Thank you, Madam Speaker.

WHEREAS the Government of Canada, through the national airports policy released by Transport Canada, plans to withdraw their participation in Canadian aviation by disposing of federally owned airports, including the nine Arctic A airports in the NWT, through transfer to territorial, regional, and municipal airport authorities;

AND WHEREAS, the national airports policy proposes a similar reduction in the federal delivery of air navigation systems by privatizing air navigation services and by implementing modernization plans which will eliminate all flight specialist personnel;

AND WHEREAS, the elimination of on-ground human personnel for flight support services may compromise the safety of aircraft operators and passengers to NWT destinations;

AND WHEREAS, all flight support services currently operated by Transport Canada provides valuable employment and income opportunities to communities and a valuable service to air carriers operating in the NWT;

AND WHEREAS, the NWT is unique in comparison to southern jurisdictions which have access to a fully developed road infrastructure system, in the fact that, for a large majority of communities, with the exception of an annual sealift, air transportation is the critical and, in some cases, the only means of transportation to the community for the entire year.

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that this Legislative Assembly urges the federal Minister of Transport, the Honourable Doug Young, to revisit and reconsider the reduction of air support services to the NWT by establishing an exception for not phasing out flight service specialist positions in the NWT or by establishing the Community Aerodrome Radio Station (CARS) in communities designated for closure of flight services stations. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Your motion is in order. To the motion. The honourable Member for Kitikmeot, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The federal government, through their national airports policy, has outlined their plans to downgrade their participation in aviation through the privatization and transfer of their current airports. Currently, the GNWT is undergoing negotiations for assuming responsibilities for Arctic A airports. I support the transfer to the GNWT, provided the adequate resources are provided. However, the concern with this motion is that the air navigation services also identified were downgraded by installing automated systems which will phase out flight service stations and eliminate all the staff.

I believe we must oppose these proposed closures and automation for the following reasons. Most significantly, the elimination of manned human support services which provide reliable, up-to-date ground conditions to cockpits of airliners may compromise the safety of airline operators and passengers. Even though automated systems can perform some specific functions, there is no comparison to human operators who can react and relay up-to-the-minute information on changing operating conditions. There is also a concern about what happens when automated equipment breaks down. Is there a human back-up system or is there no air service that will be provided upon equipment breaking down?

Secondly, there is a large majority of our communities which are totally dependent on air transportation, as the NWT doesn't have a fully developed road infrastructure system. Any service cutbacks affecting NWT airports will impact on our residents more so than those in other jurisdictions which don't have the same dependency our communities do on their airport infrastructure. Finally, the flight service station personnel provide employment opportunities and generate income within our communities where they are established. The loss of these jobs will have significant impact on our communities.

Madam Speaker, although Cambridge Bay, Fort Smith, Fort Simpson and Hay River are targeted for 1995 closure, I believe it is only a matter of time before all other communities will be affected by future cutbacks and closures, and that includes communities with existing CARS programs. So, I would like all Members to support this motion and raise the issue to the federal Minister of Transport. Thank you.

Thank you. To the motion. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. I am seconding this motion because the Government of Canada plans to transfer airports, which are now operated by Transport Canada, to territorial, regional, and municipal airport authorities and it is presently being negotiated by the Department of Transportation, Government of the Northwest Territories. Further, the Government of Canada plans to reduce the delivery of the air navigation system by privatization and modernization, which will eventually eliminate positions in some of our communities, especially flight specialist personnel.

The plan of Transport Canada will eliminate these positions from the communities and the employment will no longer be there. Presently, Transport Canada gives employment and income to people who work there and the communities in which they live. My biggest concern, however, is the safety of the air carrier service in the Northwest Territories. The elimination of personnel and replacing them with automation raises major concerns. Presently, the air traffic controllers are very good in the communities in which they operate. They provide quality service now.

The Government of Canada, and especially the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Doug Young, must take into consideration the unique circumstances in which we live in the north. We are different from southern communities and many communities' only mode of transportation is the airways in the north. The climate, as well, is totally different. The conditions during different times of the year are very extreme in the north. Take my constituency, for example. In the spring and fall, the weather conditions make it very difficult to fly and that is the case in many communities in the north, as well.

