Good afternoon. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Keewatin Central, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, later today, I will table the corporate plan of the Northwest Territories Workers' Compensation Board for 1995-97. I have approved this plan as required by the Financial Administration Act.

I think it is appropriate, at this time, to commend the efforts of the staff and the board of the WCB, and to congratulate them on what I consider to be effective and realistic initiatives.

The past year has seen the implementation of several initiatives.

On the recommendation of this Legislative Assembly, the WCB has worked with the Department of Renewable Resources to amend the Workers' Compensation Act to establish an appropriate benefit level for hunters, trappers and fishermen.

I am pleased to say that a memorandum of understanding has been reached, allowing easier access to harvesters' benefits. An information package describing these changes has been distributed and is available in both English and Inuktitut.

The WCB has strived, during the last 12 months, to streamline the appeals tribunal process. Formal rules of practice will soon be finalized and made available to claimants. I am happy to announce, Madam Speaker, that of the 32 appeals filed in 1993, all were addressed by October 31st, as were an additional backlog of 28 cases.

This achievement represents a significant time commitment on behalf of the chairman of the tribunal, Mr. Don McNenly, and the appeals tribunal Commissioners who are part-time members.

The board of directors has recently approved a comprehensive communications strategy that will ensure that more timely and accurate information is being provided to the stakeholders.

Service standards and communications guidelines have been established or enhanced to improve client service.

An affirmative action plan and recruitment strategy have been developed to more accurately reflect our northern population and demographics.

Several important projects are still ongoing, Madam Speaker. The safety incentive and rate reduction program has been approved for implementation in 1996. This program is designed to collect additional assessments from employers with poor safety records, while offsetting rates for others. More importantly, safety advisors will work with employers to provide safety education and, hopefully, reduce the number and severity of accidents through the workplace.

In the claims area, an early intervention model has been developed. This initiative focuses on the early and accurate diagnosis of a worker's injury and the development of a realistic return to work plan. The end result will be a safe and timely return of injured workers to the workplace.

A multi-industry classification has been created in response to employer concerns, and the number of industry subclasses has been reduced. These changes will take effect January 1, 1995, so implementation is already under way.

A review of policies and procedures has begun to address issues raised during the public consultation process, Madam Speaker.

Finally, as Members are aware, the WCB has recovered from a deficit position and is taking the necessary steps to remain fully funded.

Madam Speaker, the WCB is very aware of the need to be progressive and is looking ahead with two new initiatives. The first involves an evaluation of program delivery in the eastern Arctic. The second is a needs assessment based on the expected growth in the non-renewable resource sector.

Madam Speaker, I would encourage all Members to take the time to read the document I will be tabling later this afternoon. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Keewatin Central, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to provide the Members of this House

with a brief update on the status of negotiations for the transfer of the Arctic A airport program from the federal government.

The Department of Transportation initiated discussions for the transfer of this program in July of 1993. Since that time, department staff, with assistance from several other departments of the government, have completed inspections of all the site facilities; reviewed federal work records and budget plans; consulted with Members of this House, aboriginal leaders, community councils and air carrier representatives; and, developed organization structures, budget plans, policy proposals and negotiating positions.

The negotiations have not been without their share of problems. I had hoped to be able to confirm with Members that the transfer would proceed on April 1, 1995, as originally planned. Unfortunately, there are still several issues to be resolved and we are working as quickly as possible towards that end. I am optimistic that we will shortly reach an agreement to implement this transfer on July 1, 1995.

In recent weeks, many Members have indicated to me their support for the proposed transfer. The honourable Member for Kitikmeot rightly pointed out last week that the successful negotiation of this transfer will protect the financial resources that are required to continue to fund airport services at their current level, particularly at a time when the federal government is implementing major budget reductions.

Other Members have recognized that the transfer will provide a stronger operating base of technical skills and human resources that can be applied throughout the entire territorial system of airports, including the 42 B, C and D airports that we currently operate. Further benefits will accrue through the application of our northern employment, contracting and purchasing policies to this program and by linking their operation more closely to the communities that they serve.

While recognizing these benefits, we are continuing to take a cautious approach to the negotiations. We must be satisfied that the financial arrangements and the other terms and conditions of the agreement are acceptable and will allow the department to operate these nine airports as successfully as we have operated the other 42.

