Thank you Mrs. Thompson. Good afternoon. Welcome back Mr. Ng.

Mr. Speaker, the Premier spoke yesterday about the achievements members of this Legislative Assembly have made over the past twelve months in dealing with the fundamental challenges that it faced when it took office last November.

Primary amongst these challenges was the need to move quickly to put our fiscal house in order prior to division. Members of this Assembly were of the view that this was a priority, as we did not want to burden the two new territories with large accumulated deficits.

In September, I informed Members that we were on course to meet our targets of a $43 million deficit during the current year and a balanced budget in 1997/98.

Mr. Speaker, I remain confident that we will meet these targets, with the continued commitment of this Assembly to the budgetary reforms that we instituted at the beginning of our term. The Premier also noted in his Sessional Statement that the time remaining in the mandate of this Assembly is short and the challenges great. We must move to narrow the focus of our priorities to what we can realistically accomplish over the remaining 28 months of our mandate.

Mr. Speaker, the next and most pressing challenge for members of this Assembly is to move forward with the planning and implementation of division in the same decisive and conclusive manner. Simply put, division is only 28 months away, 854 days to be precise.

This Assembly has established a priority to have two fully functional governments on April 1, 1999. To accomplish this, decisions related to the implementation of two new governments must be made in the near term, and implementation must begin shortly thereafter.

These decisions are necessitated by the recent release of the Footprints 2, the second comprehensive report of the Nunavut Implementation Commission. This report addresses many of the major issues related to the establishment of Nunavut that were raised, or outstanding, after the release of the original NIC report.

Footprints 2 presents an updated organizational design and a more practical approach to staffing issues. It lays out, in much more detail, areas such as communications requirements, and addresses some previous gaps in program areas such as the administration of justice in Nunavut.

There remains, however, many fundamental issues that members will have to address in our preparation for division. The primary concern with the planning process is time. With just over two years to go until division, we must deal not only with the theory of division, but with the hard reality of establishing two new governments.

We need to conclude a comprehensive staff transition plan that will lessen the economic impact of division, encourage people to relocate, and allow for on-site training and preparation to occur.

We need to build headquarters and on-site capacity so that we can ensure that services and programs will continue to be delivered in a responsive fashion.

Mr. Speaker, there must also be a recognition that the transitional issue be revisited. There are a number of critical gaps in both the original funding for division, and the related scheduling. We cannot wait until April 1, 1998 to begin the hiring and the large amount of in-service training that is required.

The government of the Northwest Territories will be moving, in the near future, to begin the job of implementing the division of government functions that are required to have two fully functional territorial governments on April 1, 1999.

At the departmental level, division plans are now being prepared for incorporation into the business planning process over the next several months. It is important to note that members of this Legislative Assembly will have full opportunity to review these revised business plans through the committee process as soon as they become available.

Mr. Speaker, for a variety of reasons, Nunavut has proceeded at a quicker pace than the western arctic in the planning and preparation for division. The Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Political Accord establishes, in fairly clear terms, the process for the establishment of Nunavut and the role of the different parties to this process. No similar provisions exist for the Western Territory and, therefore, the process is less clear.

One of the primary concerns of this Assembly must be the timely development of a political process that ensures the people and key stakeholder groups in the western arctic are adequately represented in the division process. This is essential if the division process is to proceed effectively.

The development of this process is critical to resolution of issues that affect both new territories, such as the negotiation of financial arrangements, the negotiation of transitional and incremental costs of division and the division of assets and liabilities.

With respect to the negotiation of financial arrangements with the federal government, including the incremental and transitional costs of establishing two new territorial governments, it is vital that we move quickly if we are to conclude negotiations and provide the financial certainty that each new territory requires.

The federal Minister of Finance, the Honourable Paul Martin, has committed to developing a process by early 1997 that will ensure that the relevant issues are addressed in a timely manner.

Footprints 2 makes a number of recommendations on how negotiations should be structured with respect to these issues from a Nunavut perspective. We must move quickly to structure a similar process for the western arctic so that these discussions can begin in earnest.

Mr. Speaker, another issue of fundamental importance in this debate, and one that is directly related to the development of a process that will bring an east/west balance to the negotiation of the key financial issues, is the manner in which we deal with the issues of dispute.

While I am confident that the vast majority of issues can and will be resolved through mutual agreement, some consideration must be given to the adoption of an independent dispute resolution mechanism that deals with problem areas in a fair, equitable, and timely manner. We welcome input from all Members on how this can or should be structured.

