Thank you, Mrs. Thompson. I would like to congratulate you on being elected to the Assembly. Welcome to the Chamber.

---Applause

I would also like to welcome back all the Members from their break. We have plenty of sunlight here but maybe we need a skydome that would open somehow and get some air in here.

Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On Saturday, May 27, 1995, a particularly proud moment for northerners occurred that I wish to share with Members. At the annual Sport North awards banquet held that evening, one of our outstanding sport teams received their rightful recognition and reward. Many of us have followed the media accounts of the plight of our Canada Games women's biathlon relay team.

At the Canada Games in Grande Prairie last February, the team skied and shot as a team at the highest levels to finish their relay race a close fourth, just behind Team Quebec. To finish that close behind such provinces as Quebec and Alberta was a demonstration of the excellence of the performance of these young ladies.

During the race, Team Quebec had been "paced" by their coaches. Pacing is the practice of running alongside competitors to encourage and assist them. This practice is clearly illegal under Biathlon Canada rules and calls for a team's disqualification. Team NWT coach, Patti-Kay Hamilton, with the encouragement of other coaches and our own NWT mission staff, filed a protest with the games jury.

The games jury's final decision: Quebec coaches had indeed been pacing their athletes, but instead of the automatic disqualification of the team, which would have given the bronze medals to Team NWT, the games jury ruled that Quebec should only be reprimanded. Team Quebec was allowed to keep their bronze medals.

Mr. Speaker, we take great pride in the good sportsmanship and fair play that our NWT athletes demonstrate at national events. Our women's biathlon relay team demonstrated character and sportsmanship in the face of the unjust decision by the Canada Games jury. Mr. Speaker, many of us felt it was simply not enough to tell these three young ladies that they should satisfy themselves with this decision.

There have been three months of intense and persistent pressure brought to bear on the Canada Games Council to review and reverse this decision. Many letters and interventions have been made on behalf of the team. I directly contacted the president of the Canada Games Council, as did others.

At the Sport North awards banquet, the Canada Games Council's decision was announced, co-awarding the bronze medal to the NWT women's biathlon relay team. The medals, along with a statement from the council, were presented to the team that evening.

Mr. Speaker, justice has been done. We have shown that it is right to compete in the true spirit of sportsmanship and fair play and that our athletes can be rewarded for fair and honest competition.

I am extremely proud to congratulate our only medal-winning team from the 1995 Canada Winter Games. I am sure Members will join me in providing richly deserved recognition to: Judy Goodzek; Mary Beth Miller; Moria Green; and coaches, Patti-Kay Hamilton and Pat Bobinski. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ng. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Members of the House were asked to submit names of individuals deserving of a nomination to fill the vacant NWT director position on the Arctic Winter Games International Committee (AWGIC). I would like to thank those Members who did suggest individuals for this important volunteer position. In all, 11 people were nominated, making the final selection a challenge.

The Arctic Winter Games are governed by the Arctic Winter Games International Committee, comprised of two directors each from the NWT, Yukon and Alaska and one each from Alberta and Greenland. The NWT nominates one of its members from the public at large and the second position is filled by a senior government official. In making a decision on our nominees for the public at large director position, factors such as experience, availability and willingness of each individual to volunteer their time were considered.

Mr. Speaker, after carefully considering the many fine candidates, I am pleased to advise Members that I have nominated to the Arctic Winter Games International Committee, Mr. Don Sian of Iqaluit.

---Applause

Mr. Sian's nomination was forwarded to the Arctic Winter Games International Committee and ratified on May 31st. I will be pleased to distribute to Members later today a short biography of Mr. Sian. Members will see that he has the experience, skills and commitment required to represent the NWT effectively. As a resident of Iqaluit, Mr. Sian will provide valuable input from a Nunavut perspective in leading up to the creation of two new territories in 1999.

I would ask all Members to join me in congratulating Mr. Don Sian on his nomination to the AWGIC for appointment as an NWT director. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ng. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Mrs. Thompson.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is with great pleasure that I rise in this House today as the newly-elected Member of the Legislative Assembly representing Aivilik. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my constituents in the communities of Chesterfield Inlet, Coral Harbour, and Repulse Bay for their support and faith in my ability to represent their interests. I can assure them that I will work extremely hard as their MLA to ensure that their needs are met and their concerns are addressed by this government.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank the Honourable John Todd for looking after the interests of Aivilik while the seat was vacant.

