Good afternoon. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, I would like to advise the House that the Honourable John Pollard is ill today and will not be in the House. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Last October, the NWT Housing Corporation asked northern businesses to indicate their interest in supplying made-in-the NWT building components for the corporation's housing units. Madam Speaker, the response from northern manufacturers was very positive and encouraging.

In 1994-95, northern manufacturers will be providing more building components for NWT Housing Corporation units than ever before. This increase in volume will also generate new jobs in the manufacturing industry. The following northern manufacturers have been awarded multi-year contracts: Fibreglass North of Yellowknife will supply water and sewer tanks. This will create up to 11 new jobs. United Furniture of Hay River will supply doors and frames and will mean four to five new jobs and Arctic Front Windows of Hay River will supply windows and create 8 new jobs.

What is more, Madam Speaker, these northern manufacturers are able to supply quality products for less than six per cent higher costs than southern manufacturers. The total value of these contracts is $1,982,805 for 1994-95.

In addition, Madam Speaker, there are some building components now available from more than one northern manufacturer. The 1994-95 building program of the NWT Housing Corporation specified that certain components have to be supplied by northern manufacturers. The results are as follows:

-screw jacks will be supplied by Paul Brothers Welding of Yellowknife and Back Bay Welding of Yellowknife;

-fuel tanks will be supplied by Paul Brothers Welding of Yellowknife for the western Arctic and Kitikmeot communities;

-fuel tank stands will be supplied by Back Bay Welding of Yellowknife and Bearard Welding of Fort Resolution;

-cabinets will be supplied by Igloo Building Supplies of Hay River, using MC Woodwright and Sunrise Cabinets of Hay River. In the east, cabinets will be supplied by Frobuild Construction of Iqaluit; and,

-trusses will be supplied by Northern Homes 3000 of Yellowknife.

The total value of these contracts is $803,000, Madam Speaker. This is less than six per cent higher than it would cost to buy these items from southern manufacturers. In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate the men and women in the northern manufacturing industry. Their investment efforts are creating jobs and generating economic benefits for their communities and for the northern economy as a whole. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Kivallivik, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The national junior curling championships were held last week in Truro, Nova Scotia and I would like to congratulate our junior men's and women's teams on their fine performances.

---Applause

As you know, our junior men's team was in the final against Alberta on Saturday, which is the only time that a curling team from the Northwest Territories has accomplished this. Despite a heartbreaking extra end loss to Alberta in the final, the junior men's rink has demonstrated to us and to the country what our Northwest Territories athletes are capable of.

I would like to make special mention of George Gibson and Ernie Comerford, the coaches of our junior teams for the 3M awards they received for being selected best coaches of the tournament, and, Kevin Koe, the skip for the junior men's team for his winning the all-star skip award.

---Applause

Madam Speaker, I'm sure our Members will join me in congratulating Kevin Koe and his team of Mark Whitehead, Kevin Whitehead and Jamie Koe for their fine performance in the Canadian Junior Men's Championships. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik, Mr. Koe. Welcome back.

---Applause

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my appreciation and congratulations to the eight junior curlers and their two coaches for their excellent representation of the territories at the Canadian Pepsi junior national curling championships, which just concluded in Truro, Nova Scotia this past week.

The junior women's team of Tara Hamer, Kerry Koe, Kim Barraclough and Sheena Yakaleya won five games and lost six. With a little bit of luck, they easily could have made the play-off round. They curled excellently and demonstrated a big improvement over last year's showing. This team has a very good future. This team was coached by Ernie Comerford.

The junior men's team was skipped by Kevin Koe and was supported by Jamie Koe, Kevin Whitehead and Mark Whitehead and coached by George Gibson. They finished the round robin play in first place with a record of eight wins and three losses. This ensured them a spot in the final championship game. This game was played on Saturday afternoon and was televised by CBC Sports. Madam Speaker, in that game, and after the final stone was played by skip Kevin Koe, an unfortunate incident happened. The officials ruled against our Northwest Territories team, which denied them the Canadian championship.

However, in my mind, and I believe in the minds of the majority of the people across Canada who watched the game, our boys won that game.

---Applause

Given that they lost by a technicality, I know these boys can hold their heads up high because they are truly champions, in the true sense of the word. They demonstrated class, sportsmanship, excellent curling skills and a professional attitude. I believe many of us have tried all of our lives to be able to do what these boys showed us in front of a national audience.

---Applause

Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to continue.

