If I heard the question correctly, the Member wants to know the mandate of the committee? The mandate of the committee is to look for responsible, ultimate routes to transport freight and POL products into the Keewatin that meet the interests of the Keewatin people and the fiscal interests of this government.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister for the environment. The environment is getting to be more and more of a concern for the people of the NWT. I am sure the communities I represent have some serious concerns over this issue. Those are the communities of Pelly Bay, Taloyoak and Gjoa Haven. Would the Minister consult with my communities to hear their concerns, either by way of letter or send his officials over to hear their concerns on this serious matter? Thank you.

Mr. Allooloo.

Yes.

Item 5, oral questions. Item 6, written questions. We will take a short break.

---SHORT RECESS

This House will come back to order. Item 8, replies to opening address. Member for Thebacha. I apologize, we are on Item 7, returns to written questions. Mr. Clerk.

Mr. Speaker, this is a return to Written Question 35-12(3), asked by Mr. Koe to the Minister of Health, on the contract for revamping of public health system.

1. Who was the contract let to?

A contract is being finalized with Wilson and Associates of Edmonton, Alberta, for background research, consultation on a broad approach to public health, and development of a legislative proposal for a new Public Health Act.

2. What procedures were used to let this contract?

3. Was contract tendered, sole source or was call for proposals made?

A request for proposals (RFP) was published in News/North and the Globe & Mail. The closing date for receipt of proposals was January 21, 1993. Three proposals were submitted. None was from a designated northern business.

The proposals were reviewed and rated and, as a result, the department selected Wilson and Associates.

4. Were business incentive policy provisions used in determining who contract was let to?

None of the three proposals was from a designated northern business.

None of the three proposals was from a designated northern business.

5. What is the time frame in which the contract work will be done?

The Department of Health expects to have a legislative proposal for a new Public Health Act by fall of 1993.

Item 7, returns to written questions. Item 8, replies to opening address. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am quite happy this afternoon to be able to give my reply to the Commissioner's address.

---Applause

I am so happy that the Members are so eager to hear it.

Mr. Speaker, I believe it has been a fairly long and productive session of this Assembly. However, there are a number of matters which I believe to be worthy of further comment. As always, Mr. Speaker, in my reply to the Commissioner's address, I like to take the time to thank my constituents, the people of Fort Smith, for their continuing support, and for the confidence they demonstrate in me when they bring these matters to my attention.

I would like to touch on a few of those issues, Mr. Speaker. I would like to make some more general comments dealing with the political environment within this House and in the Northwest Territories at the present time.

In developing this address, I have been trying to look at the priorities of how this should be formulated. I certainly feel that the priority of my constituency is to address transportation. I would like to make some comments in the area of transportation that certainly affects my constituency greatly.

As honourable Members know, Mr. Speaker, I have believed for quite a long time that there should be a road south from Fort Smith. The only feasible way to put this road through which would be cost-effective is to put it through Wood Buffalo National Park to Fort Vermilion. I believe we could even then make use of Arctic College's heavy equipment program to build that road and I have said that a number of times in this House. Mr. Speaker, I know that Parks Canada does not want to make the commitment to maintain the road, but someone has to emphasize to Parks Canada the benefit that will be derived for the most park with regard to tourism. I also know there is a movement to address the road on the east side of the Slave River to Fort Chipewyan and then link to Fort McMurray and south. No one will dispute that this is an interesting dream, Mr. Speaker, but I believe that is what it is. A dream.

In today's climate of fiscal restraint this is just not financially feasible. A road through to Fort Vermilion only needs one bridge and there is already a cut line on that road. There was a road in existence in 1958 through the same route, and it is unfortunate that over 30 years it has not been developed further. If it was developed further there would have been a good highway on the road by now. I am asking the government to make this most economical and realistic proposal a reality for my constituents.

In future sessions, Mr. Speaker, I will be encouraging the Minister of Transportation to incorporate this within the territorial transportation strategy to set a priority on it. I am sure that when Mr. Todd considers the various economic benefits in terms of lower transportation costs as well as the perspective tourism spin-offs, he will realize that this should, in fact, be regarded as a definite goal.

Construction costs for this highway development certainly could be kept low by using Arctic College's resources, as I have stated earlier. In addition, this would provide valuable training opportunities for students in the trades and heavy equipment program. I believe this government must make a political commitment to follow through on meeting the long-standing need for a southern transportation route and to use college resources to carry out the construction.

Mr. Speaker, the other matter I wanted to raise, with respect to the Department of Transportation, has to do with the need which exists for improvement to our current highway from Sandy Lake to Belrock, near Fort Smith. I would encourage the Minister to look carefully at this important transportation route and to find ways to, at the very least, provide chipseal for that 90 kilometre stretch of highway.

Mr. Speaker, that particular highway has already a good base, so the cost per mile would probably be one third of what the cost of mileage would be in Yellowknife and the surrounding area.

Mr. Speaker, it is critical that the Department of Transportation no longer applies calcium to that highway. It kills the chickens and it is not economic strategy for long-term road maintenance. In my opinion, it is money wasted.

I would like to suggest strongly that the department take the money it is presently using for calcium supply and convert it to a program which would apply chipseal to this portion of the highway. Even if the Minister makes an efforts to look, over the next five years, at addressing that 90 kilometre stretch, my constituents would be most grateful and so would I. The Minister must direct his department to do this and then we will see movement toward a chipseal program for our highway. The Minister must not ask his department to see if they can do it because they will come back with every answer not to do it. That program was started in 1984 and nothing has been done on it since.

Mr. Speaker, the next concern with respect to my constituents is not a concern but an issue in my constituency and it is Arctic College. As honourable Members know, Arctic College is also situated in Fort Smith with one of the largest campuses. I made a commitment to the people of my constituency that we would see an academic building constructed and I am happy and grateful to see that this project is now under way, even if it is only in the early stages of developing and planning.

