingly, I have asked the honourable Member for Inuvik to pursue this issue on my behalf and on the behalf of my constituents. I can advise the House that I have not thought to direct or influence this Member on the handling of this issue. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Marie-Jewell. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Todd.

Thank you. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Dent on February 25 with respect to the WCB security system.

The Workers' Compensation Board's security system was installed in 1990 at a total cost of $43,694.

Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Ningark on February 24, 1993, with regard the schooling of Peter Salomonie's children.

Mr. Peter Salomonie has one child, a daughter, registered with the Baffin division school board of education. She is presently attending grade four in Nakasuk School in Iqaluit. No other children are currently registered with the board.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Ningark on February 22, 1993.

I received a letter from the mayor of Gjoa Haven on January 25, 1993, requesting three counsellors for the community. He should be receiving my response shortly.

There are presently two community social workers in Gjoa Haven and one regional alcohol and drug specialist. The department does not have sufficient resources, so I am not able to approve a third community worker, but I am pleased to note that the region is encouraging more community participation in social issues in all communities through training workshops on such matters as grief counselling. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mrs. Jeannie Marie-Jewell on February 19, 1993, concerning criteria for land tenure access to home ownership program.

Units delivered under the access program can be built on the following types of land: fee simple titled land; long-term leased land; and, band land, also known as Indian Affairs branch (IAB) land or land reserved for Indian use, as long as a band council resolution is obtained allowing long-term use of the land.

These are the same criteria for land tenure that were used in the previous home ownership assistance program. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Pudluk. You are asking for a point of order, Mr. Pudluk. There is nothing in the rules. I will take it as a point of order. Please state your case, Mr. Pudluk.

I would like clarification before we start asking questions. We were asking questions yesterday about social assistance, on pages 1726 to 1729. On the bottom of page 1728, a question was asked by Mr. Patterson regarding the social assistance rate increase, and the answer provided by the Minister for Social Services stated, "A recent five per cent increase in the social assistance food allowance, which occurred on October 1, 1992, only covers the increase in the consumer price index. I will look into this further and get back to the Member." Did she take the question as notice, or will the Minister get back to us with a further answer?

That is not a point of order. I have ruled in the House, Mr. Pudluk, that a question is not taken as notice unless a Minister specifically takes the question as notice. So, that question was not taken as notice, and one would have to read the answer exactly as she said. I read she will get back individually to a Member or Members, but the question was not taken as notice. It is possible to pursue that question in oral questions.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Arvaluk.