Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to Ministers' statements.

Thank you. Madam Speaker, today is United Nations Day and the start of the fifth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. In Ottawa today, the Prime Minister is participating in an official launch of the anniversary year by delivering a speech which will be the first in a series in the coming year by world leaders on their vision for the future of the United Nations.

The United Nations merged at the end of the Second World War as an institution primarily concerned with international peace and security. Today this organization comprises of 184 member countries, has a much broader mandate including health, education, the environment, international development, human rights and disarmament.

In the coming year, there will be an intensified effort by organizations and governments in Canada to get Canadians thinking about the United Nations. In May 1993, a Canadian committee for the 50th anniversary was struck by the United Nations Association in Canada and the Department of Foreign Affairs to help focus this effort, in the period between October 1994 and December 1995. This committee has been working with federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments and with the private sector to help deliver a series of high-profile activities over the course of the year which will help Canadians reflect on United Nations' achievements over the past 50 years and to get them thinking about ways to reform the United Nations. The committee is also encouraging the participation of community groups, including schools, youth organizations, associations, churches and women's and multicultural groups.

Madam Speaker, I believe that northerners will want to initiate or get involved in activities in the coming year, and consider the ways in which the United Nations has or can affect their lives in this part of the world, generally. Many aboriginal organizations, for example, have been active in international activities associated with the United Nations in areas such as health, environment, human rights and self-determination, and can share their experiences through the sorts of activities planned for the 50th anniversary year. Thank you.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. I would like to recognize a former dental therapist who served in a number of communities across the Northwest Territories, Mrs. Brenda Flack who is in the gallery; her son, Nikia and husband Murray, are visiting Rae-Edzo and Yellowknife. I would like to welcome them to Yellowknife and to the chamber. Mahsi.

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Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Madam Speaker, the Minister has said that the government is not planning to develop a mammography screening policy. A major reason for putting a policy in place is to ensure targets are set for reaching a high percentage of women who could benefit from such screening. My question is, is the Minister aware that seven provinces and the Yukon have, in the past few years, instituted organized screening programs?

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Supplementary to the same Minister. Madam Speaker, starting in 1990, preventative health services division of the federal Department of Health, has held twice-yearly national workshops where participants discuss breast screening programs. The federal government even picked up the cost for participants' travel and accommodation.

Madam Speaker, since we're not participating in these discussions, can Members be assured by the Minister that we have more qualified people in our Department of Health than in other jurisdictions?

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, this government has missed another opportunity. The Department of Health did not send a representative or a representative team to the national forum on breast cancer. And I think it was particularly disturbing that nobody was sent to discuss prevention and screening. The sole NWT representative went in the survivor classification. My question, Madam Speaker, is has the Minister read the final report on the national forum on breast cancer?

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The Premier didn't answer whether or not she had read the final report of the national forum on breast cancer, which was my actual question. My final supplementary will be, why is this government not taking advantage of an opportunity to share the knowledge and experience of others across Canada, especially when it would not have cost anything for this

government to do so? Why have we failed to take advantage of an opportunity to learn something for nothing?