I am also strongly of the opinion that the Science Institute of the Northwest Territories should be formally linked with the college. Mr. Speaker, this is important. The linkage will make it possible to share resources and reduce costs. It would also facilitate the recruitment of qualified people who are willing to come to the college and work on term positions.

Mr. Speaker, at times I get quite concerned with some of the types of research that are carried out in the Northwest Territories. I am concerned that although the Research Act requires community consultation on licensing decisions, Science Institute personnel do not carefully review what sorts of activities should be licensed. Much of the research is not really relevant to the people of the Northwest Territories. Yet, Science Institute facilities and resources are often expended.

Mr. Speaker, I took it upon myself to go back to the Science Institute's book that was tabled in the House in 1990-91. Of all the different science research in the Northwest Territories, looking at the Science Institute's mandate and seeing what type of research licences have been issued, I was surprised to see that a licence was issued with regard to Dene leadership style. A licence was acquired by Sarah Pocklington of Edmonton, who will conduct interviews and library studies to study the leadership styles of Dene living in the Northwest Territories. Doing that type of study from the south, how can they really do a thorough study and research from the south?

I believe a formal linkage between the Science Institute and Arctic College will no doubt strengthen both agencies. I also believe it will result in more relevant, useful information being generated through research studies and it will only benefit all our northern residents.

Before I finish talking about Arctic College, Mr. Speaker, I would like to say I am grateful to see the proposed decentralization of the college headquarters. As I am sure you remember, this is something I have supported for a very long time because the headquarters was at one time in my constituency.

Again, I must say that I have been somewhat concerned to see that whenever we meet in sessions of this Assembly, it appears that the decentralization timetable has been delayed again. I have assurance from the Minister that the planning to do the decentralization is in the process. I am happy to hear and know that the headquarters will be decentralized to Fort Smith one year from now.

Mr. Speaker, I wanted to comment on a different issue with regard to the educational administration and programming, and particularly three different areas. First I want to remark on the very definite need which exists for renovations of the primary school in Fort Smith. The government, at one point in time, had a commitment of capital dollars for those long overdue improvements. It was unfortunate that in our capital budget these dollars for renovations were taken out. Mr. Speaker, the Joseph Burr Tyrrell School, which three of my daughters attend, was built in 1958. I even attended that school. Fort Smith families have had to watch while other communities receive new school facilities, and many other communities have smaller populations. I am not disputing the fact that they have just as equal a right to access to education. In fact, I fully support that. However, it does not seem that there is a planning process in place to look after some of our older capital infrastructure buildings. I believe it is critical that we look at that capital planning. Many of my constituents have pointed out that these capital planning decisions have been unfair, and at times, I have to agree with them.

Another issue which is of serious importance to my constituents has to do with the western Arctic leadership program. This has been an extremely successful initiative and I want to thank Stephen Kakfwi, when he was the Minister of Education, who created and thought of this initiative. It has been an initiative with many benefits to the students and families that have been involved. However, I am concerned over the level of funding to this program. It does not seem to be adequate to accomplish the kind of leadership training that should be provided.

As the western Arctic moves toward a new constitutional environment with an emphasis on community self-government and the inherent right to aboriginal self-determination, there has to be an adequate pool of well-trained leaders. The program in Fort Smith works towards that goal, Mr. Speaker. Students receive a first rate education in academic studies but the program is so uniquely effective because of the special opportunities it provides for traditional learning experiences, experimental training in land skills, traditional knowledge shared by elders, and awareness activities aimed and social and spiritual development. These are all components of the leadership training program that make it particularly suited to the educational needs of northern youth. Yet, these are precisely the sort of activities that are being placed at risk through funding deficiencies.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Programs to take a close look at the type of excellence which has been achieved through this programming, and to explore funding possibilities very carefully. I have every confidence that the Minister of Education, with his commitment for youth development, will make a sincere effort to address this.

The third issue, Mr. Speaker, is one that requires the immediate attention of the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Programs. I am referring to the serious problem which appears to exist within the administration of the South Slave divisional board of education. There have been a number of incidents over the past year which suggest that the board is not doing a proper job in managing its human resources. I am concerned that there may be serious shortcomings in terms of board leadership. I believe the Minister has to take prompt action to examine the performance of the board and address outstanding problems, before they compound.

To make this situation even more critical, as I have said in the House a couple of days ago, I have only recently been advised that the South Slave divisional board of education has passed a motion to move its headquarters to Hay River from Fort Smith. I believe that this is the most irresponsible and self-serving action that this board has undertaken so far, without even the support of the region. It even stands out in comparison to the long list of other mistakes that they have made to date. Mr. Speaker, it is critical that the Minister take a direct approach to dealing with this board and restore some accountability to its functions and to its actions for the people they serve in the South Slave. I have every confidence that the Minister of Education will address this concern and I am anxiously awaiting the results.

Mr. Speaker, honourable Members will remember the decision of the Premier, which was announced last year, with respect to building a heavy maintenance facility for the government's fleet of water bombers and other aircraft. There was no doubt that I was extremely concerned to learn that this initiative has been delayed. I believe that the Minister of Renewable Resources has to be made to realize that this hangar base is critical. It will allow greater efficiencies in meeting the maintenance needs of these expensive aircraft. It will also provide northerners with new opportunities for advanced training in aircraft maintenance technology and associated trades. The feasibility study which was tabled in this House indicates that the existing maintenance facilities in Edmonton are inadequate. It showed that there would be significant effects in terms of the positive economic impacts which this project could have, particularly in my constituency. However, there must be a firm political commitment from the government to proceed with this initiative now in order for the people of the Northwest Territories to attain these benefits. I do not believe there should be a delay in proceeding with this construction project. Mr. Speaker, I say that there should not be a delay because I know for a fact the academic building is only in its developing stages, and if there is no construction for the hangar base in Fort Smith this year, then there will be no employment opportunities for my constituents. I do not want to see my constituents, who have never had to go to Social Services, start having to go to the Social Services office in order to survive. I would encourage the Minister to make every effort to be able to negotiate with the groups in the construction of the project where he can, at least, give the green light to these groups to start construction. I appreciate every effort that he has made in addressing this issue. I want to thank the Minister for making the commitment to come to Fort Smith on April 17 and 18 to meet with the community of Fort Smith and the groups. We are very pleased to hear this. They are looking forward to the Ministers visit.