---Applause

Taking on this additional responsibility was very much appreciated by the citizens of my constituency.

To all Members of the Legislative Assembly, thank you for your warm welcome and your very kind offers of assistance should I have any questions or concerns. I look forward to working closely with all of you during this session. A special thank you is extended to David Hamilton for the time he has spent with me

Mr. Speaker, I recognize the challenge that lies before me, and I greet it with an open mind and the determination to succeed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Thompson. Item 3, Members' statements. Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On behalf of Nunavut Caucus, I would like to congratulate and welcome our new Member for Aivilik, Manitok Thompson. We look forward to working with you in the remaining few months of our 12th Assembly. Welcome and thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Zoe.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today on a very important issue regarding an incident a week ago. First of all, I would like to apologize to my colleagues here in the Assembly for the incident that happened one week ago. I sincerely apologize. Also, it was a great embarrassment to me for the unfortunate thing that happened. But, Mr. Speaker, as for my constituents of Lake Harbour, Cape Dorset and Sanikiluaq, I want them to hear from me that I apologize deeply for what happened. I don't want to put my constituents down, but I did and that is very unfortunate and I sincerely apologize. Even though that might be the case, my representation of those communities will not be altered as I have done in the past. I sincerely regret the incident that happened and I want to apologize to my constituents. That will not stop me from my deliberations in this House.

As a Member of the Legislation committee and also the Public Accounts committee, I wanted to rise today in this House. It will be up to those two committees whether they want to keep me on those committees, or if they want to let me go from those committees. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon, Members. On behalf of the Ordinary Members' Caucus, I would like to welcome the new Member of the NWT Legislative Assembly, Mrs. Manitok Thompson.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ningark. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Friday, May 26th, I was honoured to attend the graduation ceremonies of the Native Women's Association of the NWT Training Centre in Inuvik. This training centre is managed and operated by the Northwest Territories Native Women's organization. I would like to thank the Native Women's organization for managing the centre. I would also like to thank this government and the federal government, through the Canadian Employment and Immigration Commission, for providing funds to allow this program to continue.

The training centre now has their own building. It was a transfer of an old building from this government to them, and they've managed to raise the funds to renovate and now own and manage this building.

But the focus on this night was to honour the graduates. There were 13 people who were quite proud to receive their graduation certificates. It's an eight month program of basic awareness and basic reading, writing and arithmetic. A lot of these people have been away from school for a long time and are now getting back in to take some education. The graduates -- and I'll just name them -- are Jimmy Arey, Donna May Arey, Velma Cardinal, Jimmy Dillon, Elizabeth Firth, Cherie Harrison, Sarah McCullough, Anna Pingo, Joyce Rogers, Sadie Ruben, Joyce Stewart, Kristine Firth and Lena Avivgana.

I would like to congratulate these people on receiving their certificates and wish them all the best in the future. I would also like to thank the instructors and the administrators of this program and again thank this government and the federal government for their continued support.

They've also changed their name. Their program is now going to be called "Visions and Dreams." Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Whitford.

The member for Yellowknife South is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Complete your statement, Mr. Whitford.

Thank you, Mr. Whitford. Item 3, Members' statements. Are there any further? Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On May 27th and June 3rd, I had the honour of attending two historic events in the Kitikmeot. These days marked the occasion of the ceremonies for the first grade 12 students to graduate from Coppermine and Cambridge Bay.

Ceremonies were held May 27th at Kugluktuk School in Coppermine to recognize and honour Ms. Dawn Harvey and Mr. Amos Evyagoitalok; and on June 3rd at Killinik High School in Cambridge Bay to honour Ms. Angela Kadlun, Ms. Sherry Nulliayuk, Ms. Kim Tologanak, Mr. Terry Isnor and Mr. Andrew Porter.

As I stated earlier, these seven students are the first to graduate from the community-based grade 12 high school programs. There will be many more graduates to follow in the years to come as students remain in school for longer periods of time as a result of being able to stay in their home communities with the support and encouragement of their families and friends.