The next step in the division process is the formal response of this government to the "Footprints 2". Given the time pressures associated with implementing the division process, the GNWT is committed to providing their formal response to the other parties by the end of the calendar year.

Mr. Speaker, the views of all members of this Assembly will be considered before the formal response to Footprints 2 is finalized and transmitted. This will be done through the discussions we will have in Committee of the Whole, through input from the Western and Nunavut Caucus' and through the Standing Committee on Government Operations.

Mr. Speaker, the challenges ahead are difficult. The job of planning and implementing division will require the collective effort and commitment of all members of this Assembly and all stakeholders. I believe that if we remain committed to the principles we established a year ago and if we continue, all of us, to remember that division is about creating two viable territories, we will, as the Premier is fond of saying, make April 1, 1999 a day to celebrate. It is time for this Assembly to get on with the job.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you Mr. Todd. Ministers' Statements. Mr. Antoine.

Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Premier spoke yesterday about the need for all of us in this House to focus on three core priorities, and the need to work together in doing so. Leading off our priorities, where we must certainly work in unison, is the creation of two viable territories. Mr. Todd has just spoke about this challenge in terms of implementing Nunavut and the immediate task of responding to Footprints 2 and he has noted the need for attention to division issues in the west.

Mr. Speaker, I will talk today about the implementation of a new territory for the western Northwest Territories. First and foremost in the west, is our public effort to develop a constitution upon which we can build a new system of governance. This is an effort which has a long history. There is much previous work to build from and there is also much yet to be done.

One issue is central to crafting such a constitution. How do we meld elements of public government and aboriginal government into one system, so as to establish the inherent right of aboriginal self government as a fundamental part of that system, while also respecting the rights of all northerners?

Mr. Speaker, in my view, and in the view of many northerners over the years that I have worked with, most important to our success will be the search for balance and tolerance. We have had the benefit of extreme views from many sides in recent weeks. The goal now is to find reasonable and acceptable middle ground.

With the tabling of the Draft Constitutional Package for public consultation, the Constitutional Working Group has begun the most important phase of our work in the west. We have awakened public debate on establishing a new government system. From some reactions, the alarm bells were clear.

But it is not a rude awakening, Mr. Speaker. I am compelled to point out a few important facts for us to remember. This and previous governments of the Northwest Territories have consistently been the strongest proponents of the inherent right among all Canadian jurisdictions. The people of the Northwest Territories strongly supported the 1992 Charlottetown Accord, which provided for the constitutional recognition of aboriginal governments. And, Mr. Speaker, this government is a signatory to modern aboriginal treaties which contain constitutional guarantees regarding the negotiation of aboriginal self government.

Mr. Speaker, it is clear the job for all of us now is to ensure this public debate in the west is productive. We must ensure that each of our communities is part of the process. And, most important, we must build on existing foundations and achievements and not revisit essential principles that have been clearly established.

On many occasions, we have accepted that aboriginal governance should form an integral part of our government structure in the west. There is no question as to the importance of communities within this structure. There is no question as to the application of the Canadian Constitution. The Draft Constitution Package highlighted one model, but it also proposed two others. It will hopefully inspire many further variations.

This is the purpose of engaging public opinion. The Constitutional Working Group was not seeking comments on the one model only. It wanted to encourage full public discussion, to develop an approach which would have widespread support and could be put forth for consideration by all residents and the government of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, this brings me to an important point. We must turn our attention as well to engaging the federal government during the consultation process. It is absolutely necessary that we know what approaches will be acceptable to the federal government.

In doing this, we must rely on the guiding principles and objectives set out by the Constitutional Working Group and the draft package. These are parameters already acceptable to northerners regarding democratic principles, the inherent right and the structure of the territorial government.

Mr. Speaker, when we develop a final constitutional proposal for the west it must account, not only for what our residents tell us over the coming months, but, it must also account for what Canada's leaders are prepared to pass into law. April 1, 1999, that is two years and four months away, Mr. Speaker. This is the short period in which to complete the many crucial tasks we face from a western perspective. We must negotiate new funding arrangements, including incremental costs. We must agree on division of the Government of the Northwest Territories finance and operation, and we must secure federal legislation to replace the NWT Act in the west.

The last of these tasks, new federal legislation for the west, should be accomplished through constitutional consultation and revision process, and I reiterate, we must engage the federal government immediately to move ahead effectively.

The other tasks are division issues which the west must now deal with. As we know there is a formal and public mechanism in the east to undertake these tasks.