Mr. Speaker, while I am speaking about economic benefits to the north, I would like to comment that I was very pleased to see the Department of Economic Development and Tourism proceed with its study of the wood pellet production. Mr. Speaker, I believe that there is much potential for the Northwest Territories to take advantage of these new technologies and new markets in those areas. I also believe that wood pellet production facilities should be located in Fort Smith. That community has lower power rates than any other community, which would allow a greater cost-efficiency in plant operation. It is also in close proximity to timber and has a well developed support industry. I received a letter from my mayor dated March 4, stating that the town council is requesting my support in the Legislative Assembly for the location of a wood pellet plant in Fort Smith. The pellet plant could certainly be in a location where he has stated that low cost of electricity, market conditions and central location with respect to transportation would be good for transportation into other market areas. It certainly has the best road access to both northern and southern markets. So I urge the government to place the pellet plant in Fort Smith.

Member for Thebacha, could you push your button?

Thank you. I would urge the Minister of Economic Development to review this matter carefully and when making a decision to look at the economic interests of the territories and the viability of this particular initiative.

Another potential economic development initiative, which exists in my community, is the proposed greenhouse facility in Fort Smith. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Economic Development had mentioned this in the House. I agree that there is significant merit in this proposal. I also agree that the greenhouse facilities should be located in Fort Smith because they could supply inexpensive and high quality produce, not only to that community, but throughout the South Slave region, if not to the Northwest Territories, similar to the supply of eggs we receive. We have to try to stop one way or another importing products into the territories and to try to be self-sufficient.

---Laughter

Fort Smith will never move to Alberta.

That is all right, we want you here.

Mr. Speaker, this young lady, Ms. Steed, has some excellent ideas for products and marketing development and she would be capable of getting the major projects like this, successfully off the ground. However, the matter of residential eligibility criteria will need to be addressed. In that respect, as a Member of the Assembly for my constituency, I find it very difficult to provide an opinion to the Minister. I know the Minister is guided by policy decisions, particularly on this matter. Based on the spirit and intent of our territorial legislation, however, I do not know whether prior precedent has been set, but I feel confident that the Minister will use his own good judgment in looking at this particular proposal.

At the same time, Mr. Speaker, as soon as I was asked for a letter of support from Ms. Steed, I was also approached and asked for a letter of support from another constituent, who had expressed a strong interest in undertaking a greenhouse development enterprise. There is no doubt that both of them would do an excellent job developing a greenhouse. There is no doubt that Fort Smith has a longer summer season than many other communities in the north. We are very fortunate that we have a longer growing season and I believe that the benefits, as a result of the greenhouse, would be beneficial, not only to Fort Smith, but to all the communities in the territories.

I just wanted to raise this issue to advise the Minister that I find it very difficult, unless I give two letters of support to my constituents, to be able to look at assisting with a greenhouse. I do not know if the department can afford two proposals, but there is no doubt in my mind that the north can support two greenhouses. Generally, Mr. Speaker, I am usually one to be able to give recommendation, but I find myself very torn in this particular situation because I have constituents, a couple of whom are native, wanting to build a greenhouse in the Northwest Territories. They are members of the Dene band. Then, I have another constituent, who has a great deal of knowledge and is capable in getting such a project off the ground. She has much experience with respect to agriculture.

However, the technical problem of my constituent being in Alberta, I hope can be overcome. I have tried to encourage her to build it around Fort Smith as that would take care of that problem. However, Mr. Speaker, the Minister realizes the potential in this particular area and that is why he mentioned it in the House. So, I hope this issue can be addressed. I hope it is not delayed any further and that they put some major effort in evaluating the business and the market potential of this concept to take advantage of the local interests and the window of opportunity in supplying produce. I would like to strongly suggest that in moving ahead on this initiative, the department should look closely at whether the community and the region can support two independent research programs with respect to this particular issue. As I have said earlier, I believe they can. The market potential for inexpensive northern grown produce is extensive and could probably consume the produce of more than one greenhouse. So, I look forward to the Minister's decision respecting this matter.

Mr. Speaker, the other comment I wanted to make is on the exciting economic development prospects which exist within the Fort Smith region. I know many Members have already been aware of the fascinating and promising work that has been carried out by Mrs. Dube, a long time Fort Smith resident. Mrs. Dube, largely on her own, has carried out some very practical and well-researched work into the use of natural products. For instance, she has worked toward developing a line of quality products which can be manufactured from musk-ox by-products. She has developed a process for developing laundry soaps, bar soaps, shampoo and skin care products from musk-ox fat. In fact, I have a sample of the musk-ox fat, Mr. Speaker, that I want to pass on to the Minister of Economic Development to see what can be produced from the work she does. These revolutionary ideas offer economic development prospects which could benefit northern businesses. Right now, we have very few manufacturing goods, either for export, or part of the government's overdue import substitution program. Every time I see Mrs. Dube, she says "We are talking industry here. We are not talking just a few little things - industry." So I want to emphasize to the Minister of Economic Development, if you could look at developing this, you will be looking at industry.

Hear, hear.