On behalf of all my constituents, I wish these seven graduates the best of success as they face the next challenge of continuing their education or entering into the workforce. I ask all Members to join me in congratulating them on their achievements and in wishing them success in their future endeavours. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ng. Item 3, Members' statements, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On behalf of the people of Rankin Inlet and Whale Cove, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Ms. Manitok Thompson on her election as Member for the Aivilik riding. I have had the pleasure of knowing Mrs. Thompson, her husband, Tom, and her family for many years, and I know that Mrs. Thompson will do an excellent job as a Member of this Assembly in representing the interests of the Northwest Territories and Keewatin. Thank you.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to recognize all the young people in the north who are at a turning point in their lives, their high school graduation ceremonies. That means that 12 years or more of their schooling is finished. It's over for them.

However, Mr. Speaker, education, as we all know, is a lifelong learning experience, and I encourage all the students and the graduates to continue in their education because I believe that education is very important and it's a key to a lot of success. It's a key for opportunities here in the north. There are studies which show that the best and better jobs go to better educated people. Therefore, I encourage the young people of the north to continue with their education.

Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to inform the House that on Saturday, June 3rd, I attended the Deh Cho divisional board high school graduation ceremonies in Fort Simpson along with you and your family, Mr. Speaker.

It was a very beautiful day. The ceremonies took place down on the Flats, as we call it in Fort Simpson, where we have a dance circle where the Pope went down to the papal site. It was a very nice day. Twelve students graduated out of the Deh Cho divisional board. This is the third year in a row where we have grade 12 students who graduated.

I would like to congratulate all 12 students. I am especially pleased to say that only two of the 12 actually came from Fort Simpson. That means that the rest came from the surrounding smaller communities, which is the type of achievement that we would like to have when we start having grade extensions back in the smaller communities.

So with that, I would like to congratulate the 12 students and wish them every success in the future.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not going to be setting a very good example to my new neighbour in the Assembly, who I welcome, because my statement today is longer than two minutes...

(Microphone turned off)

...but I am worked up about this issue, and I know Members will show some tolerance because this might be my last session in this Legislature.

---Laughter

I am tantalizing you. Mr. Speaker, when your Caucus committee on Bill C-68 went on April 24th to make the first appearance after Justice Minister Allan Rock before the Standing Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs, we noted that many Members of the specially appointed firearms task force were present in the committee room to hear our submissions about the major problems posed by Bill C-68: that it is not understood by the people of the north; that compulsory registration will not be respected in the NWT any more than the present firearms laws are respected; that Bill C-68 represented nothing less than a full-out frontal attack on our people's way of life on the land and that the bill would certainly have the effect of eroding respect for law and order and turning our people into a culture of criminals.

We urged Members of the committee, or the chairman, to come to the north to directly hear from our citizens to find out how this bill, as drafted, would undermine what is unique and special about our northern way of life. We were told by officials of the Department of Justice, who made up the firearms control task force, don't worry, we will soon be coming to the north to hear first hand from us, that this is how they would learn about our concerns and that this is how they would make changes to the implementation of the regime so that it would respect the aboriginal right to hunt and take into account our modern way of life outdoors in the north.

Mr. Speaker, this promise of consultation was a fraud and one of the most cynical efforts at manipulation I have ever seen in my 16 years of public service as an MLA in this Legislative Assembly. My constituents in Iqaluit were the first group of people in the NWT to be "consulted" by the firearms control task force. They were not consulted. They were shamelessly used and abused. I would like to get unanimous consent to continue, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Patterson. The Member for Iqaluit is seeking unanimous consent to complete his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and Members. The fact that the leader of this delegation proudly identified herself as an aboriginal person who had previously worked for the Assembly of First Nations, made the manipulation and exploitation of my constituents even more upsetting.

