Thank you. Good afternoon. Orders of the day, item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Antoine.

Mr. Speaker, Members of the Assembly, in the Agenda for Change, the Premier presented 10 priorities of the government for securing the financial future of the Northwest Territories, improving our quality of life and creating new economic opportunities for northerners.

In his Budget Address, the Minister of Finance emphasized the importance of partnerships to create and exploit economic development opportunities.

The Department of Transportation has much to contribute in achieving these directions. Despite fiscal cutbacks, the department sees many opportunities to promote economic development while ensuring a basic level of accessible, reliable and safe transportation.

Fulfilment of opportunities in transportation will require the cooperation and input of other stakeholders who share these common objectives. They include other governments, the private sector, communities and transportation users. Opportunities can only be fulfilled by establishing partnerships with these groups.

The development of the transportation system needed in the Northwest Territories for our economic development is a longer-term objective than the three-year planning horizon of the Department of Transportation's business plan. It is also a broader objective that is too easily lost in the financial detail of the annual budget process.

I would like to sketch for the Members some of the broader economic development themes I want to pursue through the transportation portfolio.

Transportation Infrastructure For Mineral Development

As the Minister of Finance stated, "responsible development of our mineral resources represents the single most important opportunity that we have for sustainable economic growth."

However, it is the lack of adequate road and port infrastructure that impedes mineral exploration and development. There are several promising mining projects in the East and West that will require new transportation infrastructure if they are to proceed.

I want to look for innovative solutions to infrastructure financing. This will require partnerships with the federal government and the mining industry. Finding a solution will not be easy but it is an objective we must pursue.

At the same time and in cooperation with the departments of Economic Development and Tourism and Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, I will be working on a resource access road policy. The policy will be aimed at encouraging economic development. It will provide a framework for evaluating the territorial government's involvement in the provision of infrastructure for mineral developments.

Extension Of The Mackenzie Valley Highway

Extension of the Mackenzie Valley Highway has been one of the department's long-term objectives since the 1990 transportation strategy was developed.

The lack of all-weather access to the Mackenzie Valley communities limits the people's mobility and impedes their economic development. There are also environmental concerns related to the annual construction of the winter road.

I will increase my efforts in pursuing a partnership with the federal government and communities for the construction of this highway. This will be pursued with the federal government as an employment creation initiative. In response to environmental concerns, I have proposed that funding be increased for winter road improvements.

National Highway Program

For a number of years, the provinces and territories have been urging the federal government to take the lead role in establishing a national highway program. In the Northwest Territories, the route from the Alberta border to Hay River and Yellowknife is part of the designated national highway system. Sections of this route are not up to current national highway standards. In fact, the gravel sections of Highway 3 are the only unpaved sections in the entire national highway system in Canada. The end result is increased operating costs and safety concerns for users.

In the department's current plan, reconstruction of the highway will take a long time to complete. Additional funding to accelerate construction would be available if the federal government instituted a national highway program. I will increase my efforts, in cooperation with other jurisdictions, to persuade the federal government to establish a national highway program.

Marine Transportation

Marine facilities are required to support both community resupply and resource developments. The department will continue to improve community resupply facilities and will work cooperatively with the Department of Public Works and Services on initiatives to rationalize the marine resupply system in the Northwest Territories.

To ensure they remain a priority, I will work to raise the profile of northern marine transportation programs. The federal government must know that these programs are essential to the northern economy, especially to communities in the East. The level of service provided by these programs must be maintained to ensure safe, reliable and accessible marine transportation. In addition, I will pursue devolution where these programs can be more effectively managed by the territorial government.

Air Transportation

Reliable and low-cost air transportation is important to the North, particularly for off-highway communities. I will work with air carriers and communities to find ways of improving air transportation services and to provide appropriate airport infrastructure to reduce air travel costs in the North.

The federal government is responsible for the regulation of the air industry and for aviation safety. I will work to ensure that the unique aspects of air transportation in the North are accommodated in federal air regulations.

NavCan is the newly-created commercial company that will assume responsibility from the federal government for the air navigation system in Canada. I will work with NavCan to ensure a continued high level of air navigation services in the North.

