Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Members' statements, Mr. Rabesca.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to try to understand some of my colleagues' concerns over Community Empowerment.

Over the past number of years, this Government, in one form or another, has supported the idea of government services, the best job of the people within the communities. It is the community organization and community leaders that have the best knowledge of the residents and how best to service them. This initiative has been called many different things over the past years.

The one window approach is one of the first recently with the previous government, it was called community transfers, and now it is called community empowerment. Each initiative has its own good points and bad points. But as a whole, communities have the benefit, benefit considerably from this type of devolution.

As this Government has evolved and has become more responsible for its finances, so have the communities. They understand what is required to take on more responsibility and if the community can demonstrate their expertise, knowledge and their willingness to take on extra duties, then we should be encouraging them, not chastising, this from some of my colleagues.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I encourage all communities to investigate areas that they feel comfortable in taking control. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Rabesca. Members' statements, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Members' Statements, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since the House began sitting on October 2, we have had some, at times, heated debate from the capital expenditures to community empowerment. By questioning the government on these and other matters, members have shown the public that debate, requested by electorate, has occurred.

Appearing in News North, Nunatsiaq, The Hub, or the Inuvik Drum, makes my day. But, seriously, Mr. Speaker, when I review the Hansard each day, the questions put by the ordinary members are concise and, in most cases, suitable for all audiences.

Compare if you would, Mr. Speaker, debates with some of these same members with the 9th, 10th or 11th Assembly and you will see some of the same issues debated again and, surprisingly enough, it depends upon which the side of the House you are sitting on when you made those statements for and against.

I have had calls from some Mayors in the West, asking why I am against community empowerment. Mr. Speaker, I have never said I was against community empowerment but I am against the current speed and process. As some members know, I was a member of the first Community Justice Committee, set up in the eastern arctic more than six years ago. That is community empowerment. I would like to see all contracts, leases and sole-source contracts published like other jurisdictions, like B.C., the amalgamation of DPW, Transportation, the Housing Corp. needs to be debated.

Today the feds do not fund or build social housing units. But with a federal election coming next spring, they might begin to fund and build social housing. But, we will not have a dedicated department, because it has been amalgamated. Mr. Speaker, all these areas have been talked about over the past couple of weeks.

The role of the ordinary Member is to provide the check and balance needed, making sense of this Government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Picco, Members' statements, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Members' statements, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege of attending Kitikmeot Inuit Association in Gjoa Haven on October 15 and 16. Many issues were brought forth to the Assembly. Many very important issues, one issue that struck me in one presentation from the group was the young people attending Kitikmeot Inuit Association, I would like to thank Kitikmeot Inuit Association for inviting the youth from Kitikmeot region, allowing the youth to make a presentation. Mr. Speaker, there is a willingness among the young people of Kitikmeot, and the elders from Kitikmeot, to work together. There is a willingness of the Kitikmeot Inuit Association to listen to the young people of Kitikmeot Region.

Mr. Speaker, many important issues coming from the young people were brought to our attention. I have the opportunity and am privileged to have listened to some of the very important comments from the young people. Some of the issues that were brought up were teen pregnancy, suicide among teens, the young people wanting to have more youth representation on boards, which sometimes we seem to overlook. Young people want to have more insight in the communities across the NWT, and young people were speaking from the Kitikmeot Region.

Young people wanting to have more follow-up when a young person, or young people, attend meetings, or board meetings, they wanted to have more follow up. I think sometimes I tend to forget what we hear from the young people because we are not paying attention to our future.

Mr. Speaker, young people want to have more drop-in centres in their communities. More importantly they want to have resources from the Government, from the community government, from the regional government, from their Aboriginal organizations, which we do not seem to be doing. Since we always talk about young people being our future, Mr. Speaker, this is the time that we do something about our future. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ningark. Members' Statements, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Members' Statements. Members' Statements, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today is on a Mining Institute and I listened with pleasure to the statement that the Minister made earlier concerning the training initiatives in the mining industry; however, I think that we have to do a bit more than has been done so far.

Mr. Speaker, I believe we need a concerted effort to take advantage of all these job positions. We need technicians, we need to be able to put a couple of years towards a degree or college diploma. I still think that Yellowknife is the best place to put this. People from the smaller communities could come here. We know that there are two mines right here in Yellowknife and other outlying mines in the neighbourhood where people could do their practicums, and I think that it could be quite well done.

We know that within these last impact benefit agreements there has been a precedent set. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my Statement.

The Member from Yellowknife North is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do we have any nays. There are no nays. You have unanimous consent, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated I believe that this government has helped to set a precedent, as impact benefit agreements with the mining industry that wishes to open new mines, and that is so that the people of the outlying communities will be guaranteed jobs in those new mines; however, guaranteeing jobs in the mines is not going to help people if they are not trained in that area. We need meaningful training to take advantage, Mr. Speaker.

