Mrs. Marie-Jewell, your time is up.

Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to continue my Member's statement. Thank you.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, honourable Members. Mr. Speaker, as I stated, I must stress the importance of my purpose as an elected Member to ensure that the issues of my constituents are addressed in this House,

taking into account, of course, that they are addressed in the most appropriate manner which is best for all residents of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Members for their support while I was Speaker. I feel I have made every effort to serve this House to ensure that the dignity of the House was upheld. I have confidence that you will do the same. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Marie-Jewell. Item 3, Members' statements. As there are no further Members' statements, I would like to recognize the new Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, Helen Maksagak, who is in the gallery.

---Applause

Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My congratulations on your election. I have several returns to oral questions. One was asked by Mr. Antoine on November 14th with respect to public utilities hearings on power rates. The honourable Member for Nahendeh asked when the Public Utilities Board would reach a decision on phase II of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation's general rate application.

As a result of regional hearings held in Inuvik and in Iqaluit in January, and the need to develop further information on this application, the deadline for reply argument has been set back until March 17th. As a result, the board does not expect to be in a position to render a decision earlier than April 30, 1995.

I have two other replies, Mr. Speaker.

I have a return to question asked by Mr. Arvaluk on November 14, 1994 regarding commercial harvest of caribou on Southampton Caribou.

On November 14th, the Member for Aivilik asked the Premier why the commercial hunt on Southampton Island was being done in the spring rather than in the fall. The commercial harvest of caribou on Southampton Island, organized by the departments of Economic Development and Tourism and Renewable Resources, will be conducted this spring between March 10th and April 24th. It was decided to schedule the harvest in the spring rather than the fall for economic reasons.

To successfully conduct an operation of this magnitude, strict logistical coordination of up to 50 personnel and equipment is required. In spring, there are more daylight hours, the weather is generally better and there are more days available to

conduct harvest operations. Better weather and longer days increase the odds for the hunt to be successful.

I have a third return, Mr. Speaker.

I have a return to question asked by Mr. Gargan on November 15, 1994 regarding the study on egg quotas for the Hay River Reserve.

The Government of the Northwest Territories has been actively pursuing entry into the national supply management systems. Membership in these systems would include the application of production quotas.

In July 1994, the government was successful in securing from federal/provincial Ministers of Agriculture their support and agreement to proceed with negotiating access to the supply management regimes by dealing directly with the National Farm Products Marketing Council, as opposed to the separate agencies and their respective signatories.

The National Farm Products Council is the supervising agency for all supply management systems in Canada and reports directly to the federal Minister of Agriculture.

The federal/provincial Ministers directed the marketing council to prepare a report for a December meeting of Ministers of Agriculture on the means by which the Northwest Territories would gain access to the systems, what legislative requirements would have to be enacted and other conditions which would have to be met. The National Farm Products Marketing Council and the department jointly tabled a report with Ministers in December.

The report offered that the Northwest Territories required the following minimum conditions be met:

-access must result in full and unequivocal signatory status; that means everybody has to sign off on it;

-access must be accompanied by a distinct allocation for each commodity; and,

-access must involve the entire geographical area of the Northwest Territories -- in other words, eggs for Hay River and eggs for Iqaluit -- and not be limited to a specific area or region.

The report provided that in order to offer access and meet the requirements of the Northwest Territories, the Ministers of Agriculture would have to agree to amend the proclamation for supply management. Ministers unanimously agreed to this requirement.

On the matter of a distinct entry level for quotas, Ministers agreed that work should continue between the department, council and provinces, with a report due in March, 1995. All things considered, a resolution to this long-outstanding issue appears imminent. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Ms. Mike.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize the mayor for Clyde River, Mr. James Qillaq; mayor of Broughton Island, Loasie Audlakiak; and also the mayor of Pangnirtung, Manasa Evic. Thank you.

---Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to recognize Mr. Gerry MacPherson, a former constituent of mine. He's got a reputation, in addition to being Sheila MacPherson's father, as being a very able math teacher; and, I believe -- and Mr. Nerysoo didn't mention it -- he takes credit for being Mr. Nerysoo's teacher in mathematics, as well as Mr. Koe's.

---Laughter

---Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take the opportunity to recognize our acting chief of the Fort Smith native band, Mr. Fred Daniels. Welcome to the Assembly.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if he is committed to appointing a new ADM for his department, responsible for providing a focal point, so Nunavut education leaders can work cooperatively with his

department, as recommended at the Gjoa Haven Nunavut leaders' conference. Thank you.

Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to indicate to the honourable Member that I have received the recommendations that the leadership has made and we are also in the process of developing implementation plans. I will seriously consider the advice that has been given to me by the Inuit leadership conference.

Thank you, Mr. Nerysoo. Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, as the Minister knows, I believe, the resolutions of the Nunavut education leaders also called for the Minister to sponsor the next meeting of Nunavut education leaders in April 1995, and take the appropriate lead role in planning education and training for Nunavut.

I would like to ask the Minister, is he prepared to sponsor and have his department take the lead role in chairing and planning this important next meeting? Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to say to the honourable Member that we are trying to be as positive and constructive as we can about our approach to the advice that has been given by the Inuit leadership and the leadership of Nunavut. But, I do wish to make the honourable Member aware that the Special Joint Committee on Division also has given us some direction as to the approach we should take in this matter. We are going to make sure we accommodate the appropriate educational leadership, but it should be in the context of our overall implementation plans.

That may mean that we will make some appropriate adjustments to the recommendations that have been made, but it will be with the view that we take the leadership role that the honourable Member and other Inuit leaders have suggested.