Improve Transportation Safety

Safety is a basic, ongoing concern and objective for the Department of Transportation. One of the department's priorities outlined in its business plan is to improve transportation safety awareness and regulation to reduce injury and fatality rates in all modes of transportation.

I will work to improve transportation safety on our highways and on the water. This will be achieved through the

development and implementation of programs to promote small boat, ATV and snowmobile safety. Campaigns and programs will be undertaken to increase the public awareness of safety issues.

In pursuing the six initiatives I have outlined, I will ensure that the road, air and marine modes of transportation work in an integrated manner to provide the most effective service to meet the transportation needs of communities and to create economic development opportunities.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, we must all pull together to accomplish the vision of our future described by the Premier. The Department of Transportation has a crucial role to play in building a healthy economic future for the people of the Northwest Territories. We look forward to doing our part. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

--- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Enuaraq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to speak in support of the appointment of the next Supreme Court justice as the new Supreme Court judge for Nunavut. Now that Justice Mark de Weerdt has moved to the Supreme Court of BC, there is a vacant seat in our Supreme Court.

Mr. Speaker, I would very much like to see a judge for Nunavut put in place and working in the present NWT justice system well before Nunavut is actually implemented. This will help ensure a smooth changeover when Nunavut is put in place in April 1999.

Mr. Speaker, I know that Supreme Court judges are appointed by the federal government, but I also know that the federal government will consider the views of our NWT Minister of Justice and of a committee of the Law Society.

I know that when Mr. Kakfwi was Minister of Justice, he stated in this House that he would like to see the next Supreme Court judge a resident of Nunavut. That did not happen, Mr. Speaker.

I believe that the people of Nunavut are looking forward to the first resident Supreme Court judge in Nunavut. I know that, until very recently, the law required that our Supreme Court judges live in Yellowknife. This is probably why the last three appointments to the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories have been practising lawyers and residents of Yellowknife. However, Mr. Speaker, I hope that in looking for the best candidate for what will be the Nunavut Supreme Court, we could somehow make sure we get the best talent, wherever it is.

For example, I have met Judge James Igliliorte, who is an Inuk judge of the Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador. The people of Labrador are fortunate that for many years, they have had the advantage of having a judge who understands them well.

I was very impressed to learn that Judge Igliliorte was a school principal who was sent to law school by the provincial government especially to become a judge. Mr. Speaker, in keeping with the spirit of the new Nunavut government, which I believe will be dedicated to serving the unique needs of its constituents...

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement, please.

The Member for Baffin Central is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do we have any nays? There are no nays. Conclude your statement, Mr. Enuaraq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. ...in a very special part of Canada, I think it is time we appointed a Supreme Court judge for Nunavut who will be specially recruited for that very important job in the new territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--- Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday we reviewed the main estimates for 1996-97 for the Department of Health. Mr. Speaker, there was some good debate and clarification concerning the funding for the hospitals for the Baffin and Inuvik regions. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Roland, from Inuvik, articulated very well our position that the MOU signed in 1987 before the advent of division talks has to be honoured. The commitment yesterday, by motion and the allocation of funds for this year, by the 13th Assembly sends a strong signal that the hospitals are a priority.

Mr. Speaker, in the Baffin case, the catchment area is almost 85 per cent Inuk; thus, the funding for said new hospital as outlined in the aforesaid MOU will be funded 85 per cent by the federal government. In these times of fiscal restraint, we have to applaud the people who negotiated that initial agreement in 1987.

The chairperson of the Baffin Regional Health Board and myself were scheduled earlier this month to meet with the federal Health Minister, Mr. Dingwall, in Ottawa, to discuss the new hospital construction. However, two days before that meeting, the Minister had to cancel because he was called out of town. We are now trying to reschedule another meeting, but with the commitment as shown by this government over the past 24 hours and the ever-resource esteemed Health Minister, Mr. Kelvin Ng, the meeting may not be needed.

Hear! Hear!

I would like to thank my Delta colleagues, Mr. Krutko, Mr. Roland and Mr. Steen, for supporting the motion put forward yesterday supporting the hospital construction in Inuvik and Baffin. The motion was moved by my friend, the MLA for High Arctic, Levi Barnabas. Qujannamiik, thank you, Uqaqtii.

--- Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Barnabas.

Qujannamiik, Uqaqtii. I rise today to express my concern about a shortage of one unit of staff housing in Grise Fiord, which may jeopardize the community grade extension in that community unless the problem can be quickly solved. I also wish to comment on this situation to show how complex our government has become today and to give this as a very good example of why I think the GNWT needs a regional director on the scene in the Baffin region to solve exactly these kinds of problems on the spot in the region without me having to bring this issue up on the floor of this Assembly.

Here is the story, Mr. Speaker: School grades have been extended in Grise Fiord. Grade 10 is now in place and the community is looking forward to grade 11 being put in place next year. These grade extensions have put real pressure on the school for additional classroom space, but especially on the requirements for staff housing. Three years ago, the Baffin Divisional Board of Education was granted what was described as emergency lease funding by Public Works and Services, to house their new school principal. A house was leased from the Grise Fiord co-op for that purpose. Now the board has been told that the emergency lease funding has run out. The divisional board then requested the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to provide what is called "build-to-lease' funding in order to get an additional house, since teachers had to live in the nursing station because nothing else was available. Although the board was promised that funding, the lease was never tendered. Now the board is told that to replace the emergency lease funding, which has run out, they can use the "build-to-lease" funds. That leaves Grise Fiord one unit short for their school staff requirements next year. I understand that the Grise Fiord Co-op has sent a proposal to the Housing Corporation to build a small, new unit for lease, but they have been told there is no money available.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member for High Arctic is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Conclude your statement, Mr. Barnabas.

Mr. Speaker, the Grise Fiord Education Council are very concerned about this series of events. It seems like their hopes are raised and then they are disappointed. Mainly they are disappointed that even though grades have been added in the community and extra

teachers can be hired, the government cannot seem to provide housing for the new staff.

Continuing to borrow space in the nursing station, which is needed for visiting health personnel, is not acceptable.

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the interest of your request to economize our Member's statement, I will forgo my long dissertation. I will cut to the quick. Mr. Speaker, last weekend, I attended the high school graduation in Baker Lake. It was the first time the Baker Lake high school held a graduation and I would like to acknowledge the students who did graduate. They were Jeremy Ford; Janice Hilu-Scottie; Craig Simailak; Jamie Misheralak; Quentin Lahure; Christopher Iglookyouak; Abraham Iglookyouak; and, Paul Cook, junior.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize the students who will graduate this weekend in Arviat. They are Elaine Owlijoot; Elizabeth Issakaik; Ronald Suluk; Jimmy Main; and, Barney Kalluak.

Mr. Speaker, I am sure that my honourable colleagues with join me in congratulating these students and wish them only the best in the future, as they are the future leaders in Nunavut. Thank you. Matna.

--- Applause

Thank you, Mr. O'Brien. Item 3, Members' statements. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Barnabas on May 21st regarding a GNWT representative on Nanisivik Mines Monitoring Committee. Mr. Barnabas asked who will be representing the Government of the Northwest Territories on the Nanisivik Mines Monitoring Committee once the Baffin regional director's office is closed.

The deputy minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources has served as a member of the Nanisivik Mines Monitoring Committee and will continue to serve as this government's representative on that committee.

The Baffin regional superintendent for Education, Culture and Employment will also be attending meetings of the monitoring committee scheduled for Arctic Bay this June. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Barnabas on May 21st regarding maintenance of staff housing in Nanisivik. Mr. Speaker, on May 17, 1996, Mr. Barnabas, Member for the High Arctic, asked an oral question about the plans for government staff housing in Nanisivik.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT Housing Corporation, through the Arctic Bay Housing Association, assumed maintenance responsibilities April 1, 1996, for GNWT-owned units. All of the GNWT units in Nanisivik, and throughout the NWT, are being offered for sale as per the Financial Management Board's decision to sell all GNWT-owned single detached units

Mr. Speaker, I have another return, if I may.

Mr. Speaker, this is a return to a question asked by Mrs. Groenewegen on May 13, 1996, regarding local housing organizations funding.