In conclusion, Madam Speaker, we remain committed to the negotiation of this agreement. I am confident that over the next few weeks, we will have satisfactorily resolved the last few issues and will be able to turn our attention to the process of implementation. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, as this Assembly is aware, my department, with the support of Cabinet, has developed a strategy to reach its goals of having aboriginal people make up half of the teaching force in the NWT by the year 2000. Community-based teacher education programs are an important aspect of the strategy, because they make teacher training accessible to people who are not able to leave their communities to attend campus-based programs.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment has commissioned a video to document and celebrate the achievements of two of these community-based programs, one in Rae-Edzo and the other in the Keewatin region. This video, entitled "Who Will Build the Future?" was produced by Inuit Communication Systems Limited. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to announce today that this video has won an honourable mention at the recent 42nd annual Columbus International Film and Video Festival in Worthington, Ohio.

---Applause

Competition at the Columbus festival is intense. This award places our video in the company of such programs as The Nature of Things, National Geographic and Nova, which have much higher budgets and resources. This demonstrates very clearly that northern producers can compete with the best in the world.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff of Inuit Communications Systems Limited for their excellent work on the video. I would also like to congratulate the many partners who have contributed to the success of community teacher education programs, including Arctic College, the boards and divisional boards of education and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, national addiction awareness week is celebrated once a year across the country. However, I sometimes worry that people may be getting mixed messages, the message to celebrate national addiction awareness week. Some people, Madam Speaker, are doing just that.

On Sunday, I was proud to be a participant in the sobriety walk in Fort Providence. Many members of the community participated in the walk. I was pleasantly surprised to see not only those people who have committed their lives to sobriety, but also those who are just beginning their struggle to overcome an addiction. I applaud the people who participated.

As we recognize national addiction awareness week, it becomes very important to note that the Northwest Territories is in the midst of developing new liquor legislation which will be based on the legislative action paper that the Minister tabled in the House just yesterday. I would like to take this opportunity to commend the Minister for the thorough consultation with the communities this department and, in particular, Mr. Allan Downe who is the senior advisor of social projects, has done in the development of this important piece of legislation.

The consultation with the communities was not smooth and some controversy over the issues of alcohol has surfaced, such as the issue of serving alcohol to pregnant women. However, it is through public input that the Northwest Territories will arrive at legislation that reflects the needs of northerners.

Madam Speaker, I can only hope that the new liquor laws will be designed to reflect the lives of the people of the north and not be designed for the institution that serves alcohol. I would suggest that one way the legislation can best serve the people of the north and, in particular, those people who have an addiction to alcohol, would be to develop an individual liquor licence, like a drivers license, that would be issued by the tribunal to those people who qualify. I am aware that this may be an individual rights issue; however, in some instances, I believe the public interest should outweigh the rights of the individual.

Alcohol, drugs and other types of addiction are not just an individual's problem. These addictions affect the well-being of the children, families and communities. When we consider the development of the new legislation, we must ensure that it protects the community from the effect of these addictions.

Madam Speaker, I would like to get unanimous consent to complete my Member's statement.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker and honourable Members. When we consider the development of the new legislation, we must ensure that we attempt to protect the community from the effect of these addictions. If that should mean restricting the hours by which operators may serve alcohol in the community, then the option to restrict these hours should be reflected in the legislation.

This may mean that the new legislation may have to include substantial increases to the authority of the community to make more decisions on how liquor should be distributed, when it should be distributed and to whom it may be distributed.

As well, Madam Speaker, the legislation must reflect the need of the Northwest Territories as a whole. One suggestion I have is that the Lord's Day, Sunday, be respected and free from the consumption and distribution of alcohol. I believe this should be expressly stated in the new legislation. One day per week free from alcohol and the damage that it produces can only help communities towards dealing with the effects of alcohol addiction.

Madam Speaker, the information on alcohol and drug addiction programs and services that we provide to the people of the north may not be enough. Awareness programs that are aimed at children will only have an impact if they have adult role models to emulate.

It is our responsibility as Members of the Legislative Assembly, as legislators, to assist and protect the public we serve. I strongly urge their support and input into the new liquor legislation and the legislative action paper that has been tabled, to help in ensuring more healthy and fit northern communities, as well as a stronger and more able future.

