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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the honourable Premier, Don Morin. I would like to know about the status of the federal Cabinet submission on Nunavut. Has

the Government of the Northwest Territories been consulted and involved in the preparation of the federal Cabinet submission?

The Premier of the NWT, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The status of the Cabinet submission of Nunavut, as we understand it, the federal Cabinet is considering a Cabinet submission on Nunavut planning as early as mid-March. We do have a concern that the Cabinet submission may not adequately address all relevant issues. We're also concerned that neither the GNWT nor NTI have been involved significantly in the preparation of the numbers to put that submission forward.

We have been involved in submissions with the federal government in recent weeks. Simply stated, we are not satisfied with the current level of federal disclosure of how they propose to deal with issues like incremental funding, for example. Further discussions are to take place with NTI and NIC later this week. We have been advised in the last day or so that senior officials from DIAND will participate in those discussions by telephone conversation. This is a start towards getting the process, the way we see it, back to where it should be. We must have a multi-party cooperative process to build towards successful completion of division, not only in Nunavut but also the new Western Territory. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Barnabas.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does the Nunavut political accord require that the Government of the Northwest Territories be consulted on financial arrangements for Nunavut? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In our view, the answer to that question is yes. It also requires consultation with NTI, and that's not happening to the extent that it must and should be happening. From my perspective, there's not only a legal requirement, it just makes good common sense to get everybody involved in a process at the same table. We need the federal government to get back to seeing division more as an opportunity than as a problem. This is the only real example of a positive and a major political change where people are achieving their aspirations within the Canadian Constitution context. If we work effectively together with the federal government, with NTI, with aboriginal groups in the West and other northerners, I believe we can shine on how to solve problems that people in the South are having problems solving and I remain optimistic that we can still make this happen in partnership with NTI and hopefully the federal government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Ootes.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To my knowledge, there is no recommendation to close the extended care ward at the Stanton Regional Hospital at this time. I would like to advise the Member that the Stanton Hospital Board has been looking at options for reducing some of their operating costs, of which one of those was the possible closure of the extended care ward but, at this stage, no decisions have been made. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Enuaraq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, is for the honourable Premier as the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. As the Premier heard in my Member's statement today, I believe that the NWT Development Corporation is doing a very good job in created much-needed jobs in the smaller communities where the private sector is not yet strong. Does the Premier agree that the NWT Development Corporation is generally doing a good job creating jobs and business opportunities in smaller communities of the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Premier of the NWT, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I absolutely do. I recall when we passed the act in this House and we passed the formation of the NWT Development Corporation, this is one of the major vehicles that we do have to solve some of the social conditions that we do have in our country. It's a major vehicle that we have to create employment in our communities and give our young people some hope to be productive and have a wage economy in their community. It's an excellent vehicle that needs to be used at its fullest. It does create jobs, as the Member said previously today, where the private sector will not go because you have to have a subsidy in order to create those jobs. But it's a good investment by this government, it puts people to work and makes people productive, and it teaches people self-esteem, as well. So as far as I'm concerned, it does a good job and it will continually do so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Enuaraq.

Does the Premier agree that even in very difficult financial times, it is still necessary to invest money in our small communities to create jobs so as to keep people off welfare?

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In these financial difficult times, whether or not the NWT Development Corporation is a good idea, I believe the Member asked, I think it is more important today than it was when we had more money. We have less money nowadays, and it's an important vehicle to create economic activity in the community and help develop the renewable resource sector and other business ventures that are in level II and III communities that have unemployment rates as high as 85 and 90 per cent. It is the only hope for our younger generation to get into the wage economy and be productive. Statistics have proven that the suicide rate doubled, especially in the Eastern Arctic, when Greenpeace got their way to save the seals and basically killed Inuit at the same time. But they did get their way and they killed the sealing industry and it had a devastating effect on our young Inuit population.

We see the Development Corporation hopefully developing markets for seal products and help to generate that economy, as well as the fur in the West with a tannery, and the food industries and the renewable resource sector. So I believe it's one of the best things that we have going. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Enuaraq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Premier. Recognizing the corporation's successes in giving 1,200 people across the Territories this year, people who might well be on welfare if it were not for these projects. I would like to ask the Premier if he will keep in mind the importance of these jobs to the small communities as he is finalizing the business plans for his department; in particular, the government's annual contributions to the NWT Development Corporation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. That was two questions. Mr. Morin.