Mr. Speaker, on May 13, 1996, Mrs. Groenewegen, Member for Hay River, asked an oral question about LHO funding. There is no direct connection between LHOs running a deficit and the economic condition of a community. The amount of rent people pay depends upon their family's income, therefore if local economic conditions take a downward turn and people's income falls, their rent is adjusted accordingly.

Any decrease in LHO rent revenue is adjusted in the following year. The experience of the corporation in these situations has indicated that these changes are minor with respect to the overall contribution to the community.

The $6 million in rent arrears is cumulative, created over a number of years. Adjustments for these arrears have been made in previous years. While these accounts are removed from the books of the LHOs, we continue to collect these outstanding arrears. Furthermore, with the block funding arrangements with the communities that I recently announced, there are additional incentives to collecting arrears. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the current situation regarding staff housing and the government's move away has caused major concern in my riding and in other communities in the NWT. The units we are giving up leases on and those that were offered for sale, in many Gases our employees cannot either afford to purchase them or afford to rent from an owner on the open market. My question for the Minister of FMBS is have we fully looked into the ramifications of said sell-offs and lease terminations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me deal with the issue twofold: one on selling the houses and, two, on the leases. It's the policy of this government to get out of staff housing. As part of our overall budget implementation strategy or deficit elimination strategy, that's one factor that has to be taken into consideration. We're going to continue to pursue a fairly aggressive approach to selling the remainder of the staff housing -- which I spoke about the other day, I believe -- which is somewhere around 560 units. We are, of course, going to, as we have consistently done, encourage the tenants in that housing to purchase them. We will once again go out with a general call to each of the individual tenants asking them to purchase them.

I know there is some concern in Mr. Picco's riding, particularly with respect to the leases. I believe there was a letter drafted from somebody in the Housing Corporation which I really think was an error more than anything else, and we are currently reviewing our whole lease policy right now. I believe the leases in question that Mr. Picco talks about are still in place on a month-to-month basis until such time as we've developed a comprehensive policy as it relates to leasing of units, not purchasing. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the concern here is that many of our employees in staff housing are not making $70,000 or $80,000 a year and will not be able to afford to rent or purchase on the open market. Maybe some of them don't even want to get into home ownership. Thus my supplementary question for the Minister is have we developed a threshold of home ownership by dollar income, or a rental amount for same, for employees. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I want to differentiate between the selling of houses and the leasing of housing. Unless my numbers are incorrect -- and I think they are correct -- we believe that most tenants could afford to purchase housing. I would suggest, if I may be so bold, that they would be silly not to because these houses are given at well below the market value, in most cases. So we would encourage our staff to purchase these units because, in some cases, the purchasing and mortgage costs are actually less than the rental costs that they're currently paying.

On the lease arrangements, I concur with my colleague that there is a problem there, particularly with new construction and the cost of new construction and how the rents reflect that. We're going to have to take that into careful consideration and that's what we're doing at the present time. I'm trying as quickly as possible to try and find some reasonable solution to that so that everybody has the opportunity to have a roof over their heads at a reasonable cost and can continue to function in the civil service. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate what Mr. Todd said about the leases, but if we're selling off 560 houses, the concern here is the mortgage. If you're just carrying the mortgage, that would be one situation. The problem we run into, Mr. Speaker, is I make a good salary. The lease cost, for example, for my lot in Iqaluit is over $3,000 a year -- $668 every three months -the O and M costs of running houses are cost-prohibitive to a lot of our employees. Will these employees be eligible for social housing if they cannot afford home ownership or renting on the open market when they are discharged from that staff house unit? The problem being that our social housing units have a long waiting list at the present time; so where are these people going to go? My question to the Minister then is will he look at letting these employees -- who cannot either afford home ownership because the house is let, sold or if you don't have a place -- to stay in the unit?

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This problem, I think, must be unique to the Baffin, Mr. Speaker, and perhaps Iqaluit. In my own riding and in other Members' ridings, we don't have any problem with people being able to purchase the houses at the prices that we've determined. But yes, we're sympathetic, and yes, if there are problems and if they are identifiable, we will certainly look at them on an individual basis. But the policy of this government is get out of staff housing. As part of the deficit elimination strategy, we're projecting $15 million to $20 million, over a two-year period, of revenues derived from the selling of the 560 units. So it would be unfair for me not to say to my colleague that the policy is to continue to sell the staff housing, but we will certainly look at the individuals who are suffering, as Mr. Picco has alluded to. When he provides us with the detail of those people, we will examine it at that time. Thank you.

