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

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 2, Ministers' Statements. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to provide Members with an update on federal community-based wellness funding for 1996-97.

The changes I am announcing today will result in more effective use of this federal funding, and the beneficiaries will be the people of the Northwest Territories. Health Canada provides funding for community wellness projects through a number of initiatives.

Although communities need this funding, the variety of different programs, delivery agents and reporting mechanisms have been confusing for people to understand and cumbersome to administer.

Two of the biggest initiatives are brighter futures and building healthy communities. These programs both provide funding for community-based wellness projects for First Nation and Inuit people.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce today that Health Canada has agreed to consolidate brighter futures and building healthy communities and has transferred administration of this consolidated funding to the Department of Health and Social Services.

For communities, this will mean fewer reporting and administrative requirements, In the past, there were two sets of criteria and a requirement for two sets of proposals and two sets of reports. Now only one will be necessary. Mr. Speaker, this initiative will provide over $5.3 million for the people of the Northwest Territories to carry out wellness projects in their own communities this year and the consolidation ensures that more of the funds will be used for direct benefits.

Health Canada has agreed to a three-year agreement. The full amount of the funds will be available to communities. They must choose to coordinate the work they do regionally or locally, but the GNWT will not absorb any of the funds transferred from Health Canada under this agreement.

This funding is an important resource for communities as they develop their own wellness plans. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my appreciation to my federal colleague, the Honourable David Dingwall, and to his staff, for their support and help in this process.

The Department of Health and Social Services will continue to work to eliminate overlap and duplication and to encourage partnership and collaboration between the federal and territorial governments, aboriginal groups and organizations and our communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the Northwest Territories, we have one of the highest rates of imprisonment in the country. At any given time, we have about 300 inmates in our territorial corrections system for a total annual cost of over $12 million.

More than any other jurisdiction, we need to find innovative ways to make our justice system more effective and more efficient. One solution other jurisdictions have found to be effective is electronic monitoring; using an ankle bracelet equipped with a transmitter, people can be sentenced to a form of house arrest. If the convicted person is not where they are supposed to be at home or at work, the police or other appropriate authorities can be notified.

In British Columbia, electronic monitoring is used for about 17 per cent of the 2,000 inmates in the provincial correction system at any one time. Even with extensive monitoring and supervision, electronic monitoring costs BC less than half of what it would cost to keep an inmate in a provincial correctional facility.

Of course, the program is not used for inmates who are violent, uncooperative, dangerous or for sexual offenders. If we were to implement such a program for inmates who do not pose a danger to society, we could reduce the costs associated with corrections. Even if only 15 per cent of our inmates used the program and even if our costs to implement the program were 20 to 30 per cent higher than BC's, due to our higher telephone costs, we could still save over $1 million every year.

Mr. Speaker, with the many cuts to government spending that are being introduced in this session, we have a duty to find and implement creative and innovative solutions wherever possible. I hope the Minister of Justice shares this view and I hope we can see electronic monitoring introduced as part of the Northwest Territories correctional system in the very near future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Erasmus. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Enuaraq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Happy Friday. Mr. Speaker, in front of me, I have the Northwest Territories 1996-97 Budget Address, which was announced yesterday. I also have Building a Foundation for the Future: The Northwest Territories Agenda for Change, which was announced on Wednesday by the Premier, Donnie Morin.

Mr. Speaker, once again it is happy Friday. Almost everyone I talked to in my constituency seems to be worried about the future. People on welfare are worried about cutbacks. People in social housing are struggling with the rent increases and housing shortages. Public servants are afraid of big cuts coming to their wages and benefits. Teachers and nurses are worried about cuts to all social programs. However, Mr. Speaker, listening to the honourable Premier and the Minister of Finance this week, I realize that everything is going to be okay.

--- Applause

Our Premier's address this week, titled: "Building a Foundation for the Future: The Northwest Territories Agenda for Change" is full of good words. He talked of a secure financial future. He talked of improving social conditions. He talked of improving economic conditions. He talked of empowering communities and about giving community leaders the tools they need. Our communities will become well. Our government will become more effective and efficient.

Nunavut will become a reality. We will take control of our future. Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, our Minister of Finance was equally positive; even though some would say the budget is bad news, Mr. Todd talked to us mostly about opportunities. Mr. Speaker...

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. About creating new jobs, spending wiser and about a better life for all the people of the Northwest Territories. It sounds like everything is going to be okay, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wonder why my constituents are worried. According to Mr. Todd and Mr. Morin, everything is going to be okay. Or is it? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Item 3, Members' statements. Mrs. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I begin my Member's statement today on Kivalliq dog mushing results, I would like to say happy birthday to my son, Randy, at home.

--- Applause

There was a Kivalliq dog mushing race in Rankin Inlet, April 25th to 26th. The mushers raced 35 miles a day for three days. There were participants from all over the Keewatin with one person from Yellowknife, Richard Beck. I am just going to tell you what the results were.

The first person to finish the race was Robert Tatti; second, Remi Nokkitok, Rankin Inlet; third, Eric Tatty, Rankin Inlet; fourth, Harry Towtongie, Rankin Inlet; fifth, Larry Ussak, Rankin Inlet; sixth, Jimmy Makpah, Arviat; seventh, Michael lvu, Arviat; eighth, David Oolooyuk, Rankin Inlet; ninth, John Avaala, Baker Lake; tenth, Jack Kabvitok, Rankin Inlet. I would like to thank the volunteers who made this possible; it was a lot of work. On behalf of the Rankin Mushing Committee, they did a very good job of raising the money and the coordination of this was very much appreciated by the community and by the Keewatin. Thank you.

--- Applause

Thank you. Item 3. Members' statements. Mr. Miltenberger.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The people of the Northwest Territories have been asked to contribute to our financial predicament. Employees are going to receive less in their pay packages, some have paid the ultimate sacrifice by being laid off; 150 in this round. Other areas and individuals will be hurt within the NWT. With this in mind, I am proposing that all residents of the NWT receive a benefit at no cost to the government. This can be achieved by making available, upon request to all residents of the NWT, a card similar to the NWT health card which is issued to present employees for identification. The bearer of this card would be entitled to reduced rates; in other words, reduced rates at hotels and car rental agencies when travelling. At present, our government has standing orders with hotels and car rental agencies, so it should be relatively straightforward to advise these businesses to accept the cards at their establishments.

car rentals because of increased volumes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--- Applause

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, from January I 5th to February 2nd of this year, the Pehdzeh Ki Dene Band of Wrigley held a very successful guide training course on their traditional territory. Mr. Speaker, the reason this course was successful is because it was community driven from the very beginning. The community made the

selections and supported the people who were selected.

The NWT tourism training group, in conjunction with the instructor, Clayton Burke of Aurora College, provided the necessary support service to host this course. Mr. Speaker, during the on-the-land portion of the course which was held in the Mackenzie Mountains on Fish Lake, the temperature was about minus 38 degrees to minus 48 degrees Celsius. This did not freeze the enthusiasm of the students who took the course.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the following people for successfully completing the course: Stanley Sanguez of Jean Marie River; Archie Williams of Wrigley; and, Leo Moses of Wrigley.

Mr. Speaker, the Pehdzeh Ki Dene Band's recommendation for the future is to hold more courses of this design; for example, a cross-cultural big game course.

In closing, I strongly support future recommendations since it is indigenous to the community. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

--- Applause

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

Hear! Hear!

--- Applause