---Applause

However, Mr. Speaker, I have been somewhat concerned that Mrs. Dube has encountered some frustration in working with officials from the Department of Economic Development and Tourism. She has told me she does not feel she has received full cooperation from the department and she has had to endure extensive waiting periods. Sometimes I believe it is just a misunderstanding on both parties. Mrs. Dube is not fluent in English and sometimes I believe it is just her misunderstanding of what commitments have been made. Mr. Speaker, if we are serious about building on our northern economic potential, we must clearly place a priority on developing good ideas and invention that our northern residents bring forward. I am of the opinion that this government must begin to show confidence in the capacity of its own residents. Northerners are just as capable of inventing new products and developing new technologies as the people in any other jurisdiction. It is time for the Department of Economic Development and Tourism to realize and recognize this and take full advantage of the inventiveness of a northern entrepreneur, like Mrs. Dube. I am encouraging the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism to take prompt action to assist in any further research and commercial development that needs to take place.

Mr. Speaker, when we sit in November, I plan to ask the Minister about the progress that he is made in moving ahead with these economic development prospects. Mr. Speaker, one other comment that I do want to mention briefly is with regard to the day care facilities and in doing so, I would like to thank the Department of Social Services, that has the responsibility of day care, for the consideration it showed to the people of Fort Smith when it provided the former personal care unit for use as a day care. I believe this was a positive acknowledgement of needs that Fort Smith families have related to the government for some time. However, I am concerned that we still do not have a comprehensive day care policy. I certainly believe this was disappointing and a lapse in performance by the previous Social Services senior management. However, I am grateful that this program responsibility has not been transferred to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment Programs, and I hope at a better level of organization and follow through which exists at the senior levels in that department, it would be possible to put a high priority on the finalization of a workable day care policy for the people of the Northwest Territories.

Sometimes in as much as I know the hard working people in Social Services want to address something, they at times, unfortunately, lack the understanding of how to address it and meet the needs of the people.

Mr. Speaker, while I am on the subject of the Department of Social Services, I think it would be wrong of me not to make some comments about the dreadful state of affairs which exist with respect to the social assistance program. Through history, there have been comments that the level of humanity which a government possesses can be determined by looking at the manner in which it treats the least fortunate of its citizens. Recognizing the failure of the Department of Social Services to ensure that social assistance rates remain consistent with the cost of living, and recognizing that a great number of people in the Northwest Territories, traditional hunters, elders, disabled people, are forced to turn to welfare when they should never have to, I sometimes wonder what this says about the humanity of this government.

Mr. Speaker, when I was the Minister of Social Services, as I said when we were running for the leadership race, I used to stick my neck out for poor people. Sometimes I get frustrated that these poor people feel that they are still being overlooked.

Mr. Speaker, the social assistance rates need to be reviewed. In fact, not only the social assistance rates but the whole system of welfare needs to be reformed. I know the Minister of Social Services realizes this, and I am certain she is committed to seeing improvements in this area. However, Mr. Speaker, I urge the Minister to get her officials moving on this. If the present directorate within the Department of Social Services is unable to complete the task, then I tell her she should bring in some professionals who can because we must remember we are only in the second generation of social assistance and welfare, and I see us as a welfare state by the year 2000, if we do not address this concern now.

I would also encourage her to look closely at the need to reform the manner in which this government deals with support for the disabled. For many years I have remarked that it is inherently unfair that people with disabilities have to go to the local social services office and line up to apply for welfare. It is humiliating, it is degrading that they have to get their cheque every month. That is not a proper way to treat people. It contributes to stereotypes about people with disabilities, and it conveys a perception that these are people who are either unwilling or unable to contribute anything to their respective communities. Mr. Speaker, that is blatantly unfair and I believe it is wrong.

I have argued for some time that the Northwest Territories should be moving in a direction which establishes a system of disability pensions. We need a system whereby disabled people can financially receive support from the government, and retain the dignity as we all wish to do. I am sure many of these people do not like to go to social services. In many other jurisdictions they do not have to go to social services, there is a section for the disabled people, there is a particular division within a department, "solely to address the disabled."

Mr. Speaker, many of the same arguments can be made about the manner in which this government is forcing hunters, trappers and fishermen into the welfare system. It is absolutely ridiculous to have a system which signifies self-sufficient men and women who have made a living from the land throughout their lives to have to turn to social assistance to carry them through the lean months in the hunting or trapping cycles. I find it, at times, even more disappointing to see young people who could and should be pursuing the traditional harvesting life-styles that have sustained our people throughout the history of the north, relying on welfare. This government was supposed to have been working on an effective harvest income subsidy program for close to five years now. Mr. Speaker, I still see no program being developed.

I feel this is another example of the territorial government letting down the people of the small communities who rely on them. This year was a terrible year for hunters and trappers in the Northwest Territories. Before the end of January, many trappers took out their traps. There is no reason in the world why effective guaranteed income provisions or workable income subsidy programs cannot be developed for hunters and trappers in the Northwest Territories.

In the south, farmers receive subsidies. Mr. Speaker, I believe it takes the will and the wisdom to follow this through. I would like to ask the Minister of Social Services and the Minister of Renewable Resources get together to look at the amount of funding they give in social assistance and formulate some of that money for hunters and trappers into an income subsidy program where hunters can hunt and feel proud of hunting, not to take their dignity away when they have to go to social services when the hunting seasons are bad. I believe this is an issue that has to be addressed.

With regard to further concerns respecting social services, I have mentioned to the Minister of Social Services that I was somewhat concerned about the manner in which one of her facilities, a child welfare facility in Fort Smith, was being managed. I am grateful that the Minister is going to do a review because I am concerned that the program delivery lacks coordination and is not properly supervised.

I am concerned, as well, about personnel procedures at the senior administrative level. For example, certain supervisory staff have been allowed to attend the college classes while they are supposed to be on duty and receiving their salary, not taking educational leave but just going to the college to take different courses. I do not believe that is right. If they are going to take training while on the job where they go to workshops, takes courses, that is fine. I do not take that away from them, but to go to take college classes in a course, that is not right. Members only have to look at the large number of aboriginal people employed in junior positions within the territorial public services who are not allowed the same privilege.

