Thank you. Item 4, Members' statements. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak about the recent outbreak of the RSV virus in the Keewatin region. While this virus has affected many communities in our region, none have been as seriously affected as my home community of Arviat. Mr. Speaker, there have been over 50 known cases of this virus in Arviat; approximately 50 per cent of those children had to be medevaced to hospitals in the South. The RSV virus attacks the respiratory system and is extremely dangerous to children under the age of two. I regret to inform you, Mr. Speaker, that, to date, two small infants from Arviat have died from this virus.

Mr. Speaker, aside from the tremendous human cost resulting from the spread of this virus, it also highlighted many of the underlying social and economic problems that communities such as Arviat and Baker Lake must deal with, such as the rapidly expanding population that is placing tremendous strain on both their health and social safety net; unemployment levels are by far the highest in the country; and a chronic shortage of housing that has resulted in severe overcrowding. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, these problems will only increase until dramatic action is taken and comprehensive strategies developed to deal with them.

For the past six months, we have spoken a great deal in the House about deficit management and the need to balance the budget. These are extremely important issues and I believe this House must address them as a priority. However, I am concerned that we are driven by deficit management to the detriment of dealing with the human issues facing our communities. I was pleased to hear the Premier's announcement that he was establishing an Advisory Council on the Economy and Employment, inviting business people from across the North to provide advice on these important issues. The business community will bring an important perspective to our discussions on these matters.

Equally important, Mr. Speaker, is that these issues be given the same emphasis by Members of this House. We must play an important role in the debate and development of strategies that will adequately deal with the tremendous social and economic problems facing our communities. In my view, aside from dealing with our fiscal difficulties ... Mr. Speaker, I ask for consent to continue my statement.

Thank you. The Member for Kivallivik is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Conclude your statement, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my view, aside from dealing with our fiscal difficulties, this is the single most important issue that this Assembly faces. In essence, what steps should we take to improve the social and economic conditions in our communities across the North?

Mr. Speaker, I note that these issues were addressed by the Special Committee on the Northern Economy during the 11th Assembly. It is my view that we must pick up where this committee left off. I believe a committee of this House should be struck to deal with the pressing social and economic issues that we face. The committee should work in conjunction with the work of the Premier's advisory council, to develop strategies that will address these problems.

While I recognize that in these times of fiscal restraint we must ensure that expenditures are kept at a minimum, we must also recognize that to make no investment in finding solutions to these problems will only cost the government more in the long term.

Mr. Speaker, before I conclude my statement, I would like to ask the Members of this House to join me in thanking the many people of Arviat for their efforts in trying to deal with this situation in the community. In particular, I would like to publicly thank the nurses and other staff members at the nursing station who put in countless hours to deal with this illness under very stressful and trying circumstances.

Hear! Hear!

--- Applause

Finally, Mr. Speaker, and most important, I would like to offer my sincere condolences on behalf of the Members of this House to the families of the two young infants who passed away due to this virus. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Matna.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. O'Brien. Item 4, Members' statements. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to congratulate everyone who participated in the bowl-a-thon fund-raiser for the Kids' Help Phone which was held last Saturday at the Polar Bowl in Yellowknife, especially my fellow Members.

Approximately $65,000 was raised for the Kids' Help Phone. Of the $65,000, $25,000 was donated by the Yellowknife Elks Lodge; $7,000 from the Hay River bowl-a-thon; and, $33,000 from the Yellowknife bowl-a-thon. The Yellowknife MLAs' team of Roy Erasmus, Charles Dent and myself raised $900, with the Honourable Charles Dent being the leader in pledges.

You have already, Mr. Speaker, thanked the Sir John Franklin Band, but I would also like to take this opportunity to thank them for the entertainment which they have provided this afternoon at the opening of the House, and especially for the playing of 0 Canada. Thank you.

--- Applause

Thank you. Item 4, Members' statements. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 4, Members' statements. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am a bit concerned about the dismantling of the Department of Personnel. I think it may be going a little too fast and that there's nothing in place to ensure that hiring is done properly. If there is a plan, then I'm unaware of it. If there is no plan, then we need one quickly.

We've all heard of the horror stories of favouritism and nepotism. We've heard of people who should be a priority, because of affirmative action, not getting an interview and I've recently had to address one of those situations. I've also heard of people who are not a priority being told not to bother applying because they're not aboriginal, and that shouldn't be happening.

We need a plan to ensure that people who are born in the North get jobs. We know that every year when the students come home there's a big hullabaloo about affirmative action and kids are afraid they're not going to get jobs. We need to avert that this year. Again, I have to stress that our priority is the people who are born in the North. We need to give them jobs. Our students are our future. Those people who are born in the North are not likely to leave here, so we need to give them jobs and training to get them off social assistance. I must say that I would like to see some kind of a plan and some kind of a team in place to be a watchdog to ensure that all our hiring policies are being followed. Not only that, but to design and implement some type of job creation strategy for our students and for our unemployed. Thank you.

--- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Erasmus. Item 4, Members' statements. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Ootes.

Welcome to the Assembly. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Miltenberger.

Welcome to the Assembly. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it gives me a great deal of pleasure to introduce some people from my community. In the past six months, I think on a few occasions I had to recognize all those who hadn't been recognized. After six months, I finally get someone to come and visit and I would like to introduce and welcome the deputy mayor of Baker Lake, Peter Tapatai; hamlet counsellor, Frank Tootoo; and, Baker Lake businessman, Ron Bodner. Thank you.

--- Applause

Welcome to the Assembly. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a long-time Iqaluit resident and a supporter of mine during the last election, Betty Boreham.

--- Applause

Welcome to the Assembly. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Barnabas.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier, on behalf of the Nunavut Caucus that is scheduled to meet in Arviat. I believe that the Premier knows that the Nunavut Caucus is anxious to hold a meeting of Nunavut leaders with DIAND Minister, Ron Irwin, to discuss the submission Mr. Irwin will soon be bringing to the federal Cabinet concerning implementation of Nunavut. My question to the Premier: Has the Premier had an opportunity to speak to Mr. Irwin about the meeting with the Nunavut leaders to discuss the federal Cabinet decision?

Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I have had the opportunity to discuss that paper with Mr. Irwin, not in as great a detail as I would have liked to have had. I would like, at this time, to inform the honourable Member that we do now have a Division committee of Cabinet that is going to handle all division issues relating to the establishment of the two new territories. The Honourable John Todd, as Minister of Finance, will be chairing that committee, so possibly any further questions on division could be referred to Mr. Todd. Thank you.