Why am I so offended by what happened? Firstly, if you are serious about consulting people, you let them know in advance that you are coming. What did this group do the week before they came to Iqaluit? They called the secretary to the Qikiqtaaluk Wildlife Board to talk about a possible visit to Baffin. When he left the office on Friday, nothing had been confirmed. On Monday morning, when he came to work, he was astonished to find three members of the firearms control task force had arrived in Iqaluit the day before. They wanted him to organize a meeting that morning before they caught the plane to Igloolik that afternoon. The president of the HTA was on his way out hunting. He was stopped, as he prepared to leave, on the beach loading his komatik, and very generously agreed to attend this very hastily called meeting. Other people were called on short notice to come to the meeting. As a result, it did not get under way until mid-morning. When it became obvious that there was not time to even begin discussions of the implications of the bill that morning, participants were asked to continue through the lunch hour, but without lunch. When it became further obvious that there was not time to even begin to discuss the implications of the bill at that meeting, the committee had the nerve to suggest that their itinerary allowed them to be in Iqaluit the following Wednesday between 12:00 noon and their 3:00 pm plane to Rankin Inlet that afternoon and we could meet again between planes, they offered.

Mr. Speaker, this kind of approach is not consultation. This is a speeding express train. My constituents now know what it is like to have been railroaded.

At the end of the meeting, people from my constituency politely told members of the firearms task force that they would prefer to have materials circulated in advance and that they would prefer to be given notice of consultation visits. I was not so restrained. I told the members of the task force that their approach was totally unacceptable and warned them that they should not use this meeting as a justification to say they had consulted us. This was not consultation, I told them; this was a juggernaut! We do not want to be used to make the Minister's political agenda easier in Ottawa.

So, what did I hear a few days later on CBC Morningside when Peter Gzowski interviewed federal Justice Minister Allan Rock about this new bill? Peter Gzowski understands the north. He knew that we were feeling left out, overlooked and disregarded. So he asked Mr. Rock about the people of the north. He asked Mr. Rock about Rosemarie Kuptana's expressed concerns about Bill C-68. Mr. Gzowski said to Mr. Rock, "Ms. Kuptana says the Inuit do not feel consulted." Mr. Rock replied, "But Peter, the Inuit Tapirisat themselves put us on to the people that we should consult in the meetings that are going on in the Arctic now. They identified which communities, which people, which groups should be involved in the consultation which has started. We have people in the Arctic doing that talking, listening and designing a way in which this should be implemented in aboriginal communities."

How shameful that Mr. Rock should suggest that Rosemarie Kuptana and ITC has bought into this sham of a consultation process.

This is manipulation, Mr. Speaker, by a government with a majority and a Minister who is cultivating support from his Toronto constituents at the expense of those of us who will be most affected by this invasion of our lives. This is a majority running roughshod over a helpless minority. We seem to have no one to speak for us. We are proud of the fact that our MPs have achieved great recognition in the new Government of Canada. Honourable Ethel Blondin-Andrew is a Member of Cabinet. Mr. Jack Anawak is a parliamentary secretary. But if our MPs dare to vote against the bill, we know they will be stripped of these honours. Ms. Blondin-Andrew herself described the choices she faces in an interview on CBC Mackenzie on May 16th. She said, "My whole life has been directed towards what I am doing now and I am not about to take that lightly by losing my whole career on one vote."

Mr. Speaker, I believe that MLAs in this Assembly are against this bill, as drafted. Our Minister of Justice is against this bill. We heard his statement today on that subject and other statements he has made recently. The NWT Association of Municipalities is unanimously against this bill. NWT aboriginal leaders are against this bill. None of my constituents support this bill. So who will speak for us? Who will consult us properly and with respect? What safeguards does democracy provide for us? Democracy is not working very well here. There is a majority in Parliament led by a Toronto Minister pushing his urban agenda on the minority in remote rural and northern communities. Considering the sham consultations, the lack of respect shown to my constituents, the federal Minister trying to implicate Rosemarie Kuptana and ITC in the sham, the federal Minister saying we are listening, considering the threats to muzzle our MPs, considering the rush to ram this bill through, this process looks more and more like manipulation and tyranny and less and less like democracy every day. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Patterson. Just a general reminder to the Members, we just had discussions regarding unsigned letters and the issue of us making statements about people who cannot defend themselves in this House. Just a reminder to keep that in mind when you make statements. I appreciate that good intention in the statement is there but I will point out that people cannot defend themselves and are being put in that situation.

Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. More than 20 years ago, when I moved to Yellowknife from the eastern Arctic, there were half a dozen people who lived in Yellowknife at that time who had fought in the First World War. Four of them had even been at the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Those people are now dead, however we have a generation of people who fought in the Second World War.

Mr. Speaker, I was in Europe just recently during the celebrations of the Victory in Europe Day. More than 20,000 Canadians went to Holland to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Victory in Europe. It reminded me of 1945 when, as a young kid, I remember every street having street parties. There were hundreds and hundreds of kids, races, dances in the streets and so on. I know many veterans in Yellowknife who fought in the Second World War and who were there during that time, realize that although it seems very remote, and such a long, long way away from here, that was the last world war, we hoped. That war -- and Mr. Patterson has just remarked on what democracy is all about -- really, was to try to do something to protect the democratic institutions that we all value. It was a battle against dictatorships and totalitarian systems.

For that reason, many of the veterans from Yellowknife realized, after visiting Europe, that they should be doing something even here, as far away as we are, from where that war took place. It was a world war, it wasn't just a local war. It was something that embraced the whole world. I know very soon, Mr. Speaker, that you will be approached to see if the veterans can't do something to commemorate that anniversary in some form, through Mr. Whitford, in this great hall of ours. I hope that we can give them a positive response, to recognize that that war really was to support and protect democratic institutions such as this, where the people are involved and you aren't pushed around just by one voice. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Lewis. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Kakfwi

.

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Ballantyne on April 27, 1995, with regard to advice from education boards about drug use in schools.

In April, I indicated that I would be willing to contact each school board about the magnitude of the drug problem in each area. I have since learned that we already have that information. Our school health research project is currently being published which will give us information about the health knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of Northwest Territories young people in a whole variety of health areas. Drug use is one of those areas, along with mental health and self-concept, relationships with parents, friends and school, sexuality, alcohol and tobacco use, nutrition, dental care and the use of leisure time.

Not only has the information been compiled territorially, we compare Northwest Territories students to those in other parts of Canada, and are producing smaller reports by school board to give a clearer picture of what's happening in each area. I

will ensure that each Member receives both the full report as well as the smaller report for his or her area.

In terms of how the government might help, our plan is to disseminate the information as widely as possible, and we are working on the dissemination plan now. The decision to produce the reports by board was to facilitate effective responses and follow-up actions which might vary among boards. Through dissemination of the report, we are hoping to stimulate responses in a variety of ways. This will include responses by the government, but also at the regional and community levels, in a manner consistent with the community wellness strategy.

I appreciate your very timely question and will be happy to share our findings with you as soon as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Kakfwi.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a gentleman who is a champion of the working man, Mr. Ben MacDonald of the UNW. Thank you.

---Applause

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

Just for the record, Mr. Whitford, Members are only allowed to recognize visitors in the gallery once. Mr. Kakfwi.

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the media last week, there were statements made by reporters indicating that this government was investigating the possibility of imposing a sales tax on residents of the Northwest Territories. Since the Minister of Finance isn't here, I would like to ask the Premier, is this government going to be imposing a sales tax on the residents of the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Koe. Mr. Koe, I will remind you that you cannot ask the Premier to deny or confirm a newspaper report. But the question was okay. Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance is presently out on a telephone call with Mr. Ron Irwin. Regarding the question, Mr. Speaker, there have been no indications that the NWT government is planning to impose a sales tax. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, thank you for that clarification. This year's government and next year's government are going to be looking at deficits of around $130 to $150 million. I would like to get an indication from the Premier as to what steps this government is taking to deal with this horrific projected deficit?

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I believe right at the moment we're exploring all possibilities of trying to live within our means as a government. The Minister of Finance and the system are beginning to look at budgets for the future year, recognizing that we will have a significant shortfall. All options are being explored and some of the options are just that: options. We are looking for workable solutions to the problem. In the next while, there will be lots of rumours about rumours, I'm sure, Mr. Speaker. Because, in exploring those options, we are putting together research papers on what other provincial jurisdictions are doing and what types of options we have here, including the possibility of trying to conclude a northern energy accord so revenues will accrue to Northwest Territories residents.