I want the House to know that I have discussed the matter, and as I have said, I am pleased that the Minister has agreed to carry out a complete review of the facility, its staffing policies and program effectiveness. I am sure I can count on her to ensure that a balanced and effective review is undertaken, and that appropriate action is taken by the department to correct any inadequacy which she may identify.

Mr. Speaker, there is another area within the Department of Social Services where ministerial review and action needs to be looked at. I am referring to the alcohol, drug and community mental health services division in that department, Mr. Speaker. It has been my observation over the past two years that very little progress has been made within that program area. Salaries for alcohol and drug workers were evaluated for adjustment, and are still largely inadequate. The addictions treatment facility on the Hay River reserve is proceeding according to previous strategic planning exercises, but there is still a great deal of confusion about whether the department has made a serious commitment to funding staff levels and program design. Training programming for addiction counsellors has to be looked at. There are very limited, if any, capabilities for family based addiction treatment. There has been no significant progress with respect to treatment facilities for solvent abusers. Even though my colleague from Baffin South has raised it as an issue on a number of occasions, this is one area that we must address. What is worse is that there has been no increase in the number of community-based alcohol and drug programs since 1991. Many of the communities which have no alcohol and drug counselling facilities are probably the ones that need them the most. Mr. Speaker, over and over this program area is one that has been recognized in this House as being critically important. With so many of our social problems being barriers to economic development and our growing correctional population tied to the incident of alcohol and drug problems, I find it is disappointing that such slow progress has been made within the Department of Social Services with respect to addressing these serious problems.

However, Mr. Speaker, there is one positive thing which I believe has been accomplished in this area, and it has been the establishment of regional alcohol and drug specialists. These people are really making a difference in many regions with respect to community development and needs assessment. However, I am concerned that the senior departmental officials are not listening to the field-based resources. They are not taking their recommendations seriously and they are not responding to the community needs which have been identified. That is regrettable. Mr. Speaker, I think it highlights a significant problem which exists within the administration of the department. For these reasons, it is absolutely necessary that the board of management for alcohol and drug services be revitalized and fully used. Mr. Speaker, this is a board which has worked very well through the past years. Some honourable Members will recall that this board originally existed as the alcohol and drug coordinating council. It was revamped in 1988 to include much better regional representation and served as a mechanism through which communities and regions were able to have input into senior level policy decisions. It also reviewed funding submissions from alcohol and drug projects across the Northwest Territories and did a good job of ensuring an equitable distribution of funding.

The members of the board, Mr. Speaker, were highly respected within their communities and regions. There were people such as Nancy Peel, Dr. Ross Wheeler of Yellowknife, the Honourable Helen Maksagak, who is now the Deputy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, Rosie Oolooyuk, who now sits on the Keewatin regional health board, and former chiefs such as Norman Yakelaya of Fort Norman, and Felix Lockhart of Lutsel K'e. There is no doubt that these people demonstrated a strong commitment to improving alcohol and drug programming, and they served as excellent role models through their own modelling of abstinence and healthy life-styles. Yet, even though the members of the board of management made this significant contribution they have not been treated well by the department. There has been a lack of support for meetings and poor information flowing from the bureaucracy to the board.

We need boards like this to ensure that the Yellowknife-based bureaucrats are made aware of the situation that exists within a community. We need the collective wisdom of aboriginal people from throughout the Northwest Territories to make sure that priorities are well established and that program commitments are followed through. I believe that the board is badly needed, largely because, to be frank, I lack the confidence and the approach and awareness that has been demonstrated within the management of the Department of Social Services to address such a critical issue.

I was glad that on the first day of the session the new Minister of Social Services agreed with me and indicated that she would be making appointments to the board to bring it up to full strength. I anticipate that the board will be meeting soon to review funding submissions from community-based alcohol and drug programs.

Point of order, Mr. Whitford.

Point Of Order

Thank you. Mr. Clerk, ring the bell. I would like to advise this House that the Member for Thebacha must make an emergency phone call. We will take a few minutes break.

---SHORT RECESS

I call the Assembly back to order. Before Mrs. Marie-Jewell carries on with her reply, I would like to recognize in the gallery a basketball team from Fort Simpson, the Fort Simpson Wolf Pack.

---Applause

Apparently three of them can slam-dunk the ball.

---Applause

Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for giving us the opportunity to take a few minutes out. I had a fairly urgent message from my husband and by the time I called, he was already at the hospital with one of my children. I felt that I had to tend to that.

Mr. Speaker, before we took the break, I was asking the Minister of Social Services to look at the alcohol and drug board of management. I certainly hope that this particular board of management would be brought up to its full strength and that they look at reviewing funding and submissions for community-based alcohol and drug programs. I want to let the Minister know that when the House reconvenes in November, I will ask for the department's follow through on the Ministerial commitment that she has given me.

In speaking about health centres, Mr. Speaker, I have spoken to the Minister of Health with regard to the community concern of the health centre in Fort Smith continuing to operate under the direction of a ministerial appointed public administrator. The community has been concerned, particularly the town council, with respect to this. From the public meeting, the Minister knows that there is considerable interest within Fort Smith of moving toward the election of a hospital board trustee. This was something which was commented on in the report which was provided to this House by the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions. I am, again, pleased with the way that the Minister of Health has responded to this particular community interest.

Mr. Speaker, as suggested by the standing committee, she has now agreed to undertake a review of this issue and I am pleased to note that we will be working together to survey my constituents' views on questions of board composition and selection. However, while this work is going on, we need to return to a board managed facility. I will be urging the Minister of Health to appoint an interim board while this matter is being studied. It is very difficult to continue with the situation which exists with respect to the public administrator. Mr. Speaker, it is not the idea of having non-confidence in the public administrator, it is just the actual perception and with the town council expressing a reluctance to continue participating in the planning activities so long as the public administrator is in place, it is of concern. Mr. Speaker, I have every confidence that the Minister will realize the steps which have to be taken and will replace the public administrator by appointing an interim hospital board for a one year term.