In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I would, once again, like to commend the Minister, the Honourable Richard Nerysoo, who has proven the efforts his departments have taken to obtain public contribution in not only the development of the new liquor legislation, but also in providing the legislative action paper on the heritage resources and a discussion paper on the new Education Act for public input.

Through his actions, he has proven that the public of the north does have a voice that is heard in this House. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

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

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today I want to talk about AIDS. In 1987, the federal government initiated a national AIDS program for AIDS prevention which went until 1991. Eventually, the Government of the Northwest Territories will receive some of the federal funding for the project contracted for a study of the AIDS prevention program in the NWT. This was part of the requirement for the receipt of federal funding.

I have raised the issue of AIDS many times in this Assembly during March 1993, Madam Speaker. The AIDS issue had been pushed by the Northwest Territories Health officials as a major health concern and they wanted to see some leadership on this issue. In fact, recommendation 1 in the report commissioned by the government reads, "We have to promote discussions in the Legislative Assembly which will bring AIDS and the need for a new campaign to the forefront." This is why I initiated debate on the AIDS issue at that time.

Unfortunately, Madam Speaker, there was very little debate and very little discussion. However, we passed a motion on March 31st, that the Department of Health develop policies on AIDS, as outlined in recommendations 3 to 6 of the review commissioned by the government.

In the absence of any ongoing system of evaluation of the effectiveness of AIDS programs, we will continue to be in the dark about this deadly disease. Madam Speaker, I shall be asking the Minister questions about this issue and she is aware that I will be doing that. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Baffin South, Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today I will be talking about...I have been talking with the honourable Member for Kitikmeot. I have met with him and they didn't mind me talking about this issue. There are people who come here to Yellowknife for health services and they have concerns, especially from my constituency. They stay at the Kitikmeot boarding home. If there is no room, they stay at another place. Madam Speaker, my constituents have a concern about the Kitikmeot boarding home. They were talking about having interpreters in their own dialects. They have to have an interpreter who can speak the southern Baffin dialect. Because of this, Madam Speaker, I would like to have plans made to have an interpreter in the Kitikmeot boarding home or in other places where the patients stay. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Kitikmeot, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, recently there has been controversy raised by the president of the Arctic Cooperatives Limited on the Royal Bank of Canada's announced intentions of opening a full-service branch in Cambridge Bay.

In a Member's statement on February 10th, I stated that the establishment of a debit card system is not of great benefit to residents of our communities, although it may be a new convenience for some with bank accounts.

Madam Speaker, we all recognize the importance of having a financial institution located in our regions. The availability of money depositing lending institutions with personnel familiar with the people, the communities and the region will benefit all involved. Individuals and businesses will have the benefit of financial services with locally or regionally-based decision-making authority which will eventually be familiar with the operating environment. Financial institutions will have established a new base from which to build upon in an ever-developing region.

The residents in Cambridge Bay and Kitikmeot have never had a full-service, full-time financial institution based in the region. Regardless of if it is a credit union or a full-service bank, I believe the residents of Cambridge Bay will support any financial institution which is established in the Kitikmeot, as our region is currently the only one in the NWT without these services.

Madam Speaker, senior representatives from the Royal Bank of Canada will be in Cambridge Bay on November 23rd to discuss the matter further.

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

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to continue. Are there any nays? Proceed, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker and honourable colleagues. At this time, I wish the Royal Bank all the success towards establishing a branch in Cambridge Bay to provide services to the entire Kitikmeot. I will assist them as much as possible in establishing their branch, as I believe it is long overdue that the financial service needs of Kitikmeot residents are addressed in a satisfactory manner. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Iqaluit, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. On Thursday of last week I made a strong statement in this Assembly about companies evading the spirit and intent of the business incentive policy. I specifically focused on an NWT Housing Corporation contract awarded to Nova Construction in Iqaluit. I suggested that the owner of the company is not a resident of the NWT, as required under the BIP, and I also expressed concern that framing work on the job is being done by a southern company, further that materials for that job may not have come up on the Coast Guard sealift as required by the contract, but instead on a private barge.

Madam Speaker, I have since been approached by the local subcontractor, Belleau Webster, and told that my facts were wrong: that the framing job done by Cedarcrest Homes of Winnipeg is only a small portion of the project, most of which was done by northern suppliers and labour; that all the materials for the job were brought up on operation sealift, not on a private barge; and, further, Mr. Mrdjenovich, the owner of Nova, has offered to prove to me that the majority of his time in the past year has been spent in the Northwest Territories, and presumably that he therefore does meet the residence requirements of the BIP.

