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

Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' Statement. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Manitok Thompson will be absent from the House today to attend the National Status of Women's Conference in Winnipeg. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the past few days in the House, there have been some discussions and statements concerning wages for summer students. I, for one, am pleased to see that the proposal to reduce said wage scale for students was dropped from the government proposal during the recent collective bargaining negotiations.

Mr. Speaker, if a student is hired to replace a worker, that student will be judged on the abilities that they bring to the job and thus will be remunerated as such. They should not be penalized for being a student because, at the end of the day, the more money the student makes the less money that student will need from the GNWT in the form of grants and other financial help. It would also help the student in the debt load they will have to carry to pursue their academic or vocational training. Mr. Speaker, I see no problem with this.

We have to realize that the GNWT, by hiring students for summer replacement at the designated rate for said occupation, will not only monetarily help the student, but will also give the individual a sense of worth in the occupation they are employed at. Our community was quick to react in early March when it was learned that the students may be paid less. Several parents and students contacted me because they had anticipated working for the GNWT and thus the anticipated pay to be received would help offset the cost of post- secondary education to the students and parents. By dropping the rates, some Members have alluded to the idea that this would stimulate the government hiring more students. But, if, for example, the government only has 12 available positions to be filled for summer relief, are we going to invent extra positions to place students because we've lowered the student employment salary rate? 1 don't think so. In the private sector world, there may be an opportunity to hire more students when the salary rates are lower, but that is out of the context of decreasing the rates for summer hires by the GNWT.

I congratulate the government for dropping the proposal to lower student rates for the reasons I have just mentioned. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to say thank you that I was able to participate during session, and especially to the interpreter/translators who worked exceptionally hard. I am the only unilingual Member in this House; there are three of them at times who translate all the material and interpret during the House. I wish to thank the interpreter/translators. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Mrs. Groenewegen.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Many of us are no doubt aware there is a major problem with substance abuse among our youth in the NWT. This is reflective of the problem with substance abuse in the NWT overall. As the society of tomorrow will be built on today's youth, it is imperative that we focus preventative and treatment programs for our youth.

In the current fiscal climate of restraints and cutbacks, it is inevitable that choices have to be made as to which programs and services will be funded. It is also imperative that programs be coordinated to get the most efficient outcome for the money spent. Because funding for some programs such as youth solvent abuse has been provided by the federal government, access to treatment has been restricted to youth of aboriginal descent. This has neglected the needs of youth of non-aboriginal descent who are equally at risk from substance abuse.

By focusing on all youth under the umbrella of community wellness, we will be investing in the future of the NWT by providing the necessary services to our youth affected by substances, drug and alcohol abuse. I will be asking questions of the Minister of Health later on today, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Henry. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Krutko.

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

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Rabesca.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to advise the Legislature that the Dogrib Power Corporation's Snare Cascades hydro plant has reached a significant stage towards completion. Mr. Speaker, for about 15 minutes on Monday afternoon of this week, the Yellowknife power system received its first energy from this important new facility. The amount of power was small, about one megawatt, but it's important because it marks the first successful test of the plant's full capacity, which will be 4.3 megawatts.

Representatives of the Dogrib Power Corporation and the NWT Power Corporation advise the testing procedure will continue for the next few weeks, leading up to the scheduled completion date of July 1 st. When tests are completed and the plant is declared ready, it will be handed over to the NWT Power Corporation as the operators and maintainers for the next 65 years.

I am also pleased to advise, Mr. Speaker, that this project came within the projected budget of $26.5 million. This project is a partnership of both the Dogrib Nation and the Government of the Northwest Territories. It represents a development that combines the interest and the needs of the aboriginal people of the region and the NWT Power Corporation.

For the customers in Yellowknife, Rae-Edzo and Dettah, it will supply clean, efficient power for decades to come. I know that I speak for all the Dogrib people, as the owners of this plant, and congratulate the planners and builders and those who have helped make this project a reality. I wish them continued success in this completion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I look back over the past seven months since our election, I am overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information we have had to deal with in such a short period of time. Since October, we have dealt with 18 pieces of legislation, 30 formal motions, 75 petitions, 85 tabled documents and there were 450 oral questions. In amongst those smaller items, we have examined, reviewed and all but passed a $1.25 billion budget.

I think I speak for all the new Members when I say we are all looking forward to the summer; especially looking forward to letting events and the business of the last few months sink in, as it relates to where we have been and where we are going.

When we first arrived in November for orientation sessions, we knew we had a lot to learn. At this point in time, we have learned most of what we should have, but we still have a ways to go. We certainly aren't as polished as our veteran leaders, the Members across the floor, but we are working on it.

We are now much more comfortable in the House, in our standing committees and in carrying out the business of the Assembly in general. At times, I have looked across the floor at my fellow Members with a bit of envy, as most of these Members had previous experience and already know how the system works. I know they haven't had an easy time, for the most part, as Cabinet Ministers, but at least they have had a fairly easy time dealing with us rookies, given the difficult time with the fiscal situation we find ourselves in, albeit we are glad they didn't have a group of more experienced new Members to deal with.

We now know, for the most part, how the system works and I believe, when we come back in the new session, that the Members across the floor will have a more experienced group of Members to deal with. When it comes to the budget process, we will see that the budget will be much more scrutinized and hopefully better distributed to the smaller communities.

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

Thank you. The Member for Kivallivik is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do we have any nays? You have unanimous consent, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In conclusion, I would like to say that the next budget process will be more scrutinized and that hopefully it will be a lot better distributed amongst the smaller communities. We will be dealing with and focusing on the budget, more from a need standpoint rather than a greed standpoint.

Mr. Speaker, just to inform our honourable colleagues across the floor, the honeymoon is over. Have a good rest this summer and get ready for the next session. Thank you.

---Applause

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