Thank you, Mr. Arvaluk. Seconder of the motion, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I am very pleased to be able to second this motion today. I would like to commend my honourable colleague for Aivilik for bringing it forward. I would also commend him on his very thorough overview of the specific cutbacks which have been imposed with the December 2 statement made by the federal Minister of Finance.

Mr. Speaker, the language in this motion is strong. The motion calls on this House to condemn the Government of Canada for its apparent lack of consideration to the people of the Northwest Territories. I am not a Member who believes in using such a strong approach, unless it is absolutely necessary, but I believe in being direct, straightforward and I will speak up when something is wrong. In this case, Mr. Speaker, I fully support sending this message to the federal government. I have been appalled, as many Members of this House have been, with the stance the federal Minister of Finance and his colleagues have taken on this and other issues.

There is a federal election and now the Progressive Conservative leadership conference is approaching. We have seen the true level of interest which this federal government has with respect to the people and the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, these funding cuts will impact on the north in a way that will set back our progress for many years. Yet, there is relatively little concern for this within the House of Commons and nothing but generalities and rhetoric from Ottawa bureaucrats.

I am particularly troubled by three features of the impact of these federal decisions on northern communities. First, there is a disturbing trend we are seeing at the federal level with respect to the lack of consultation and communication with the Government of the Northwest Territories. We have seen it recently with respect to the decision to sign a pact with the United States protesting cruise missiles over the peaceful Mackenzie Valley. My honourable colleague from Nahendeh spoke about this clearly earlier in this session.

We have seen a failure to communicate on matters surrounding the fiasco with project Nordic Reliant. Whereas my honourable colleague from Deh Cho told the House, military personnel were caught poaching our caribou and the federal authorities have not even apologized.

We have seen this with respect to the devastating cuts and funds for social housing and cuts for aboriginal and French language programs that we have raised in this House. We have seen it in the way the Prime Minister has cancelled a scheduled meeting he had with our Premier. The Minister of National Defence, the Honourable Kim Campbell, has not even bothered to respond to our written concerns.

Hear, hear.

Mr. Speaker, the population in the Northwest Territories is small, but it is also very important to Canada. The north is no longer a place where federal politicians and bureaucrats can make high-handed decisions in Ottawa and impose them on our residents without consultation and communication. That time has passed, Mr. Speaker, and it will never return.

I am dismayed and angered by the lack of consideration shown to the people of the Northwest Territories and to this House by the federal government's failure to consult with us about what these funding cuts will mean to the north. If they had, they would have learned many reasons to proceed cautiously. Perhaps that is why they chose not to.

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned about the matter before us for a second critical reason. For many years the people of the Northwest Territories have been committed to the principle of aboriginal self-government and to the establishment of separate homelands for the Inuit and the people of the western Arctic. These funding cuts endanger both these legitimate goals, Mr. Speaker. The cutbacks will strike a blow right into the heart of the literacy initiatives that this government has worked so hard to develop. It will impact heavily on the important work carried out by friendship centres, places like Ingamo Hall in my own constituency of Inuvik, in terms of training and social and recreation programs.

They strike a blow against our native communication societies and against the excellent work that has been carried out by aboriginal media to raise awareness of aboriginal and political issues. It will damage our cultural institutes, it is widely recognized that our cultural heritage forms the basis of our political and social strength.

Mr. Speaker, I am mystified as to how a federal government can, on one hand, indicate its support for political and constitutional development in the Northwest Territories and, on the other hand, pull the rug out from underneath us. Without training, without social programs, without an intact cultural base from which to operate, people of the Northwest Territories will never be able to attain the goals we want to see in the future.

These funding cutbacks endanger our ability to prepare for Nunavut, they endanger our communities in the western Arctic, they endanger the goals that elders and leaders in our communities have been working toward for many years, long before many of us honourable Members here decided to enter political life. We cannot continue to sit by silently.

Mr. Speaker, there is a third point I would like to stress. Over the past six years, the Government of the Northwest Territories has taken specific steps toward economic growth and development that have not been precedented in our history. We are making some progress, Mr. Speaker, but it has been slow and hard.

The announced freeze on funding for science and technology programs, the reduction of transportation subsidies and the loss of other programs will have the potential of slowing this progress even more, and particularly concern both the decision to close the Northwest Territories regional office of Industry, Science and Technology Canada. As Mr. Arvaluk mentioned, this will affect such areas as tourist awareness initiatives, export promotion and business information services. Mr. Speaker, these are precisely the areas we cannot afford to lose. A lack of consultation, a threat to Nunavut, constitutional development in the western Arctic and a strike against our economic development potential. That is what the economic and fiscal statement introduced by the federal Minister of Finance represents to the people of the Northwest Territories.