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate hearing that from the Minister and I will be receiving that information in the Hansard tomorrow and I'll be passing it on to the constituency. By selling off staff houses and ending leases, will we have houses for our needed staff when we do the recruitment in small communities? So if we don't have any more houses, we've sold them off, we've ended the leases in the smaller communities and our staff are needing houses in those communities, will we have the units available for said staff? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Todd.

Let's be clear, Mr. Speaker, so he can also send this to his constituents in Hansard. We are not getting out of the northern lease arrangements that we have at the present time. We're re-examining them. I said earlier to another question that the letter written by the Housing Corporation district manager was in error and a miscommunication. We're going to continue -- and I've

spoken to some of the individuals who own these units in Mr. Picco's riding -- to make lease arrangements with them. We're examining that. When we have a full policy statement to make on it, I'm prepared to discuss that with my honourable colleague. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, my colleague, Mr. Krutko, asked the honourable Mr. Todd about the sale of government houses to the GNWT employees. The honourable Member may know that in Rae we have a very nice house that is one of the government's first homes in the community. The house has traditionally been used for the doctors who have lived in Rae. This house is now up for disposal. There are a number of GNWT employees in Rae who are interested in purchasing this unit. We have been told that there will be a priority list made of these staff members. Will the Minister please inform the House as to what criteria this will follow? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. The Minister of the Financial Management Board, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not familiar with the particulars of this one particular unit. I must apologize to the Member on not being able to respond to him today. I will take the question as notice and get back to him in the House tomorrow. Thank you.

Thank you. The question has been taken as notice. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At the start of this term of the 13th Assembly, we changed the way this

Legislative Assembly operates, we changed the committee structure so that committees and the Members on those committees are fully involved in the things this government does and in developing budgets. I also expect that Members of this committee, especially the chairperson and deputy chairperson, would be involved in this panel. That way, we would have open communication and the left hand will know what the right hand is doing and we'll move on. I expect that his committee would have involvement in this panel. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be chairing this panel myself, so I have no problem at all with making a presentation to the committee at the appropriate time. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Finance. Yesterday there was a question directed to the Minister from Mr. Ningark that was in relation to the possibility of a strike. I have a letter from a constituent of mine who is concerned by the reporting on CBC which indicated that the honourable Minister of Finance had indicated that a public service strike is inevitable. I don't believe that's what was said, but it's on page 1190, at the bottom. Could the Minister of Finance please clarify what he had indicated in his response to the possibility of a strike?

Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I did hear the news article earlier this morning by a CBC announcer, where he had implied that we were advocating a strike. Nothing could be further from the truth. I think I make it clear yesterday that this government believes in the collective bargaining process, has made a sincere and conscious effort to negotiate with the union to reach an appropriate compromise where we all take our appropriate reductions. I think that's what we tried to conclude. Unfortunately, we couldn't come to an arrangement with the UNW, but both parties agreed that we would present our final offer and that the union would take it out to its membership. I'm told and advised that the union will be going out. It's imminent that the union will go out with the final offer any day now. I'm also advised that they will be recommending to their membership to vote no. What I said was, if there is a no vote, it will then mean we have to go to mediation, which takes about 21 days. I want to make it clear that the offer we made to the union was a final one. There are no additional dollars other than what we brought to the table earlier last month.

A no vote, to me, means a strike vote. I think that would be unfortunate, but that's what it means to me and perhaps that's what my colleague's constituent was alluding to today. I think it's very important to explain to the public at large and to this House that this government is not advocating a strike. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if I heard correctly, the Minister of Finance is indicating that, in actuality, voting no to this package would be voting in favour of a strike. Is that correct?