Mr. Speaker, in the west it is time to concentrate comparable efforts on these exercises. It is important for the division process as a whole, for east and west, for this current government, that this happens. The only way we can accomplish what we want is if we work together. The most important factor is that we keep talking through these issues to reach consensus in our actions. We have time to do what we want if we move thoughtfully and cooperatively. We can establish strong foundations to continue building from, and we can protect the fiscal and political interest of both territories and all their peoples.

We must insist that the federal government support the western process adequately, provide sufficient funding so that both territories can be implemented effectively and engagement with the west is spelt out, what a new constitution might look like. Just as the federal government supports the implementation of Nunavut, so, too, must it support the western process. Just as the increment of costs of a decentralized east is the key to implementing Nunavut, so, too, are the incremental costs of all elements of government a key to implementing a new system in the west.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot let Canada lose sight of these realities and we must not become distracted by turning this into an east/west competition. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to our coming discussions on these matters with great expectations. As the last legislature for the entire Northwest Territories, we have set a priority to create two new territories in 1999, and that job is the same for all of us. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Minister's Statement, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Minister's Statement, Ms. Thompson.

Mr. Speaker, I take great pride in announcing that two employees of the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs have been honoured nationally for their outstanding achievements in saving the lives of many northerners. I think it is important to recognize the excellent work of our employees and I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge Mike Ferris of Iqaluit and Kathryn Youngblut of Yellowknife for the national recognition both have received.

I would like to seek unanimous consent to continue my statement.

The Member for Aivilik is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her Minister's Statement. Do we have any nays. There are no nays. You have unanimous consent, Mr. Thompson.

Mr. Ferris is the Department Superintendent for the Baffin Region and one of his responsibilities is emergency coordinator for the Baffin Regional Emergency Response Plan. For his work as emergency coordinator, Mr. Ferris was presented the national award for Outstanding Achievement in Search and Rescue.

The award was presented by the Executive Director of the National Search and Rescue Secretariat on October 18, during the National SARSCENE Conference held in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Mr. Ferris was recognized for his important contribution to the development of an effective search and rescue response system throughout the Baffin region. In particular, Mike's work with establishing a response and management system for personal locator beacon alerts was given high praise.

Mr. Speaker, Ms. Kathryn Youngblut of the Sport and Recreation Division in Yellowknife has been announced as a recipient of the Certificate of Thanks; and the Bronze Meritorious Medal by the Royal Life Saving Society of Canada. Ms. Youngblut will be presented with these awards by the Honourable Helen Maksagak, Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, in the Main Hall this Friday. I would like to invite the members of this House to attend.

Kathryn is being recognized for her drowning prevention work in the Northwest Territories. As the Sport and Recreation division's leadership programs officer, Kathryn manages an Aquatics Program and is responsible for implementing related water safety preparedness programs. Kathryn has worked with her colleagues in the Government of the Northwest Territories Department of Transportation and the Canadian Coast Guard to implement a successful Small Boat Safety Awareness Program.

I would ask Members to join me in congratulating Mr. Mike Ferris and Ms. Kathryn Youngblut for their excellent service to the safety of the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Member's Statement, Mrs. Groenewegen.

The Member for Hay River is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Do we have any nays? There are no nays. You have unanimous consent Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Member's Statement, Mr. Ootes.

You do not need unanimous consent, you may proceed with your motion.

Thank you. Your motion is in order. To the motion. Question is being called. All those in favour. All those opposed. Motion is carried. Accordingly, Minister's Statement 5-13(4) and 6-13(4) are both moved into Committee of the Whole.

Members' Statements. Mr. Enuaraq.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I stand today to talk in regard to Clyde River needing a hockey arena. As Members of the Legislative Assembly, we need to encourage sports in the community, and this helps when there are problems in the community, it gives time for the younger people to play activities. Clyde River has a population of 700 and I would like to inform the members that, with respect to this arena, I will be directing a question later on today to the appropriate minister, in regard to this item. Thank you.

Member's Statement, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently a committee was struck to, once again, review the Business Incentive Policy, or BIP as most people refer to it. Mr. Speaker, in this committee it is not our intention to reinvent the wheel, but more so, to review and analyze the existing data that was compiled by the previous committee.

I have had the opportunity to speak with various beneficiaries of the BIP, and also the NWT Construction Association in order to gauge the most recent views and opinions of this program. The committee has met once to review the overall history concerns associated with the policy. We will be having a final meeting on Sunday, December 1, to formalize our recommendations to this government. It is regrettable that the committee could not bring closure to this review before the commencement of this session, but this was unfortunately due to the extremely tight work schedules of the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Member's Statement. Mr. Barnabas.