Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to present the proposed 1995-96 O and M main estimates for the Department of Safety and Public Services. For 1995-96, the department is requesting $7.241 million compared to last year's budget of $6.512 million, for a net increase of $729,000. This increase is the result of:

-$713,000 approved in the 1994-95 supplementary estimates, No. 1, to re-establish the safety officer position in Rankin Inlet, provide two additional mine inspectors and one additional labour inspector in Yellowknife and to provide additional duty travel funding to increase inspections;

-$257,000 for forced growth to provide an electrical inspector and fire inspector in Cambridge Bay and a vital statistics clerk in Yellowknife to provide administrative support to the aboriginal custom adoption program;

-and subtractions of $241,000 in program reductions which have been spread across the department so as not to impact program delivery.

The department is projecting revenues of $19.697 million, an increase of $1.703 million.

This increase is a result of raising the fees of business, professional and lottery insurance licenses, as well as raising the prices for special occasion permits and alcohol products.

Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to inform you that the department also continues to make progress in its affirmative action program. At present, 22 per cent of our staff are native northerners and an additional 13 per cent are indigenous non-native. Our labour standards inspector trainee completed her training program in August of 1994 and has been appointed as a labour standards inspector, and our safety officer trainee in Iqaluit will be completing his second year of training this summer. The department has taken steps to further improve its record in this area. A fire inspector trainee was hired on October 3, 1994 and the department is in the process of negotiating with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment for funding to establish safety officer trainee positions in Rankin Inlet and Inuvik. I am especially pleased to announce that the department has recently recruited two well-qualified aboriginal people to serve as electrical inspectors, one in Hay River and one in Inuvik.

The department has two initiatives to complete in 1995-96. The first one is to enact the new Mine Health and Safety Act by completing the required regulations and to bring the legislation into force by this summer.

Members are also aware of the department's initiative to reform liquor control legislation. The liquor law review project was initiated in December 1993 and has now completed an extensive public consultation process. A legislative action paper outlining the principles and potential regulatory strategies is being presently reviewed by the Standing Committee on Legislation. Based on feedback received during the standing committee's consideration of this document, the department will work closely with the Department of Justice to draft new legislation.

Mr. Chairman, fire safety also continues to be a concern, especially among our young people. The department has revised its learn not to burn program which has now been accepted as a supplementary resource for the NWT school health program. The department, in cooperation with Municipal and Community Affairs, has been successful in developing a firefighter education and training program for community firefighters. The training will consist of four regional workshops in each of the regional headquarters communities during the 1995-96 fiscal year.

Other objectives include the continuation of discussions for additional transfers of lottery licensing to various communities under the community transfer initiative as well as the preparation of strategies to review many of the acts and regulations the department administers. Mr. Chairman, that concludes my opening remarks. I will be pleased to answer any questions the Members of the committee may have.