There isn't anything we're overlooking and, certainly, if anyone has any wonderful ideas about how we can either accrue more revenues and do a better job with our financial situation, recognizing that there are programs and services which are necessities for people and we have to try our best to make sure those programs and people aren't suffering because of program cutbacks. Mr. Speaker, every avenue possible is being explored. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The Premier mentioned that the Cabinet and the government is looking at options for revenue generation. One of the activities that is going on, I understand, is there might be a meeting this week of leaders involved in northern accord discussions. Other than the northern accord, what other specific initiatives are being looked at to generate new revenues for this government?

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, these discussions have been renewed in order to plot out some strategies for next year's budgeting. I would suggest that when the Minister of Finance is available -- because he has been doing that work -- it would be more appropriate to defer the question to the Minister of Finance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do have that paper. We're finished now and it is in front of Cabinet. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The reason the paper did not get to Cabinet on time is because proper signatures weren't there and the paper was not quite ready. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As soon as I can get it to Cabinet, I will. Then I will make a copy available to the Members. Thank you.

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I'll make every effort to table the policy in this House. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Antoine.

Thank you. My question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment with regard to a position of a youth coordinator. In the past, Mr. Speaker, this position was under the Department of Social Services, but I understand that this was turned over to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. A little while ago I tried to find out who this youth coordinator was. I called the Department of Social Services, I got the run-around. I phoned the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and I really didn't get a reply. So I would like to ask the Minister directly who is the youth coordinator in his department.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't know who the youth coordinator is, but I'll get the information and provide it to the Member.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government has invested considerable amounts of money into the development of a Constitution for the western territory. I would like to ask the Minister responsible for aboriginal rights and constitutional development, in light of the fact that this process is deemed to be on hold at the moment until there is a commitment of funding, whether the Government of the Northwest Territories has committed any money to the process.

Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister whether this $500,000 identified is contingent upon full cooperation with the federal government.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We get mixed messages about how positive the federal government is about the process and the kind of commitment that exists. I would like to ask the Minister, by what date does he expect to get a response on the commitment of the federal government of the $1 million that he has referred to.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Ballantyne.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister responsible for mines, Mr. Todd. I wonder if Mr. Todd could give us an update of the northern negotiations. Thank you.

Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The latest, as they say, is that tomorrow we will be meeting with most of the leadership of the aboriginal groups who are keenly interested in this accord. I'm optimistic, as I've said from the beginning, that we can make an arrangement. I had originally set a deadline of May 31st to see if there was a collective position we could take. There were some problems, as most Members know, with respect to the definition of self-government and how it related to this accord.

I think that with some of the groups -- not all of the groups, I have to be frank -- it appears we are close to a compromise in terms of making arrangements to move forward in reaching a collective position that we can take to the federal government. However, tomorrow I will meet directly with the political leadership. I've indicated to them, as I will indicate to this House, that if we reach an arrangement, it has to be made by the 14th of June, certainly prior to the closing of this Assembly.

I'm optimistic that the majority of the aboriginal groups, First Nations and claimant groups, will be with us as we move forward after the 15th to Ottawa to seek an arrangement to put additional revenue into the hands of this government to keep the level of services we currently have in place. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Public Works, with respect to the status of the hangar proposal submitted by the Dene-Metis. We all know in this House that the Dene-Metis was to submit a proposal by April 30th of this year. The Minister made a visit to Fort Smith, Mr. Speaker, on May 19th and, at the time, indicated to me that this proposal submission would go to the Cabinet the first week of June. I would like to know whether the proposal developed by the Dene-Metis has been reviewed by Cabinet as of this date. Thank you.

The Minister responsible for Government Services and Public Works and Services, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, it has not been reviewed yet. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister indicate the time frame it will take for Cabinet to review this proposal? Thank you.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have many issues on the Cabinet agenda, and this is just one of the many issues. We're setting up different Cabinet meetings for this week as well as next week to try to deal with all of them. It will be on the list with the rest. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I recognize that there are probably a lot of issues that Cabinet has to deal with. I would like to ask the Minister, would he be able to make a commitment and indicate whether a decision regarding the proposal submitted by the Dene-Metis to build a hangar in Fort Smith will be made prior to this session being concluded? Thank you.

Mr. Morin.