No one can argue about the need to gain better control over government finances and achieve a more successful deficit management program at the federal level. However, Mr. Speaker, it is wrong to try to do this on the backs of the people of the Northwest Territories, who already face economic and environmental pressures which are foreign to the rest of the country. Direction taken by the federal government in this respect is outrageous and cannot be tolerated.

That is why the motion says this House condemns the Government of Canada for it and that is why I am supporting the motion. I urge all my honourable Members to join us by voting in favour of this motion and supporting the Premier and the Minister of Finance as they work to make their federal counterparts aware of our concerns. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Koe. To the motion. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would briefly like to speak in favour of this motion and recite some of the frustrations of one organization in my constituency, and there are others, most notably the broadcasting bodies that are doing such important work throughout Nunavut, has been coping with in facing the financial pressures while trying to do its good work in my constituency and in the region, that is the Baffin Region Inuit Association.

Mr. Speaker, ten years ago the annual core funding to BRIA was about $400,000. Last year, it has eroded to just over $200,000. I am told by Mr. Keyotik, the president of BRIA, that every year since 1986 the Baffin Region Inuit Association has had its core funding cut. Every year, Mr. Keyotik submits budgets to the Secretary of State forecasting their expenses for the work they want to do in the region in the coming year. Every year, in recent years, a reply comes back in a form letter announcing further reductions. Mr. Speaker, the Baffin is the largest region in the Northwest Territories. It can easily cost $50,000 merely to hold a meeting of the directors of the board for all 13 communities. The organization has a core staff of four including the president. They are pursuing a wide variety of issues from all 13 communities, ranging from PanArctic's ocean dumping, the James Bay II project, renegotiation of migratory birds convention, literacy projects in young offenders' facilities in the Baffin correctional centre, the founding of the Baffin youth council and, equally important, BRIA has been the critical organization for representing the interests of the Inuit of the region with respect to the Inuit land claim and Nunavut.

Their hard pressed staff are trying to undertake these important tasks, while spending most of their time worrying about their financial situation and raising funds. Mr. Speaker, I used to work for a struggling organization of that kind that was dependent on the federal government for its funds. I can tell you it is very demoralizing when you have to worry about doing your work, but also worry about financial survival and fund raising. I am very pleased to speak in support of this motion and hope the Government of Canada hears our pleas, hears about the importance of the work being done in the Northwest Territories, and considers it an investment in the future of this country to provide an adequate level of support for this important work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Patterson. To the motion. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, along with other Members, I fully support the motion put forth. I certainly am concerned and I have heard growing concerns from many different areas in the Northwest Territories of receiving reduced funding by the federal government. I am particularly concerned with respect to the amount of reduced funding which is having to be absorbed by the friendship centres and the Metis Nation, funded by the Secretary of State. These particular organizations provide fundamental services to many of the aboriginal people in the north. What concerns me, Mr. Speaker, is that, particularly for the Metis Nation, they cannot go to DIAND and ask them for funding that is provided to bands and other organizations.

My constituency has a large number of Metis people and there is no doubt that there will be a ripple effect with respect to the federal funding cuts which are being proposed. This is only one portion of a part of funding cuts with regard to the federal government towards the treatment to the northern people. As I had said last week, and I will say it again this week, when we discussed another motion with respect to funding cuts on the NWT agreement for French and aboriginal languages, at some point in time we are going to have to take a drastic step, I know it has been done in the past, of this Legislature going to Ottawa to indicate the necessity of the amount of funding that people in the north need to do their jobs effectively, particularly, these organizations. I do not believe that the understanding in Ottawa and the sympathy is there for the north, which is very unfortunate.

I think sometimes the attitude is that we have 55,000 people and our $1.2 billion budget should be adequate, not taking into consideration our demographics, our cost for travel and our cost for services to be provided to the people of the Northwest Territories. So, it is with pleasure that I support my colleagues and I commend Mr. Arvaluk and Mr. Koe for bringing forth this motion. We certainly would like to see the federal government be able to assist in delivering programs in the Northwest Territories by not cutting the funding. If you do not have funding, you are very limited now in the monetary society we live in to be able to do anything effectively. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Marie-Jewell. To the motion. Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak in support of this motion. I say that because of the attitude the federal government has toward people of the Northwest Territories. This is reflected in some of the recent decisions the federal government has made. I make reference to the agreement between Canada and the United States on the cruise missile testing for another ten years without our consideration in the Northwest Territories. I say that because of the attempted dumping of metal waste in the Arctic. These decisions reflect the attitude the present federal government has toward people in the Northwest Territories. It is further reflected again in the cuts to funding to Northwest Territories programs. Some of the areas where they want to cut are in grants in lieu of taxes. This is going to hurt our municipalities where aboriginal people live and where there are federal government operations.

