The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Good

afternoon. Just before we proceed to Ministers' statements, I want to advise the House that I've given permission for the filming of our proceedings today which will be used in the development of a video for a Legislative Assembly education program that will be introduced into the schools across the territories later this fall. Thank you.

---Applause

Item 2, Ministers' statements. Madam Premier.

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, later today I will be tabling a report that deals with the government's proposal to turn the Northwest Territories Power Corporation into an investor-owned utility.

Madam Speaker, the document provides objective information based on two studies by Mr. Fred Abbott and a team of utilities experts. It is designed to stimulate public discussion and debate on the privatization initiative.

Madam Speaker, making this document public is the next step in a process that began over five years ago when the Northwest Territories assumed ownership of the Power Corporation. At that time the government set out to developing the corporation into a self-supporting business and to examine the idea of privatization.

Madam Speaker, the Power Corporation is now operating in a business-like fashion. And a feasibility study on privatization and a subsequent report on how an investor-owned utility could be formed has been completed.

It is time to give wide circulation to information relating to this initiative in order to receive input from the public and the various organizations that represent them. This input will be helpful to the government and the Legislative Assembly when it deals with the initiative in the fall. Thank you.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Baffin Central, Ms. Mike.

Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Madam Speaker, during the past session, I agreed to conduct an independent investigation into the decision of the Department of Social Services to terminate the group home contract in Hay River with Greenway Holdings Ltd. I mentioned that the investigation would be complete within a month and that the terms of reference were being developed.

I will be tabling the terms of reference for the investigation later today. I am also pleased to announce that I have appointed an investigator, Mr. Bill Zarchikoff, who is a principal in a private firm in Yellowknife. Mr. Zarchikoff is a registered social worker with over 20 years of related experience, and is as well a business man. He has worked in juvenile homes and taught in the community college system. For the past ten years he has been in the private sector completing a variety of consulting projects in the social services field.

His report will be submitted directly to me. I expect the report by April 25, 1994. I will inform the Members of the results shortly after the investigation is complete. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

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

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, in 1990 the Department of Education, Culture and Employment started the consultation necessary to guide the redrafting of the Education Act. Various partners in education and the general public were consulted, and the department produced a document called, Help Improve the Education Act, which helped focus discussion.

On reviewing the results of this round of consultation, as well as direction provided by the Special Committee on Education in 1982, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and current educational research, the department has developed a final public consultation document called Voices: Direction for Improving the Education Act.

It summarizes the recommendations received from the first round of consultations, and makes proposals to change and reorganize the Education Act. A questionnaire has also been developed to confirm or amend the changes being proposed.

Many of the specific changes and additions reflect the directions in Towards a Strategy to 2010: A Discussion Paper.

A revised schedule of the new act has now been approved by Cabinet. With the recommendations received through consultation, my department will work with the Department of Justice to prepare a new act which will be tabled for further discussion in the Legislative Assembly next fall, and introduced for debate in the spring of 1995.

Madam Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be tabling the document entitled Voices: Direction for Improving the Education Act. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

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

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Sorry, Mr. Kakfwi. I've just been advised by the Clerk that your Minister's statement has not been filed with the House. It would have to be in the form of an emergency statement, therefore you will have to consider whether you want to seek unanimous consent to proceed with it. Honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Kakfwi.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Mr. Kakfwi, your statement was filed on March 31. That was during the last session and it died on the order paper. According to this session, your Minister's statement is not filed and the only other way is the process that I have advised you on. The honourable Member for Sahtu.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

The honourable Minister is seeking unanimous consent to proceed with his Minister's statement. Are there any nays?