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

Mahsi. As the Minister of recreation had mentioned, Kevin Koe won the award as the all star skip, which was voted on by all the players and coaches at the tournament, for his play during the week. Our two coaches, Mr. George Gibson and Mr. Ernie Comerford, won the 3M awards for excellence in coaching at this national event. This award is given to coaches who demonstrate dedication, commitment, sportsmanship and many other qualities which they need to coach junior athletes.

My congratulations go out to these champions. They thank all the northerners and all the people across Canada who expressed their support either through phone calls, faxes or other methods. Mahsi.

---Applause

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

Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to continue. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Continue, Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Keewatin Central, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to advise Members about the opening of the Ivalu Arts and Crafts facility and the Keewatin Meat and Fish Plant this weekend in Rankin Inlet.

The opening of these facilities was a celebration of the elders of our community who have worked so hard and so diligently to ensure the success of these projects. Among the elders who participated in the openings were Mr. and Mrs. Lucien Taparti, Mrs. Louisa Kaludjak, Arsene Paniyuk, Mr. and Mrs. Karlik, and Mr. and Mrs. Ollie Ittinuar.

It was the elders of our community who recognized that the skills and dedication of the crafts people, hunters and fishermen of the Keewatin region earned the potential in creating world-class products. I know that Mr. Lewis is familiar with the quality of the meat and fish from Rankin because he seems to keep asking me for more. I also understand that Mr. Koe had the opportunity to serve Keewatin meat and fish products when he travelled to southern Canada recently at the games.

---Applause

I am confident that the new clothing product lines that have now been introduced by Ivalu will be equally sought after by yourself, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I would also like to publicly compliment the crafts people and the elders of Pangnirtung. They created extraordinary hand decorated exterior signs for the two buildings. I believe this signage is an exciting new product that makes full use of the local skills of residents of that community, and the product will successfully compete with southern-made signages.

Madam Speaker, these facilities were tendered on a design/build and were constructed on time, under budget by local contractors. It should also be noted that the Keewatin Fish and Meat is the only licensed integrated meat and fish plant in the Northwest Territories.

Madam Speaker, my constituents and I are very excited about the employment possibilities that these two facilities will present to Keewatin people. I am confident that not only will Ivalu and Keewatin Meat and Fish provide ongoing employment to close to 20 to 30 people, but will also play an important role in enhancing the incomes of crafts people, fishermen and hunters in the Keewatin region. Thank you.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. During the week of March 21 to 24, 21 youths representing all Kitikmeot communities held a conference in Cambridge Bay to discuss concerns and issues which affect them. They discussed matters such as AIDS, suicide, alcohol and drug abuse; matters which have been discussed previously and continue to

Madam Speaker, after having had the opportunity to meet with the Kitikmeot youth on March 23, albeit it for only one hour, I have gained a respect for their views on issues. I committed to pursuing their issues and concerns, just as I would for any other legitimate group or organization. These youths have passed resolutions which request funding for youth initiatives such as recreational activities, drop-in centres, counselling services and generally to provide funds to allow them the opportunity to address their own concerns.

Madam Speaker, I urge our government to identify the adequate funding to ensure the issues and concerns of youth throughout the NWT are addressed, by supporting their meetings and by following up on resolutions as a result of their meetings. Qujannamiik.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for High Arctic, Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to speak today on a subject that is both heavy and painful to many people in the Arctic. It has to do with child sexual abuse.

We are all aware, through media reports and statistics, that child sexual abuse is a major problem up here. I appreciate the work and courage of those who are trying to deal with the problems. I know it requires a lot of energy and causes much personal stress. We cannot ignore the issue, Madam Speaker, no matter how difficult and painful it is.

Some years ago there was a teacher in Resolute Bay who none of the parents suspected of doing anything wrong. We would not be aware today if the children did not tell us themselves what he was doing. Apparently, Madam Speaker, this teacher was, among other things, making the young children undress while taking pornographic pictures of them. I do not know what he did with the pictures, but to this day his actions have had a lasting effect on these children. The victims, who are now young adults, still feel the confusion, shame and pain. This, of course, has also affected their families in a negative way.

The reasons I am saying this is to ensure that we are doing everything possible to counsel and help the victims. We are all aware that child sexual abuse cannot treat itself if the vicious circle is not stopped.

I would like to put the Minister of Social Services on notice that I will be asking her questions later on this week to see if her department is doing everything possible to help victims of child sexual abuse. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like, today, to talk about two sporting events that took place over the weekend. The first was the magnificent performance of our junior men and women's curling teams. The Kevin Koe team and the Tara Hamer team. They showed a skill in curling that did us all proud. I think, more importantly, they showed tremendous grace under pressure.