Mainly in the western Arctic in treaty areas there are grants in lieu of taxes which are given to the municipalities on behalf of treaty Indians. That is going to hurt the municipalities and is going to directly affect treaty Indians in these communities. The friendship centres are going to be cut. We have received letters from them saying they are going to close down their doors for a day in protest of these cuts. As a representative for people in my area where there are friendship centres, I find myself in a situation where I am unable in the House to do anything to help them.

In the area of industry, science and technology in the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, there was funding towards aboriginal people to get involved in economic development. A cut in that area is going to hurt in the initiatives that some people in communities are trying to do.

Because of that, I support this motion fully. Mahsi Cho.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. To the motion. Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to express my deep disappointment with the federal expenditure cuts. I fully support this motion as it directly affects the jobs held by aboriginal people. At a time of recession, it would be understandable if the federal government cut spending to the have-provinces. However, for a have-not territory, such as ours, it has multiple impacts on our communities. The short time in which this government has been trying to become independent will be set back by a number of years, as our honourable colleagues have stated.

The majority of people in the Northwest Territories are dependent on government assistance, not only the people are dependent on government, but also our fragile economy is heavily dependent on government. When a government, such as the federal government, has been nurturing a body such as ours, then the goals set by our government cannot grow into a contributor to the rest of Canada unless we are further nurtured until we are fully able to contribute.

I believe, Mr. Speaker, that the vast territory in which we live in can become a contributor to the rest of Canada and I believe the natural resources are here. These are the only areas which have not been explored.

The cuts which the federal government will be making will threaten the livelihoods of the people in the north, those who live on the programs which the federal government at this point have been carrying.

Mr. Speaker, we have known for quite some time now, but the people it affects are the people in my riding and in other people's ridings from this Legislature as well. I spoke to a number of people in my community who were going to be directly affected by these cuts. They had some very strong opinions about these cuts because it will affect their livelihood. Mr. Speaker, I am proud today to support this motion. I also would like to commend Mr. Arvaluk and Mr. Koe for bringing forth this motion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

To the motion.

Question.

Question has been called. The mover of the motion has the opportunity to conclude debate. Mr. Arvaluk.

Question.

Question has been called. A recorded vote has been requested. All those in favour please rise.

Recorded Vote

Mr. Arvaluk, Mr. Ningark, Mr. Pudlat, Mr. Dent, Mrs. Marie-Jewell, Mr. Gargan, Mr. Koe, Mr. Antoine, Mr. Whitford, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Arngna'naaq, Mr. Pudluk, Mr. Patterson, Mr. Allooloo, Ms. Mike, Mr. Pollard, Mr. Kakfwi, Mr. Todd, Mr. Nerysoo.

All those opposed please rise. All those abstaining please rise. The results of the vote, 19 voting in favour, no one voting against and no abstentions. The vote is unanimous.

---Applause

---Carried

Item 15, motions. Item 16, first reading of bills. Item 17, second reading of bills. Item 18, Consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters, Tabled Document 2-12(3), The Justice House - Report of the Special Advisor on Gender Equality; Tabled Document 3-12(3), Report of the Commission for Constitutional Development; Tabled Document 19-12(3), 1992 Master Plan for Corrections Service Division; Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Social Assistance Act; Bill 17, Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1993-94; Committee Report 10-12(3), Report on Tabled Document 21-12(3): Payroll Tax Act; Committee Report 11-12(3), Report on the Review of the 1993-94 Main Estimates; Committee Report 12-12(3), Interim Report No. 4 - Talking and Working Together; and appearance by members of Commission for Constitutional Development with Mr. Pudluk in the chair.

This committee will come to order. What is the wish of the committee? Member for Thebacha.

Mr. Chairman, we would like to deal with Tabled Document 3-12(3), Report of the Commission for Constitutional Development. Thank you.

Does this committee agree?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Member for Thebacha.

Motion To Extend Sitting Hours