I will be asking the Minister to present the results of this investigation to this House. To Mr. Mrdjenovich and the principles of Webster Belleau Limited, who are corporate constituents, I pledge that if the results show that any of the concerns I expressed last week were not founded in fact, I will acknowledge that and correct the public record. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause.

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife North, Mr. Ballantyne.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, today I want to talk about victims' rights. I have said many times in this House that society has had an imbalance in

our justice system with the rights of the accused in that the rights of the convicted override that of the victims.

In seems to me now, Madam Speaker, that across the country victims are no longer on the mainstream political agenda. There is very little mention of victims in the Liberal red book. It doesn't say very much about victims and federal initiatives. We hear a lot more about the Charter of Rights and a lot more why the federal government cannot proceed in certain areas of victims' rights.

It was also interesting, Madam Speaker, that back in the 1980s, judges often bore the brunt of frustrations that people had with the lack of support for victims. Here in the Northwest Territories, over the past number of years, judges have attended many judicial education conferences and have had many sensitivity sessions. I think Judge Halifax deserves a lot of credit. He was in the forefront of judicial education. There were a series of conferences held in western Canada, and one of those held here in Yellowknife. I think now that the judges in the Northwest Territories are very aware of the harm caused by sexual and violent offenders. Their judgments and their sentences are generally reflecting that awareness.

Madam Speaker, I would like to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to continue. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Proceed, Mr. Ballantyne.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the Crown is doing its best with limited resources to assess victims, and the federal government, presently, is contributing some $200,000 towards victims' programs. I had a commitment from our Minister that he will strongly recommend to Mr. Rock that that funding is continued.

As I said earlier, we managed to get a pot of money outside of government expenditures with the victims' of crimes surcharge. Now, the GNWT and the Minister have made a strong commitment to provide support to community-based victims' programs. Our Minister has led a nationally-publicized and highly praised government initiative for zero tolerance of violence.

Everyone in this House praised the Minister for that and strongly supports the Minister in that initiative. What we're trying to do is give the Minister some ideas and encouragement so he can live up to the expectations that have been raised throughout the territories. The Standing Committee on Finance made it very clear that expectations are high. The Minister is aware of that and the Minister, as I recall, said he was taking a risk when he came forward with this policy and he's prepared to live up to the spirit of his commitment.

As my colleague, Mr. Dent, has said, presently, we give around $200,000 in direct support to four programs in Yellowknife, Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet and Fort Smith. What's amazing about these programs, for a very small cost, is the amount of volunteer participation. As Mr. Dent has said, the funding for all these programs ends at the end of this month. So, I have a suggestion for the Minister. I recognize the Minister of Finance has budgetary constraints and I recognize the pressures on the government, but on the other hand, we've just got about $70 million in a supplementary appropriation which allowed some 30 new PYs.

Money in this area is not a lot of money. An extra $200,000 for victims services will have a tremendous impact. The sort of idea I'm suggesting to the Minister -- and I think the Minister has already committed to this -- is that the funding to the end of the year be guaranteed, that we have increased funding in the O and M budget next year, and what these programs really need is a three year commitment for funding. So, with a very small cost to this government in a $1.1 billion budget, the government and the Minister of Justice will be able to do a lot to live up to the spirit and the intent of the zero tolerance for violence policy. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Today, I wanted to applaud the government for following through with commitments that were made to my constituency. Studies are presently under way looking into the health delivery system for communities in my constituency. There are a couple of studies going on today. There is one being done by the band in Fort Simpson. This, I believe, was a commitment made a long time ago, at the beginning of the life of this government, when our honourable colleague from Iqaluit, Mr. Dennis Patterson, was the Minister of Health. He made that commitment to my constituents at that time, and it was carried through by all the other Ministers who followed him until the Premier, who is the Minister of Health and Social Services today.

This study is to look at culturally-relevant health services in the community. At the same time, the Deh Cho First Nations are also doing a study into health services in the region and outlying communities on how health services have been provided up to this time and what the future holds for our communities. I just wanted to say that health services for my constituency is one of my main concerns today and has always been, particularly the hospital in Fort Simpson. There is a long history related to that, going back many, many years.

