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

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to bring an item that was a concern in our region, in our community, Grise Fiord. You are probably aware that on October 4th I raised the issue of failure of a sea lift vessel to reach Grise Fiord with annual resupply of food. (End of translation)

We were assured that the government would make sure and I quote, the community is adequately supplied for the year to come. We also received assurance from this government that it will do everything possible to make sure our communities have adequate food levels and supplies in the communities to survive through the winter months. Many of us come from small, isolated communities and many of us can remember very clearly the reality and single store, perhaps Hudson's Bay store, perhaps a Co-op store, as the only source of food and other supplies for our people.

Grise Fiord is still the most northern community. It is still one of the smallest and has only one store. The people of Grise Fiord have a long tradition of working hard to take care of themselves and they are not in the habit of turning to the government for help. This year ice conditions have prevented the ship carrying the year's supply for the Co-op store from reaching Grise Fiord. This is no one's fault. This is the reality of the high arctic. By the middle of October the issue was in the hands of several government departments, and the standard bureaucratic exchange of phone calls, faxes, issue papers and discussions had started. This is no longer an emergency. Mr. Speaker, this is now an exercise to minimize any cost to this government. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Thank you. The member for the High Arctic is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do we have any nays? There are no nays. You have unanimous consent, Mr. Barnabas.

Without financial assistance from this government, Mr. Speaker, the people of Grise Fiord will have to pay an additional $11 for 5 kilos of flour or sugar and an additional $5.06 for 4 litres of laundry soap and an additional $27 for a package of Jumbo Pampers.

Shame. Shame.

The amount of assistance needed to avoid this emergency surcharge is about $80,000. In October, Mr. Speaker, another emergency was declared in High Arctic. This was also a problem which was no one's fault. It, too, was a reality of life in the high arctic. A third bad fall season was threatening the existence of caribou, unique to our part of the world. This government worked efficiently and quickly with the federal government and Canadian Armed Forces to put into effect a rescue mission to capture and transport 20 to 25 pairs of caribou to a facility in southern Alberta.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to explain, not to criticize it. Rather I see this as an excellent example of the government working well and cooperatively to create speed and accomplish something important. There was a sense of urgency. My concern is that the one emergency resulted in well organized and urgently implemented effort to correct a problem. It was also very well publicized.

The other emergency also in my constituency has become just another bureaucratic exercise. With issue papers and efforts by the government departments to force the Co-op to provide needed assistance - rather than taking the lead making suggestions and actively assisting in solving the problem, we are constantly talking of making cuts, saving money, living within our means. We can budget $100 thousand to preserve a caribou species from possible extinction. We can spend, perhaps, one third of that to do this. Yet this government cannot quickly solve the question of getting annual food and supply needs of the community of Grise Fiord to the location.

It will take three departments, considerable staff and weeks of discussion to decide how to minimize the government assistance. This should have taken two people two weeks to work a helpful and constructive solution. Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the appropriate minister for a clear explanation of this situation for the quick, efficient and fair solution to the other emergency in the high arctic. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to welcome my colleagues to this fourth session. As you remember, during the last session, I made a member's statement and questioned the minister of MACA about a capital project in Rae Lakes and how the community was hoping to proceed with that.

Today, I would like to thank the Hon. Minister, Manitok Thompson for sparing some of her valuable time to meet with the community members of Rae Lakes yesterday. This meeting was the first time the community was able to address the minister personally. Although no decisions were made, I believe headway was made, if nothing less than the fact that the two finally got to meet. There are, of course, hurdles that must be crossed but at least we have started the first step.

Again, I would like to thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

(Translator) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I begin, I would like to thank the minister of MACA, Hon. Manitok Thompson and also Mr. Goo Arlooktoo for coming to Broughton Island. Thank you.

My member's statement has to do with an airstrip that needs to be taken care of, the Pangnirtung airstrip needs to be dealt with urgently. The airstrip is right in the middle of the community and it is important that this is moved. There are three different airlines flying into the community and sometimes there are other flights that come in. The hamlet in Pangnirtung in November asked that this be dealt with quickly. Later today I will be asking some questions of the Minister of Transportation in regards to this item. Thank you.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal People recently released its final report. Commission members, their staff and all the people and organizations who contributed to the process have all done so out of a sincere desire to improve the lives of the Aboriginal people of Canada. Here in the Northwest Territories where the majority of residents are Aboriginal, we see the existing problems close up and in great detail. The numbers tell a horror story. We have the highest illiteracy rate in the country, the highest drop-out rate, the highest unemployment rate, the highest crime rate and the highest suicide rate.

The Commission's recommendations are designed to alleviate these kind of problems. Unfortunately the report is being greeted with a definite lack of enthusiasm because it proposes spending an additional $2 billion a year on programs to improve the lives of Aboriginal people. What people do not realize is that there is a cost to doing nothing. Doing nothing is costing the federal government almost $5 billion a year now in spending on financial assistance, on programs that demonstrate limited success and in lost revenue due to Aboriginal people not contributing to the economy. Doing nothing is also costing Aboriginal people almost $3 billion a year, mostly in income that they are not earning because they are not adequately educated. These costs will continue to rise over the coming years.

It is estimated that it will cost $11 billion a year in 20 years. These financial costs are in addition to the high social costs. Look at the lack of hope many Aboriginal youth face everyday. Look at the poor educational facilities, a lack of social support, a lack of adequate housing. Look at the results of that, rampant alcohol and drug abuse and a horrible suicide rate. Mr. Speaker, we have all heard other members speak about these today as well as in the past. I am sure we will hear them speak about it in the future. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The member for Yellowknife North is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do we have any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Erasmus you have unanimous consent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This country has to realize that the cost of doing nothing is unacceptable. All governments, including the Government of the Northwest Territories, have to devote resources to improving the lives of our people.

I have a special concern with the need for adult education and, later this week, I will be raising this issue here in the House. We have to strengthen our education programs so our people can have hope in themselves, in their ability to contribute and in their ability to benefit from the economy. This is a single example of an area where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Mr. Speaker, the Royal Commission said it would be a travesty of justice if action to rectify the results of a history of dispossession were abandoned on grounds of fiscal restraint. I agree. We cannot let the spectre of a deficit keep us from making decisions which will, in the long run, benefit both our economy and our fellow citizens.

Mr. Speaker, in the Premier's opening address he indicated that we now need to focus on three core priorities. Two of those priorities are to improve economic conditions and to address social conditions. Mr. Speaker, I hope this is an indication he is willing to put his money where his mouth is - to put money into educating the thousands of people in the NWT who cannot get a job because their education level is too low. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Roland.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Morin.

Thank you. Members' statements, Mr. Ootes.