I watched the junior men's match, and the shot that Kevin Koe made, the double knockout in the tenth end. When you talk about a pressure shot, he pulled off an unbelievable pressure shot. They actually won the eleventh end with another pressure shot. One of those ironies of sports is that sometimes things don't happen the way they should happen. These kids had to deal with a tremendous disappointment. They handled it with tremendous grace under pressure, and I think all of us in the Northwest Territories were extremely proud of how these kids handled an unbelievable disappointment because for a second they had it and then it was taken from them.

So I think all the people of Yellowknife and the territories owe a great vote of thanks to both teams and I think they really made people across the country very aware of the sort of place that we have up here and the sort of people we produce in the Northwest Territories.

---Applause

Another sporting event took place on Friday, which I also attended. Our MLAs' hockey team lost a triple-overtime heartbreaker to the media.

We had an opportunity here for a number of Members to be heros. For a while it looked like Donnie Morin, who scored two goals, would be the hero, and his opportunity was taken away with one second left. The media scored to tie the game. In the shootout, Paul Jones scored a brilliant goal. In the media's last effort, they tied it up. Paul lost his opportunity to be a hero. And then the most unlikely prospect to be a hero was Kelvin Ng...

---Laughter ---Applause

...who scored a goal in the second overtime shootout but, again, the media managed to score on their last opportunity, and our team, unfortunately, lost the game eight to seven.

But, as I look around, I want to salute a lot of almost-heros here in our House.

---Laughter

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I wanted to continue the expression of our pride in some young people -- some young role models now, I think, for the Northwest Territories.

I know that we have said a lot of good things about them, and I know that my colleague, Mr. Koe, who I have had the opportunity to curl against and curl with over the past number of years, ought to be very proud as a parent for the representation of his young children on behalf of the people of the north.

But I wanted to say that, sometimes, in this House, we have a tendency of maybe demanding a great deal from those who sit in this Chamber, and I don't think that Mr. Koe and his family and other parents who left the Northwest Territories should feel that they had a greater responsibility to the jobs that they had. Rather, I am proud of the fact that Mr. Koe and Linda, the Whiteheads, the Hamers and the Barracloughs, are the parents who actually went to see their children, because I think they were probably a great deal of support when that support was needed by the athletes...

Hear, hear.

...and I think that it is sometimes an area that we overlook. I think we ought to be proud of the representation that all the parents made on our behalf. Particularly, I don't think our colleague, Mr. Koe, needs to have any more campaign buttons or pictures posted, because they ran enough pictures of him on TV...

---Laughter

...you know, with the flag there, every time they made a great shot. I also wanted to say that, if anybody noticed in the game, there were other people from across the country from other provinces who were actually sitting with the Northwest Territories delegation, cheering for the Northwest Territories team, and I think that is probably the result of the convincing of our colleague and probably a number of the other parents.

So, with that, Madam Speaker, I wanted to pay tribute to the parents who went to Truro. Without their support, the situation that occurred may have been far more difficult than was experienced by those young athletes. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Member for Baffin Central, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Ningark on March 21, 1994, regarding provisions for transportation for handicapped people.

The transportation assistance available to handicapped people from the Department of Social Services is limited to funds for local transportation needs through the chauffeur assistance program. Local transportation expenses are intended to cover taxi costs and similar forms of local transportation. The department does not have a program specifically to provide for the purchase of snow machines and ATVs for handicapped people. Madam Speaker, I have a second return, if I may.

(Microphone turned off)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Pudluk on March 21, 1994, regarding Social Services programs available in small communities. In the smaller communities of the Northwest Territories, in addition to the transportation allowance, when required, persons who are disabled and unable to work are entitled to an extra $125.00 per month above the basic social assistance rate. Home support services are also available through a referral from the health centre to Social Services. This service, delivered by local home makers, provides assistance with household chores and personal care as required. Home maker relief for family care-givers may also be available in the home if it is needed. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 3, returns to oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Antoine on March 25, 1994, on telephone services to small communities. On January 20, 1994, the deputy minister of Public Works and Services met with Mr. Tavner, chairman of the board of NorthwesTel, and Mr. Dunbar, president of NorthwesTel, to discuss telephone service in the smaller NWT communities and the possibilities for future projects. NorthwesTel must prepare a service extension plan for the unserved and under-serviced communities as part of last fall's CRTC ruling. This plan must be filed by June 20,