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just remembered the CBC reporter's name; Mr. Miller, I believe. Yes, in my interpretation of the current situation, given the fact that I believe there is no other further window of fiscal opportunity to make any additional offer, a no vote, after 21 days of mediation, would ultimately lead to a strike situation which, again, I think is unfortunate. I do appreciate my colleague giving me the opportunity to clarify that today. Thank you.

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

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as it stands now, it is just a preliminary investigation into the possibility of retaining physicians. We recognize that there's a shortage and a big demand throughout the Northwest Territories and we're competing with other jurisdictions for these services. It's just a preliminary look at some of the options that might be available to secure some of these physicians on a longer term basis, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it would be in discussions with the NWT Medical Association to get their points of view on what they would recommend. They could identify some of the problem areas that we could

try to resolve in trying to move this issue a bit further, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are putting some effort into recruitment and training of nurses for our NWT health care system as it stands now. We're certainly open to any suggestions and any opportunities that can be identified and investigated as far as retaining any of our professional people for longer periods of time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of NTPC updated this House concerning the loss of the generator in Iqaluit. He said that a replacement had been found in the deep south. Can the Minister inform this House when said generator will be in place and running in Iqaluit? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation, Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, is this a new generator or a secondhand one?

Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I understand that these generators aren't readily available. There are a lot of places now driven by hydroelectric power, as we know, and diesel generators are out. Do we have any type of warranty with this secondhand generator? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess the dollar value, making sure that we get the most value for the dollar we spend ... What was the cost of this secondhand generator?

Mr. Dent,

Whew!!

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Premier.

Maintenance Of NWT Highways

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's my understanding that we have a good working relationship with the federal government, between the Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Transportation. I'll make sure that the Minister of Transportation raises your concern when he next meets with his counterpart, and I will also raise that concern as a whole strategy or part of the strategy of developing the northern accord. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our government also has a transportation strategy in place and is being updated now through the Minister of Transportation.

I'm sure that he will share it with the Members once he has it updated to reflect this new government's direction. I also understand that there was a strategy from the federal government; roads to resources. I'm sure Mr. Ootes would know about that. That's way before my time.

--- Laughter

I'm sure we could look into that, as well. But I've heard about that from old-timers in the North, so I will take a look at that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Morin. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know for sure that he's older than myself. I can vaguely remember the work north, was it called?

--- Interjection

Hire north? It was called 'work north" first, when the late Rudy Steiner first ran it in Hay River, then it went to "hire north." That was an excellent program. We do have more heavy equipment operators trained, per capita, than any other place in Canada, I believe. Hopefully that will start to pay off with mining development now. Any opportunity that we do have to extend the Mackenzie Valley Highway up to Tuktoyaktuk, that would be the proper approach to use; use northerners to build it, do training programs and try to get the best bang for the dollar. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to opening address. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Mr. O'Brien.

Report On Bills 7, 10 And 12

Mr. Speaker, I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Government Operations has reviewed Bills 7, 10 and 12, and wish to report that Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act, and Bill

12, Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 2, are now ready for Committee of the Whole. Further, Mr. Speaker, that Bill 10, Budget Measures Implementation Act, 1996-97, is now ready for Committee of the Whole as amended and reprinted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 13, tabling of documents. Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table the following document: Tabled Document 52-13(3), Nunavut Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement Interim Implementation Measures, Article 24, NFA.

Thank you. I also wish to table Tabled Document 53-13(3), Report of the Auditor General of Canada that deals with other matters arising from the audit of the accounts and financial statements of the Government of the Northwest Territories for the year ended March 31, 1995.

Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motions for first reading of bills. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, May 24, 1996, I will move that Bill 14, Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 3, be read for the first time. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 15, notices of motions for first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. Item 19, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act; Bill 11, Appropriation Act, 1996-97; Committee Report 1-13(3), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 1996-97 Main Estimates; Committee Report 2-13(3), Standing Committee on Infrastructure Report on the Review of the 1996-97 Main Estimates; Committee Report 3-13(3), Standing Committee on Resource Management and Development Report on the Review of the 1996-97 Main Estimates; Committee Report 4-13(3), Standing Committee on Social Programs Report on the Review of the 1996-97 Main Estimates; and, Tabled Document 1-13(3), Report of the Commission on MLA Compensation, with Mr. Steen in the chair.