Mr. Speaker, at times with respect to the Minister of Health and the Department of Health in general, she has a very difficult situation with which to cope. Having the Department of Health and Social Services are two difficult departments and there is no doubt about it. I bet you if the Government Leader wanted to give that department to any other colleague on the Cabinet, not one of them would jump up to take it because those two departments are no-win departments. I understand the difficult situation in which she has been placed on many issues to a large degree, but I believe some of it has been caused because of the senior administration within that department. The Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions included a section in its recent report, subtitled "a question of attitude." Mr. Speaker, as a Member of that committee, I believe that the comments in that section of the report are very accurate. There does appear to be an attitudinal problem within the management of the Department of Health. These attitudes reflect a paternalistic type of attitude, that no doubt is outdated in today's Northwest Territories. It is an attitude which has been reflected in the way the department has been dealing with regional health boards. That is clearly seen from comments that were made by board representatives in the proceedings of public hearings, when Mr. Zoe's Standing Committee on Public Accounts held its review on the comprehensive health audit. It is an attitude that my honourable colleague from Deh Cho commented on when he was reporting the department's response to regional requests for the transfer of CHR positions. The attitude problem was clearly seen as well in the manner in which the department chose to respond to the Auditor General's report, and in the approach that was taken by the deputy minister in dealing with the standing committee.

When we, as the Special Committee on Health and Social Services, met and listened to some of the proceedings on the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, I recall asking a few questions. This was the response from the deputy minister at the time, "Well, the department has gone through five Ministers." That type of attitude, and I know sometimes changing a ministerial government at times is difficult on the bureaucrats, but if the department had plans in place there is no doubt that their plan would probably be able to bridge them before they get another Minister to give them direction. So having five Ministers is not an excuse for the attitudes that prevail within the department. The bureaucrats in the Health directorate are not fooling anyone with these superficial, superior attitudes. The Auditor General's report pointed out that the department is not being well-managed and that it is out of touch with the priorities of health stakeholders in the communities. Mr. Speaker, I believe that is going to have to change. Both the department and the Legislative Assembly are fortunate that we now have a Minister of Health who is sensitive to the needs and perspectives of the communities in the north. I trust that she will be able to supervise the transition in attitude and the many adjustments in management style which are going to have to take place within the Department of Health.

However, in saying this, Mr. Speaker, I would also encourage the Minister to be diligent in studying her briefing material and communicating with Members of this House on health concerns. I am certain that honourable Members of the House are interested in receiving more specific and faster responses to oral questions and other inquiries that we have been able to anticipate from the Minister of Health during the current session. I am sure that as her familiarity with the mandate and the programs of the department grows, she will become better able to provide Members with the information we need.

One of the issues, Mr. Speaker, that is still a concern to my constituents and which I am hoping the Minister will act fairly swiftly on is the constant and irritating harassment that the department is still directing towards a long-time doctor who has practised in Fort Smith. Unlike most health professionals, Dr. Viswalingam has made over a ten-year commitment to our community and to the people of Fort Smith. Many of the elders count on him and I know that aboriginal people in the community believe that he is one of the few doctors who has been able to listen to their health concerns. Yet, the level of internal politicking within the board, the public administration, the reviews to which he has been subjected to, the personal financial losses he has suffered through court action to protect his good name and his professional status, there is not a doubt these have all taken their toll. I was gratified that an arrangement had been made with this hard working doctor for an out of court settlement. I thought that appropriate measures were in place to complete the recommended review activities, but now I have found out that officials in the Department of Safety and Public Services are refusing to renew his medical licence. I have to say to the government that they should leave this man alone, they should stop harassing him and allow him to serve the people of the north. Many of my constituents are monitoring this and I have received many phone calls regarding their concerns with this and there is no doubt that I am concerned about it. I certainly hope that this issue can be addressed as quickly as possible.

Mr. Speaker, another matter that has been drawn to the attention of Fort Smith residents and myself is there is no doubt in the preferential treatment, and I felt when I made my Member's statement, that it was not preferential treatment, but after I thought long and hard about it, I guess I have to admit that it is preferential treatment which has been accorded to an inmate at the Territorial Women's Correctional Centre in Fort Smith. Sometimes I think the situation is absolutely incredible. It is the stuff that television writers use for situation comedies. Mr. Speaker, and I am mindful of your ruling, that the senior manager in the Department of Social Services, who stole from the Government of the Northwest Territories, who took public money that had been set aside for social assistance, money that was intended for the less fortunate, the amount being over $250,000 was one of the most serious breaches of trust in the history of the territorial government. I know she was dealt with appropriately by the courts. She was sentenced to serve federal time, which would normally be served in a federal penitentiary. During the trial her lawyer asked the judge to choose a sentence that would serve time near her psychiatrist in Ontario because she had been assessed as needing personal help. I support that. If someone needs help, they should get help. The supreme court justice took that into consideration and said that she would be able to receive that help at the federal penitentiary where we expected her to go. The advice on which he based that was even provided by the territorial director of corrections, Mr. DuPerron. Maybe that is why he is not here any more.

What happened to this past territorial employee? She is now living across the street from the correctional centre in Fort Smith with minimal supervision. She attends classes as a full time student at Arctic College. As I said in my Member's statement, it is a privilege that is denied to many aboriginal people in our community because they lack the funds. She has money to pay for tuition and books at the college, but not enough to pay back the social assistance funds she took from the Department of Social Services. She goes out on outings around the community, suppers here, meetings there and I am even told that she goes to aerobics classes. Mr. Speaker, my constituents are appalled with this and so am I. I wonder what message is sent to people who might be inclined to try to defraud their employer? Where is the general deterrence that the court intended for this inmate's sentence to represent?