1994. The department will review the plan before determining its next steps. Thank you.

Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Natilikmiot, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my question is directed to the honourable Minister for Education, Culture and Employment. Madam Speaker, during my visit home a month and a half ago, I had the opportunity to talk to the community education council, together with the school principal. Subsequently, I received a letter from the community education council -- Mr. Sam Inaksajak -- and the school principal, regarding a very important subject matter to the community. It is my understanding from the meeting and from the letter that, some time in 1996-97, the government system is planning to expand the community's school, and they are requesting that a gymnasium be added to that community. My question to the honourable Minister is, does the honourable Minister have any formal request from the community to add to the gymnasium when the community school is being expanded in 1996-97? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Programs, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I haven't personally received any requests for that matter, however, I do want to indicate to the honourable Member that part of our long-term planning could consider the request that is made by the community that he's indicated.

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Supplementary, to the same Minister, I would like to thank the Minister for stating that there may be a plan to add a gymnasium to the school. My supplementary to the same Minister is, can the Minister assure the community's education council and the hamlet of Pelly Bay that he will, in fact, make a gymnasium addition to the school in Pelly Bay? Thank you.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I just want to say to the honourable Member that it is difficult for me to indicate yes or no at this particular time. I want to inform the honourable Member that the divisional board in the region he represents has been very constructive in the way they've been doing business with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, and I don't see any reason why we can't work out a solution to the concern that the honourable Member has raised in this House.

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, tomorrow. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Kitikmeot, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Earlier, in my Member's statement, I talked about a youth conference held in the Kitikmeot. It is a sign of our youth becoming more active in trying to address some of their needs and wishes. I would like to ask the Minister responsible for youth, who I believe is Ms. Mike, what type of funding is available to support youth initiatives in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you. Minister of Social Services, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The funding for youth initiatives is available for specific conferences, like the one the Member indicated in his Member's statement. One-time funding is provided for other programs, such as groups who are taking out-on-the-land courses. They are handled on a case-by-case basis in the department. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ng.

Thank you. I would like to ask, then, are there adequate resources available to hold regional annual

conferences for youth throughout the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Social Services, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Funding available now for youth initiatives has lapsed. In the past, there weren't large amounts. My department and myself have been having ongoing talks evaluating to see if some of our program funding is adequate to address all the needs in the NWT. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister, then, is there also funding available to operate facilities that may be established to support some youth in their initiatives? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Social Services, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Youth initiatives funding is available for one-time costs and start-up costs for youth programs. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife North, Mr. Ballantyne.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Justice. I listened with interest to the Minister's comments on preliminary inquiries. This discussion has taken place for many years and there has been a consensus a couple of times before among federal/provincial/territorial Ministers. The problem has always been that there is some very strong opposition to changing that fundamental part of the system. I totally agree with the Minister, it is costly and it victimizes the victims again. But, I think the Minister will find out that there might be some reluctance to change it.

Would the Minister suggest to the federal Minister that if it is difficult right now to change it for the whole country, he might offer the Northwest Territories as a test area where they can try it for a couple of years? We already offer, as the Minister knows, full disclosure here by the prosecution to the defence lawyers.

Thank you. Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

Supplementary, Mr. Ballantyne.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. That's right. A simple element of this is that some defence lawyers have historically provided the most opposition to it. I'll ask the question again. If the opposition is strong enough to prevent this initiative from happening on a national level, would our Minister offer the Northwest Territories as a jurisdiction where there could be a test run for how this could actually work? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister responsible for Safety a question. In view of the fact that there was an accident at Colomac Mine over the weekend, does the government automatically inspect this facility to make sure that no safety measures have been overlooked?

Thank you. Minister of Safety and Public Services, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes, the normal practice is we generally immediately inspect the situation that has occurred.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I appreciate this would be the normal practice, but can the Minister confirm that his department has gone into Colomac to see the nature of the problem?

Thank you. Minister of Safety and Public Services, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I can't confirm that. I was aware of the situation this morning, but I have not heard from the department as to whether they had sent in their safety inspectors.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Since there are people who many of us know who work in that facility, would the Minister then make a commitment to get back to us on this issue?

Thank you. Minister of Safety and Public Services, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes, I will.

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Whitford.

Thank you. Minister of Safety and Public Services, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you. I'm not certain if the matter is related to the matter in Colomac. I'll certainly check the facts out and inform the honourable Member as to the real circumstances of that particular incident.