The majority of people in my area are treaty people and they see that the provision of health services in that area was part of a treaty agreement reached in 1921. We would like to keep it that way. I must say that the professionals working in this field in my constituency are doing a really good job. I would like to applaud them for that. The types of services that should be delivered is a concern I have. More services could be provided to the communities, perhaps even better equipment could be placed in facilities so that more and better services could be provided there.

Hopefully, once this study is done, the government will take whatever recommendations that may come from this study very seriously. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, I have a reply to an oral question that was asked by Mr. Ballantyne on November 14th. It was asked of the Minister responsible for Renewable Resources about charges against an elder for hunting caribou illegally. Madam Speaker, for the last six or seven winters, caribou have been crossing the Ingraham Trail. Hunting along the road caused great concern for the safety of the public using the road and living along the road. The government's intent was to find a way to make the area safe for public use.

Initially, a seasonal no hunting corridor was established under the Wildlife Act. However, this was not adequate and was replaced in 1993, with a no shooting corridor along two segments of the Ingraham Trail. This corridor was established under the Area Development Act for the purpose of public safety and is in effect all year.

Signs marking the beginning and end of the two segments are posted along the highway in English, French and Dogrib. The Department of Renewable Resources monitors caribou movements around the Ingraham Trail and Highway 3. When caribou are in these areas, the public is alerted through media announcements and reminded of the no shooting corridor along the Ingraham Trail.

On November 11th, a treaty elder from Dettah was charged under the Area Development Act with discharging a firearm in the no shooting corridor along the Ingraham Trail and under the Wildlife Act for hunting without regard for the safety of other persons and property. A companion with the elder translated the discussions with the Renewable Resources officer. The caribou that was shot was not seized. Two summary offence tickets were issued for a total minimum fine of $295.

One other person was charged for similar offences over the long weekend and two persons are under investigation. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Keewatin Central, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am pleased to recognize today Mr. Moses Aliyak. Moses Aliyak received the Commissioner's Award for Bravery at the Highest Level...

---Applause

...from the Deputy Commissioner Helen Maksagak yesterday for saving his family when they were attacked by a polar bear this summer. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Whitford.

Thank you. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Iqaluit, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I, too, would like to recognize Mr. Mike Mrdjenovich of Nova Construction.

---Laughter

---Applause

Thank you. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Justice. The Minister, in the status report on zero tolerance for violence, indicated that community, regional and territorial organizations are currently cooperating with government in the development of a common approach to wellness. This group met in June. There was also a meeting in July. Have further meetings or discussions taken place since that time? Mahsi.

Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

The Minister in this status report on zero tolerance for violence had indicated that there is a cooperative approach to wellness. It indicated that this strategy will be loose in giving communities and regions the flexibility to develop programs which respond to local needs. Is the Minister aware that the intention is to provide general guidelines within which specific programs can be developed? Thank you.

Minister of Health, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, as the Minister of Justice has indicated, we are working together on the issue. In terms of the community wellness strategy project, the Department of Health and Social Services is responsible as the lead group. Madam Speaker, the Member is referring to the fact that in December of 1993, the Department of Health and Social Services, Justice and Education, Culture and Employment established a joint working group to develop a community wellness strategy. This was done in response to the need for a more integrated and community-based approach in service delivery by government.

The joint working group, Madam Speaker, has been expanded to include regional and community organizations. Madam Speaker, the next expanded joint working group meeting will be held in November of this year and the work completed to date and the next steps will be discussed. The framework for the strategy is scheduled for completion by April 1, 1995.

Madam Speaker, a communications plan is being developed to ensure all government departments and members of the public receive information about the strategy development.

Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to thank the Premier for that reply. I direct the supplementary to the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services. When there is freedom to develop programs, there is also the potential for inequity between communities in terms of program funding. Does the government plan to fund specific programs or will each community have an equitable share of the funds which they can apply towards these programs? Thank you.

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, I believe that the issue of how we organize community and community support personnel, is one of major importance. I have indicated to the Legislative Assembly previously that in the work we are doing, we are trying to provide those resources at the community levels. I realize in the past we have created programs in a manner where a certain amount of money is available and then certain communities come forward and are able to access a limited resource. I believe in our workings with the various groups, particularly with communities, we have to organize the support personnel in the community and take into consideration that it is a community that is going to heal itself and will be involved on a day-to-day basis, so those resources have to be provided as a legitimate parcel of support personnel at the community level. So, Madam Speaker, I am not sure, in our continuing deliberations with the joint working group, that it will come out to that fact. But in terms of community development, it is very clear that communities want to be able to establish that support system that will be ongoing, rather than working on an ad hoc basis because there are small parcels of money, which everyone has to apply for.