To eliminate human-controlled air traffic services in the north will be very detrimental, I feel. Based on that, I am seconding this motion. Mahsi cho.

Thank you. To the motion. The honourable Member for Inuvik, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I, too, will be supporting this motion. As was indicated by my honourable colleague from Kitikmeot, the impacts may not only be felt in the next year in the smaller communities, but there is a good possibility that there will be negative impacts to services provided in the larger communities. If that is the case, I would be very concerned if they're going to downgrade or reduce services in my constituency of Inuvik.

From what I read in the motion and from what I understand in the program, it appears that this has a good likelihood of happening. For that reason, I will be supporting the motion. Mahsi.

Thank you. To the motion. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I will also be supporting the motion. I think the mover and the seconder of the motion spoke about the safety of air carriers, but it goes beyond just air carriers, Madam Speaker. A lot of the communities and major centres depend on weather. It doesn't matter whether it is for aircraft or boats out in the sea, rivers and lakes, weather conditions are always a factor. People up here are all aboriginal people and it is a way of life for them to go out on the land. The stations in the larger centres indicate for them what the weather patterns are. If they lose that, then a lot of people will be taking chances. It is going to be the safety of aboriginal people, I believe, that is going to be placed in jeopardy.

The other thing is medevacs. I think for most of the communities, medevacs are part of life in the north and if conditions are bad in Yellowknife, they might have to go on to Edmonton or another destination. Before a medevac takes off from a community in the east or High Arctic, they have to know what the conditions are and whether the medevac should go ahead. Again, of all the reasons that were mentioned, I think the most important reasons are life-saving reasons. Whether it is for a hunter, trapper, a person who is ill, or passengers going from point A to point B, it affects everybody.

For that reason, I support Mr. Ng's motion and I also want to thank him for introducing the motion. Mahsi.

To the motion.

Question.

Recorded vote.

Recorded Vote

Question has been called and a recorded vote has been requested. All those in favour? Mr. Ng, Mr. Pudluk, Mr. Allooloo, Mr. Whitford, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Patterson, Mr. Arvaluk, Mr. Pudlat, Mr. Dent, Mr. Ballantyne, Mr. Gargan, Mr. Zoe, Mr. Koe, Mr. Antoine.

All those opposed, please stand.

All those abstaining, please stand. Mr. Arngna'naaq, Ms. Mike, Mr. Pollard, Mr. Morin, Mr. Todd, Mr. Nerysoo.

Shame.

The results are 14 yes, 6 abstentions, none against. Motion is carried.

---Carried

---Applause

Item 16, motions. The honourable Member for Inuvik, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. I have a motion to amend the terms of reference of the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions.

WHEREAS, the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions recommended to the Legislative Assembly that the annual reports and other reports of the Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories be referred to and reviewed by that standing committee;

AND WHEREAS, the Legislative Assembly, on November 4, 1994, adopted the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions on this matter;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that the terms of reference of the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions be amended by adding the following as item (d) under the heading "The Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions may on its own authority:

(d)Review the annual reports and any other reports of the Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories which shall be considered automatically referred to the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions after tabling in the Legislative Assembly. Notwithstanding this formal process, the Speaker is authorized to provide these documents to the standing committee in advance of tabling to expedite the review by the committee. For further certainty, this review in advance of tabling may include public hearings and all other authorized activities of the standing committee.

Mahsi.

Thank you. Your motion is in order. To the motion. The honourable Member for Inuvik, Mr. Koe.

This motion is fairly straightforward. It's been accepted in the report of the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions, and I urge all Members to support this motion.

Thank you. To the motion.

Question.

Question is being called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Item 16, motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. Item 19, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 14-12(6), "Open for Business" - Privatizing the Northwest Territories Power Corporation; Tabled Document 36-12(6), "Action Plan - Consolidation - Health and Social Services;" Minister's Statement 11-12(6), Return to Session; Committee Report 10-12(6), Report on the Review of the 1995-96 Capital Estimates; Bill 1, Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96; Bill 19, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1994-95; Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 3; and, Bill 20, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, with Mr. Whitford in the chair.