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Natilikmiot, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is directed to the honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Communications. Madam Speaker, some time ago I asked the honourable Minister regarding apprenticeship programs in the territories which is not working in the remote communities. At that time, the honourable Minister indicated to me that he would look into the policy. I would like to ask the Minister what is the status of this policy? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Programs, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you. I apologize, Madam Speaker, to the honourable Member. I got everything except the matter that he raised on the policy issue.

Thank you. The honourable Member for Natilikmiot, would you clarify your question.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, some time ago I asked the honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment regarding the apprenticeship program within the NWT government. At that time, the concern that I raised was regarding the program not working in the small communities. It is not designed for small communities because in small communities we do not have qualified electricians, qualified plumbers and so on. My question to the honourable Minister is what is the status of the policy in the system? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Programs, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The whole matter of the qualifications for apprenticeship programs generally remains the same. However, I do want to indicate to Members of this House that the initiative that has been undertaken by my colleague, the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Minister of Public Works and Services, along with myself in dealing with the whole matter of construction, which allows us now to use construction projects to encourage people in the communities to get into certain trades areas.

First of all, to get a general idea of trades, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and then to move from there into more specific training programs.

But, generally speaking, we are looking long term and not just at the short term. Once communities decide to participate with us, it's our commitment to try to work out an arrangement on a yearly basis that will allow us to seeing skilled trades people in smaller communities. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My supplementary to the same Minister is, since the profound concern is coming from the hamlet council of Pelly Bay, I would like to ask the honourable Minister if he would send his apprenticeship officer, some time in the near future, to that community and perhaps attend a meeting to explain about the program. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Programs, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Certainly, I will advise the appropriate staff to accommodate the request of the honourable Member.

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Minister of Social Services, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I will have to provide the Member, at a later date, with this information. The information that I have received is that we're going to have another regional superintendents of Social Services meeting this upcoming month. That may be one of the things that is going to be finalized. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Minister of Social Services, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. If the Member is asking me to provide this House with the plan, I think I already said that we've been having our regional superintendents involved in these planning sessions to get their input, and their next meeting will be next month. At that time, I will be able to provide a better picture for the Member as to how the plan will look. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Your question was somewhat vague, it was more of a comment with regard to that. You did pose two questions in there, although you know a supplementary only allows for one. So, can I ask you to rephrase it and pose your supplementary question.

Thank you. Minister of Social Services, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I certainly will do that.

Item 5, oral questions. Item 6, written questions. Item 7, returns to written questions. Item 8, replies to opening address. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Lewis.

Mr. Lewis' Reply

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Out of respect to Members, I will not keep you long, but I do have a few things to say, Madam Speaker. Lately, I've noticed the energy that characterized this Assembly over the first two years of its mandate has been somewhat diminished. It could have been the effect of this very brutal winter we've just endured or it could be that Members now realize that the next general election is only one and a half years away and they've become very, very thoughtful.

Perhaps they can't decide whether they should rest on their accomplishments and not risk making huge mistakes, or to keep the really hot issues until a month or so closer to election time. Anyway, Madam Speaker, I sense there's a lull and people are waiting for something to happen. Although I have some belief in fate and luck, I also believe that needed changes can be made to happen if people want them to happen.

I've been a Member of this Legislative Assembly for six and a half years and have spent a total of more than 30 years in some form of public service in the Northwest Territories. Over that period of time, I believe I've been a very good observer and have found ways of expressing things that go on around me in a clear fashion. The crisis facing governments everywhere, Madam Speaker, is the loss of public trust. It is clear to me that the public wants to be more meaningfully involved in the democratic process than the month or so leading up to a general election.

This was driven home to me by the number of inquiries I got from the public prior to the referendum on the Charlottetown accord. Those were busy days for all of us and, of course, we can all recall our own plebiscites on division. The public was interested and very much involved. As a territorial MLA, I find little comfort to hear, very frequently, on the streets that the territorial government has no legitimacy, that it has no real accountability, and that it is an interim government that will very soon disappear. This, Madam Speaker, is just not from aboriginal people. It is a much more general sentiment than we are, perhaps, aware of.

I've fought two territorial elections. In both elections, I promised to work hard for some form of government that will represent all northern citizens. My main interest over the past six years has been one thing, Madam Speaker, and that one thing is accountability. I haven't done a very good job of expressing my concern about this issue since Members, for some reason, don't want to talk about it. It's about accountability that I wish to talk today.

Bluntly stated, Madam Speaker, this government has no real accountability. As long as there continues to be no accountability, the public will continue to be cynical about whose interests are being served in this Legislative Assembly. People are going to continue to question, whose government is this? Is it really a public government or is it just a government of MLAs?