In our continuing plan to work with communities, the consolidation of Health and Social Services and the whole community wellness strategy, is to provide those services and personnel that are required at a community level equitably. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I think this strategy is a good thing; to have a cooperative approach by all the different government departments to work together to help the communities. This strategy, like I said, will be loose and will give communities the flexibility to develop programs which respond to local needs. I think the Minister is also indicating that.

When the community wellness strategy is developed, will the community-based programs be a supplement instead of the existing territorial program? Thank you.

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, as I've indicated in the past, the government is attempting to make decisions and place resources at the community level to meet the expectations that people have today and for the future. I believe that in the discussions with many of the communities, there is a feeling that we have programs that should really be adjusted to meet the new age. If, in fact, we are able to rationalize the education and training proactive approach in a community, health and social service workers will be able, particularly, in the area of social work and mental health, be able to more aptly focus on that type of work. I believe that there are a number of positions in every community that may be deployed in a wrong way, or some programs that used to be right for the past but are not right for the present and future.

So I believe that we have to work actively with the communities to evaluate those positions. If there is extra need, because of today's issues, today's problems and looking towards the future, we have to redeploy those personnel. I believe in taking some of the responsibilities away, particularly with social workers, that are more routine such as providing social welfare cheques and evaluation, and redeploy that to another area where it's more productive. These workers are better able to deal with this wellness strategy that we have to have in the communities and work with the communities, instead of being tied up with red tape which is not what they were trained for. Their valuable educational level is not being fully utilized at this time. So it's going to be an incorporation of what we have existing, but also evaluating what people want to see as an ongoing support for communities which reaches out to a more holistic approach.

I believe that the community wellness strategy relates to all government and territorial programs to try to suggest that we need to change those. These include basic traditional values, healing, dysfunction, youth problems, suicide, age, handicaps and racism. These are all issues people are facing today and we have to provide those resources so we can redeploy people so they can actually do the job that people feel has to be done. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Whitford.

Thank you. Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

Supplementary, Mr. Whitford. Before we go to supplementary, may I remind honourable Members that your answers are to be as short as possible. Thank you. Mr. Whitford.

Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.

Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Zoe.

Thank you. Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Good afternoon. Madam Speaker, the issues that have been raised by ordinary Members in this regard are well known to us. I think you have heard, on a number of occasions, the Minister of Health and Social Services talk about better uses of facilities for people who are already in the communities. We've talked about better coordination and addressing the problems that exist in communities at the community level.

Just about everybody is saying to me that we need more money, more money for education, more money to raise wages of alcohol and drug workers, more money for mental health specialists. Some of the concerns I have are, are those resources already there and are they being used in a cooperative kind of manner. Those are the kinds of things you are hearing from the Minister of Health and Social Services and the Minister of Justice. Can we do things differently at the community level? We've just heard the Minister of Justice say that sometimes there is not much flexibility in moving funds and resources around at the community level.

So, are we looking at those kinds of issues? Yes, Madam Speaker, we are. Will we be able to come up with new resources for them in a financial sense with the new budget? I can't say that to this House right now. We are under the gun. But, can we look at making better use of existing resources? Yes, I think we can do that. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Thank you. I'd like to ask the honourable Members to pay careful attention to the replies. I believe that many times some of the replies are given but Members are not listening. Therefore, Ministers are having to repeat some of their replies. The honourable Member for Hay River, Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