That training, without training, even with training, we cannot possibly fill all the jobs from the people in the communities, the smaller communities. There is not enough people that are interested to work in the mines. So, we are going to have to train other people, as well. That includes the larger centres: Yellowknife, Hay River, Rankin Inlet, if they want, whatever.

As I was saying there are a lot of jobs out there and I am not just talking about pre-employment, I am talking about training people in prospecting, millwork, mine safety, mechanics, electrical, miners, trammers, hoistmen, surveyors, engineers, truck drivers, mill operators, mechanical engineering technologists and technicians, welding engineers and technologists, industrial maintenance mechanics and other mechanical and welding skills, millwright mechanics, heavy duty equipment mechanics. All these are areas that require training, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate what the Minister of Education is attempting to do with his very, very, limited budget, but that is not enough, Mr. Speaker. We have to take the bull by the horns, we have to put some real money into training and it is the rest of us here, that have to agree, that the Minister can have this money so that he can put some real training in place. Possibly to start a mining institute, if not a mining institute, at least, a large branch of the college that could look specifically into this area.

Mr. Speaker, we all know that as soon as the college institutes some types of new training, everybody takes it, simply because they do not want to go south for their training. If we start this, I am sure the place will be full of people learning to take advantage of the jobs in the mining industry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Erasmus. Members' Statement, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Members' Statements. Members' Statements. Returns to Oral Questions, Mr. Todd.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Erasmus on October 8th, with respect to claims rejected by the WCB.

I apologize, this is a fairly lengthy reply, Mr. Speaker. The number of claims denied, or rejected by the WCB in 1995 was 124. With regard to the appeal process there are two levels of appeal. The first level is the Review Committee which carries out documentary reviews of claims and revenue decisions. The Review Committee usually holds it's review within 35 working days of receiving the request for review.

The Appeals Tribunal is the final level of appeal. It consists of a member of the board of directors as chairperson, it has two members represent the workers' and two members representative of employers. The Tribunal sits in hearing panels of three, comprising of the chairperson, or acting chairperson, and one member from each representative worker/employer group. The Appeals Tribunal can only hear appeals of decisions reached by the Review Committee. It holds oral hearings or documentary hearings.

Delays can occur from either the Tribunal or the appellant; for example, the Tribunal may require additional information, or the appellant, may not be ready to proceed. On average the last 30 completed cases have taken 188 calendar days each, from the date the appeal was received, or reactivated, to the date the decision was reached. There are no time limitations in which the appellant must file a review of an appeal.

At the end of 1996 the Appeal Tribunal had 21 appeals to be heard. Whether or not an injured worker would receive some allowance from the Workers' Compensation Board while their appeal is in the process would depend on the issue being appealed if the claim had been denied then no benefits would be paid to the appellant while going through the appeal process.

If it was determined by either the Review Committee or the Appeal Tribunal that the claim should have been accepted then it is possible that benefits would be issued retroactively. In the event that an injured worker was receiving a pension, but was appealing the percentage of their pension award, or another issue on the claim then they would continue to receive the monthly pension while going through the appeal process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Returns to Oral Questions. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a Return to Oral Question for Mr. Antoine, Minister of Transportation, on the Broughton Island Airstrip. On Monday, October 15, 1996 the Member from Baffin Central asked him about the condition of the Broughton Island Airport and the Department of Transportation's expenditures on its repair and maintenance.

The Member was correct in pointing out some of the physical deficiencies in the runway and lighting system at the Broughton Island Airport. I am pleased to report that this year, 1996, was the first of a four year program of extensive reconstruction at the airport. The project has been staged over several years to extend maximum opportunities for local involvement and employment.

This is the first year of the project involving crushing a 20,000 cubic metre supply of gravel for the job and relocating the access road to meet Transport Canada's zoning regulations. The Department has entered into a $380,000, two year, full authority, contribution agreement with the Hamlet for road construction.

Next year, 1997/98, the Department plans to begin runway reconstruction. Again, the purpose is to bring the airport up to meet Transport Canada standards and involves adding pre-threshold landing areas and widening of the runway. The Department has not yet completed the final design work, but an estimate of the project expenditures over two years is approximately $1.5 million.

The Member mentioned in his question that the airport is very close to the ocean and exposed to wind and spray. Indeed, the reconstruction plans call for the placing of armour rock on the apron embankments as protection from the waves in stormy weather.

The existing runway lighting is twenty years old and due for replacement. Once the earthwork at the airport is finished, the Department has scheduled the installation of new runway lighting in 1999/2000 at an estimated cost of $580,000.

From start to finish, the reconstruction of the Broughton Island Airport will cost roughly $2 million and bring the airport fully in line with Transport Canada's airport safety standards.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Morin. Returns to Oral questions. Mr. Ng.