I think one question weighs on the mind of many honourable Members and the public at large, would she receive this kind of treatment if she were an aboriginal woman? Mr. Speaker, I doubt it. There is no doubt that the Fort Smith Dene band has expressed its concern. I have tabled that letter in this House because many constituents have expressed their concern. The letter read but because of the remarks of the Minister of Justice asking who was I speaking for, it got the band mad so they wrote the letter to the Minister. They said, "On behalf of the Salt River First Nations, we are in full support of our respective MLA, Mrs. Jeannie Marie-Jewell, as she addresses the concern of a particular inmate at the women's correctional centre in Fort Smith. The number of concerns to this regard is to exceptional treatment of a particular inmate in terms of the schooling and accommodation provisions made available to this inmate. The other concern is with regard to the sentencing and whether, in fact, the policies of incarceration reflect the sentence that the courts have made judgement. These are a few of the concerns we have at the moment and I would like clarification on these matters. The main point, I must emphasize, at this time is our full support to our MLA with regard to addressing the concerns of the community of Fort Smith. I would strongly urge the respective Minister to respond and further to address the concerns of our community. If there are any concerns I would be more than pleased to respond further but all the confidence is in our MLA to address our concerns to the fullest." That is who I speak for, the people of Fort Smith. It is signed by the chief.

However, Mr. Speaker, I believe this episode has demonstrated something worrisome about the quality of case management within the territorial corrections system. I expect that we will find ourselves revisiting issues such as this over and over until a major review is completed. I know the Legislative Assembly is forming a delegation to look at the Navajo reserve, and the Minister will be taking his officials to look at the correctional centre, the justice system. I certainly hope that we look at a major review of the total justice system on how it addresses the people of the north. I must say, our justice system is not working. It is not working for the people of the Northwest Territories.

The other area, before I move away from Justice, is, in the budget there was a proposal to take away fees for jury duty. I certainly hope the government looks at that and does not take away that little $25 fee that they give to people who attend jury duty. The little $25 is not much to the government, Mr. Speaker, but it means a great deal to the poor people who have to take a cab to the court houses, that are not centrally located in many communities. That $25 does, at times, go toward their babysitting, when they have to attend the courthouse to see whether or not they have to serve jury duty. I certainly hope they find a mechanism to address jury duty fees for people who are subpoenaed who do not have other income. For civil servants, that is fine, they get paid their wage. So, if they take away the $25 they are not losing anything, civil servants still get a salary. However, for the people who are unemployed, what do they have? Nothing. I really wish the government would take a look at this with that perspective.

Of course, Mr. Speaker, with regard to Justice, if I overlook the River Ridge facility and the concerns which I have expressed, it would be wrong of me. I have been expressing concerns in the manner in which River Ridge facility has been targeted for triple designation. That is a facility which has been designated for the highest level of security that a young offender institution can provide. I simply cannot see how the institution is going to function as an open custody unit. However, I will be very interested in reviewing the program evaluation report which the Minister of Justice promised in the House yesterday, when he completes the six month review on the initiative. Mr. Speaker, I will make sure that there is not going to be additional appropriations required to bring about the structural changes in the facility. If this Cabinet comes in for special warrants or supps, particularly supps, I will vehemently speak against it. I will jump up and down and everything.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, the decision to change the designation at River Ridge has been more carefully reasoned than another decision this Minister made with his Department of Personnel, which is housing. For some time I have been concerned about several aspects of the government's plan to dispose of surplus housing in Fort Smith. I have been particularly troubled by the Department of Personnel's decision to ask Arctic College to identify its needs for housing units. I understand that Arctic College will be assuming responsibility for these units and will take over the role of landlord from the Department of Personnel. However, when you look at the overall department's budget, I do not know how it will reduce maintenance costs because all you are doing is taking from DPW and Personnel and giving it to the college, the college funds will be used for maintenance costs of these units. It does not seem to make sense. I have a concern that different standards will be set for how students will use those houses that would be found in the private rental market.

Mr. Speaker, I have expressed concern over the abuse and damage of units. I am concerned that if all of these units are turned over to the college it would reduce the college's ability to do program delivery, because you will be tying up some of your funding for maintenance of housing. The Minister probably wonders what should he be doing with surplus government housing in Fort Smith, and as I have said before, he should have made a decision to sell the surplus units according to the properly established disposal plan, not to sell them to the point where they disrupt the current balance within the real estate market. If he sold those units, it would have generated revenue for government coffers and defrayed the deficit. Then, he could have looked at a leasing concept in which student housing would be leased from private landlords. That is the best way to go. It is cheap, and you still get your student housing. At the same time you get more money for the government. It would stimulate the rental market and no doubt, support local home maintenance firms. Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that Arctic College is now being left with an administrative headache and the government has simply shifted and transferred its landlord responsibilities from a department to an agency. I think that is poor planning and I would urge the government to revisit that initiative.

With respect to the housing strategy, Mr. Speaker, I would like to make a brief comment on the Minister's housing strategy, which occupied so much of the House's time and attention at the beginning of this current session. Mr. Speaker, the level of planning and preparation of announcing and implementing this strategy was not significantly better than the one I had just mentioned. However, I must say that in principle I fully support the direction that the Minister took on this issue. In fact, if I had not been required to travel to Toronto for negotiations on banking services, I probably would have voted against the motion, which Mr. Patterson brought forward. Mr. Speaker, I believe that all northerners have to realize that we are in difficult financial times and it is absolutely ludicrous to be providing subsidies to government employees, rental accommodation, when long-term residents of the territories, aboriginal families and elders are having to live in units that, in some cases, are little better than what we call shacks.