For ten years, there's been much talk about the evolution of the consensus style of government to make it more accountable. Even minor changes, such as conducting voting for Premier and Cabinet by MLAs and the public was not easily agreed to by Members. Some who are still here will recall that. There was initial hostility to the idea that we should be doing what had been done in private in public. We seem to be much more attached to the idea that we should use the system used to elect popes, where we did it in a little back room and we blew a puff of smoke when we chose our Premier.

Since the passage of the Nunavut Act and the realization that the western part of the Northwest Territories will soon evolve separately, changes must be made to the current system of government if it is going to be acceptable to the public. One change often advocated, following the example of the Dene, is to have the Premier of the Northwest Territories elected by popular vote. It is only by having the Premier elected in this fashion that the public will have the opportunity to vote on competing views of government. It provides legitimacy and accountability to government if it is formed, following some process of public approval. The current system has no form of public approval and will remain illegitimate unless this is somehow remedied.

I shall, today, table a document outlining how this could be achieved. Members will recall that I tabled another document recently outlining the technical problems in electing a leader by popular vote. I intend to table a document which places two options before Members. One is the municipal model that is used to choose aldermen and mayors and one is a modification of the system that we currently use in this Assembly.

Madam Speaker, I should add that although I'm tabling this document, it reflects the thinking of many Members of this Assembly, both past and present. Talk will go nowhere, however, unless the ideas of Members are put onto paper so that discussion can take place in response to a concrete proposal. We talk continually about reshaping northern government. The process will be absolutely meaningless unless the basic problem of accountability is solved.

I know some Members and some politicians enjoy the status quo. It gives each MLA a vote in choosing a Premier and Cabinet. Yet, this is precisely why there is no accountability. As long as Members insist on choosing Premier and Ministers and making up the whole agenda as they go along, the image of instability, incoherence, lack of vision, and all those words will persist. I made it clear that it is my interest in preserving some form of public government, and this is what drew me into politics in the first place, because I could see it was in trouble.

I believe it is essential for the well-being of all northerners that we address the accountability issue. Unless we do so, this public government will die a slow death. The federal government is hearing the same message, much more clearly now than ever before. The voices they here are these: We want nothing to do with the territorial government; it has no legitimacy; and it is not accountable anyway. It makes it very simple for the federal government to make cuts to housing, to fail to pay medical bills, to place a cap on the GDP for our financial agreement and so on. It makes it very, very simple to say there are all kinds of uncertainty and we will play it by ear.

Madam Speaker, we must solve the accountability issue. It is no longer good enough that the public can see our Territorial Leadership Committee on television. It is not good enough that they can hear the same messages from leadership candidates on television as MLAs do in the leadership debates. They should be able to make their own choices, on the basis of competing visions of what government does or plans to do. The longer we delay this, the more vulnerable we will get, the weaker we will appear to the federal government and the less likelihood that public government will survive.

I urge Members not to sweep this issue of accountability under the carpet in the same way we did in Cambridge Bay. The longer this issue is delayed, the deeper in the mud, in my opinion, this government will sink.

I wish to raise one more issue of accountability, and that is recall. If we are to reshape northern government, we must look at the devices of direct democracy which keep people in touch with their government. Members should be reminded that they do not have a guaranteed annual income for four or five years. They should be aware that they are always accountable. Probably the single most persuasive reason for recall in the Northwest Territories was the adoption of a code of conduct by the legislature and the introduction of a motion by Mr. Kakfwi on zero tolerance towards violence. If these initiatives are to have any meaning, there should be some mechanism to enforce their provisions.

Recall is a political instrument that can be used for a wide variety of purposes to recall a Member who has lost the trust of the electorate. There is no more basic form of accountability than this, which would apply to all MLAs. I believe that these two elements, direct election of the Premier by the people and the subjection of all MLAs to potential recall by the people, would go a long way to making the Government of the Northwest Territories a public government which all northerners would recognize and respect as their government.

It frustrates me a little, Madam Speaker, that we have a mass of people working on reshaping northern government, yet no one, not a soul, is working on the basic issue of accountability, which is what government is all about. Unless you have accountability, you don't have a legitimate government. If this government is to survive in any form, that problem has to be fixed. If this public government of ours fails, it will be our fault, since we did nothing to make it acceptable to the public we serve even though the problem has been staring us in the face for many, many years. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 8, replies to opening address. Item 9, petitions. The honourable Member for Natilikmiot, Mr. Ningark.