Madam Speaker, to the question, is it going to be in the budget that will come down to the House next year? I can't say what's going to be in that budget at the present time, Madam Speaker. I will say that we've heard the concerns and we are looking at ways of trying to address those concerns. I can't say specifically that we are going to put more money into these programs but we are going to try and address those concerns by some means of efficiency or greater flexibility, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Iqaluit, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Madam Speaker, according to the status report on zero tolerance for violence, all municipal councils have been encouraged to adopt declarations of zero tolerance for violence. I'd like to ask the Minister, besides the city of Yellowknife, is the Minister aware of any other municipal councils which have adopted this type of declaration? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. When Mr. Kakfwi made the zero tolerance declaration, his message was very clear and strong that all NWT leaders were to be involved in promoting zero tolerance. At the last Baffin leaders meeting in Cape Dorset, Madam Speaker, I did indicate to the mayors this government's position on zero tolerance. Up to today, I am not aware of whether there are more municipalities that have adopted zero tolerance. I do know that in some communities in terms of alcohol being involved in dry communities, that there have been some movements made with resignations of mayors.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the Minister's answer and what she had done with the Baffin mayors. I guess what I would like to ask the Minister is whether she, as the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, is willing to take further action to encourage all municipal governments to consider making declarations of zero tolerance for violence? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My honourable colleague, Mr. Kakfwi, informs me that in a day or so he will be tabling a document with a list of municipalities and band councils and their status regarding zero tolerance that Mr. Patterson is asking about. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'll direct my question to the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. Madam Speaker, over 10 years ago now, a program started in Hay River on the reserve with regard to the egg quota. I think we met with the Minister last fall, or last spring, I think, when we were in Fort Smith. We flew down with Mr. Pollard, myself and Mr. Todd, and we met with the band on the Hay River Reserve regarding egg quotas. I know that the band itself, Madam Speaker, has spent up to now around $100,000 of their own resources to try to resolve this issue. The government has also put in $500,000 and so have a vested interest in the whole issue being resolved. I would like to ask the Minister, what is the status of the issue of egg quotas?

Thank you. Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Todd.

Madam Speaker, I'll have to take that question as notice. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Natilikmiot, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you. Madam Speaker, my question is directed to the honourable Minister of Justice. Violence against women and children is not acceptable, not only in a country or jurisdiction but also throughout the world, Madam Speaker. The document tabled by the Minister regarding zero tolerance for violence was entitled a status report. My question to the honourable Minister, Madam Speaker, is, does the Minister expect to bring additional information before this House during the winter sitting? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the document that will be coming out in April, will it just be another status report or will it be the final report? Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Madam Premier, Minister of Health and Social Services.

Madam Speaker, I had thought that I had answered that question already.

Madam Speaker, in everything we do now at the community level, the communities are asking us to deal with issues in a holistic approach. I think that a lot of work has been done. Right now, I believe that this government should not be apologetic about how we've gone about attempting to use past resources to bring a certain degree of comfort when people want to talk about the problems they're having, the issues that concern them, where they want to go as individuals and as a community.

Out of this support system that we have provided in the past, we have been able to give enough support to women so they can feel strong enough, so they can put forth their own concerns and aggressively pursue options on how they're going to handle some of the things that are happening in the community. The whole evolution of people being more aggressive in talking about alcoholism, talking about health issues in the community, talking about publicly explaining and bringing to the public awareness and the need to address these problems in a more holistic manner has been very successful. Now, what we have to do is to try to provide the resources to communities so that they can further find solutions to these problems.

As I've stated, and I'll state again, we are trying to look at a wellness strategy in a holistic approach at the community level by redirecting resources, by redirecting intelligence in the communities so they can be more able to do the work that's necessary. There are these movements going around, for example, in the centralization of the suicide specialists who we put in the regions. At one time they used to be here in Yellowknife, now they're in the regions working with health boards trying to find how best to handle those problems at a community level. The more we do that, I think the more we're able to respond to the new active way people are expressing themselves, Madam Speaker.

So, yes, there has been a very conscious attempt to try to revisit how we're providing programs and services and personnel at the community level to address all these issues that are an everyday component of community living. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, I don't know how many more times I have to repeat myself. The community wellness strategy did not come without a conscious effort by all the departments to try to address the issues of community wellness, which includes violence. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife North, Mr. Ballantyne.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Finance. I fully understand the increasing pressures on the Minister of Finance, in times of decreasing resources, and on the Minister of Justice, as our society throws up more and more victims, those voices won't be stilled. But I think the Minister of Finance will agree that government itself is not the solution. We do have a wonderful resource in the non-government organizations and community-based non-government organizations that can probably do a lot of jobs better and cheaper than government. My question to the Minister of Finance, as he approaches the O and M budget in February, is would he commit that where possible instead of creating new person years in the government, that money will be given directly to community-based non-government organizations? That's my first question. Thank you, Madam Speaker.