Mr. Speaker, I want the record to show that after careful consideration of the issue, I support the housing strategy brought forward by the Minister of Personnel. People in Fort Smith were faced with a similar situation when adjustments were made to staff housing policies in Yellowknife, Fort Smith and Hay River. There is no doubt that I paid the political price for that. In the end, I realized that it was the right direction for the government to be taking and I believe that this housing strategy, minus some of the ineffective public communication, is a positive step in the right direction. In fact, Mr. Speaker, I encourage the Minister of Personnel to even go further and give strong consideration to whether the Government of the Northwest Territories should even continue to pay its employees a housing allowance. Mr. Speaker, to continue paying public servants $450 a month simply because they chose to work for the government, when disabled people and elders get much less than that on social assistance, it is just about obscene. It borders on being unfair. I will be urging the Minister of Personnel to continue to move towards a more equitable distribution of the public purse, even if there is pressure from organized labour, special interest groups and the union, and even Yellowknife MLAs.

---Laughter

All these Yellowknife MLAs have been my friends.

---Laughter

You have been my friend for a long time too, Dennis. John Ningark is my best friend, though.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, the other area that I want to cover is the area of the media.

---Applause

I have been wanting to comment on some of the issues which confront the people of Fort Smith. I know this is taking quite a lot of time, but I want to make sure that matters were explicitly and accurately described in the Hansard. I find this is necessary, Mr. Speaker, because we, as Members, cannot count on the media to do an adequate job to report the business that takes place in this House. That is really unfortunate. Mr. Speaker, this House has completed an unprecedented amount of work and I have statistics about that that I will talk about later in my reply. We have also doubt with some issues of serious concern, not only at the territorial level, but at the national level as well. Yet, the level of responsibility shown by the media is disappointing. I will give you an example. This House passed a motion condemning the federal government, the Government of Canada, for its funding cut backs. This is a significant motion. In any other jurisdiction, if a provincial government condemns the federal government, it makes front-page headlines, but here, the broadcast media are so busy digging into the financial matters of MLAs, or making ill-informed, poorly researched comments about House procedures, or making foolish sounding raven noises over the radio, the important news items are going right over their heads. The worst part of it, Mr. Speaker, is that they are not even getting the facts correct, when they launch their self-serving personal attacks. In that respect, I would like to take this opportunity and refer to a matter that arose earlier in this session, and I did not respond to it deliberately because I thought "That is okay, there will be a time and a place in my reply to deal with it."

There was an article in the Friday, February 26 edition of the Yellowknifer -- and I really have to laugh when I think about it -- which contained comments that are misleading and inaccurate. Specifically, I refer to the article on page three. It was right after the Prime Minister of Canada quit, their headline read, "Locals Mostly Happy About PM's Resignation", people in Yellowknife were happy Brian Mulroney was going. That article included the following quotation, "With Mulroney gone, Bush gone, Getty gone and Jeannie going, there is hope for the country yet," said one disgruntled coffee drinker at the Diner. The newspaper even added brackets to the quotation to make it clear that the statement was intended to refer to me and to my constituency of Thebacha. They took special effort in ensuring that the quotation attracted maximum attention by including it in a box column on the front page of the newspaper under the quote of the day. Mr. Speaker, by associating my name with that of the three politicians who have recently resigned, and by stating that I was going, was giving an impression that was intentionally created, that I was planning to resign, and nothing could have been further from the truth.

---Applause

I want to ensure the Members of this House and the people of my constituency that I will continue to represent them in this House actively and to the best of my ability.

---Applause

I am commenting on this today, Mr. Speaker, because I believe it is important to clarify this to anyone who is surprised by the innuendo in this article. I also raise it, Mr. Speaker, because once again I was appalled by the actions of the news media, the news media organizations in Yellowknife. No one from News/North contacted me to see if there was any truth to their secret source comment before inferring that I would resign. Clearly, the decisions to include this quotation from an unidentified individual, to print it without additional facts or confirmation and then to draw attention to it on the front page, reflects the worst kind of unbalanced and unprofessional reporting. Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Press, and I had a copy of it, publishes a manual which includes guidelines for this sort of style and principle which should be followed by journalists. I am going to make sure they get a copy of it. In fact I was thinking, now that it is new year and we have a new budget, I might even buy them a new book and send it to them, out of my constituency funding.

While these are not binding, most responsible reports and editors try to follow them. The style book refers to the following principles as goals to which all journalists should aspire. I will name some of those principles.

"Full investigation, before transmitting any story or identify any individual in a story, where there is the slightest reason of doubt, they should do a full investigation. Citation of competent authorities and sources as to the origin of information open to question.

Impartiality in consideration of all news affecting parties or matters in controversy with equal representation in the report to the sides at issue, and limitation of the subject matter to facts." Facts.

Mr. Speaker, sometimes I do not believe that the media follows these principles. There is one more principle.

"Prompt and frank admission of error with corrections equal in prominence to the error." Sadly, I have no hope that the Yellowknifer would recognize that this kind of unbalanced reporting misleads the public and causes confusion. Instead, they would probably come back with a litany of excuses about the fact that it was a quote, not an editorial comment, or that it was intended as a tongue-in-cheek article. The crux of the matter is that what they did was wrong. They contributed to the fabrication of an untrue rumour that I intended to resign and that is not acceptable journalism. It is unfortunate, Mr. Speaker, when Members of the House are forced to repeatedly take time away from the business of this House to correct and clarify false unbiased references made against them in the Yellowknife media.

However, in this instance, I did not allow my constituents to be left out of any confusion about whether I will be continuing to represent them in this Assembly. To my constituents, I would like to make the following statement, that Mr. Mulroney, Mr. Bush and Mr. Getty might be gone, but Jeannie Marie-Jewell is not going anywhere. No, she is coming to report to the Members of this House when session is on.

To the reporters, who did not even put a by-line on this article and to the disgruntled coffee drinker at the Diner, I would like to tell them that if they would like to see Jeannie Marie-Jewell go, there is one way to do it, they are all invited to run against me in Thebacha in 1995.

Agreed.