Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have heard many times that the Nunavut process is behind in progress. The Finance Minister and others are trying to negotiate new formula financing arrangements. We have also heard from the

federal government that there is no new money to put into governing what is now the Northwest Territories, and what will be two new territories. I would like to know what does the Premier intend to do if the federal government does not offer enough money to properly fund the operations and maintenance of the two new governments in Nunavut and the western territories?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We do have a commitment from the federal government to open the table to negotiate with our government the funding of the new Nunavut government. We do also have an agreement with the federal government on funding of self-government to negotiate MOU for self-government costs in the Western Territory, as some call Denedeh or Nahendeh. I think we as a government and Members of this Assembly have to have a positive outlook that Canada, as a federal government will live up to its responsibilities. They are the party that signed with the Inuit, the Nunavut accord. They have the responsibility for paying the claim that they signed. There is no other jurisdiction in this country that has been expected to pay for a land claim on the backs of its people. We as the north should not be expected to either.

So I am positive that the federal government will live up to its legal obligations to the people of the north and pay for Nunavut and the new Western Territory. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do like to be optimistic and positive. I certainly do not expect to pay for self- government and Nunavut on the backs of the people in the Western Territory so that the level of programs and services decreases. I would like to know what the Premier intends to do if the federal government does not offer enough money to properly fund the operations and maintenance of two new governments in 1999?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. What we have to do is move ahead in a positive manner and with positive thinking that the federal government will live up to its obligations of paying for Nunavut and the new Western Territory, the incremental and transitional costs. We will have to at some point, and we already do have people working on that issue, have plan B in place. At this time we are looking at only one, I guess an end to this issue. That is just the end that the federal government should live up to its responsibilities and pay for incremental and transitional costs for Nunavut as well as for the new Western Territory.

That may mean, Mr. Chairman, we will work and we are committed to working with the federal government to solve their problem. But we feel it is important and it will benefit northerners that if we work with them we can solve the problem. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the people of the western Arctic talk about diamond mining sorting and so one, plus recruiting the existing PY's to Nunavut come 1999. We in Nunavut area continue to see high suicide rates, high rate of unemployment, high dependency on social assistance and high birth rates. I also heard many times that the western membership do not want to pay for the creation of Nunavut. By the same token, when the people of Nunavut decided to have the creation of Nunavut, that was a dream and aspiration.

In that regard, they realize that once Nunavut is created, the people of Nunavut would fill out the jobs in the Nunavut government. Mr. Chairman, I think we, the Members of the Nunavut Caucus have sat back to continue to hear that Nunavut is getting all kinds of financial help. By the same token, the western membership talked about recruiting headquarters jobs, existing jobs to Nunavut area, at the same time talking about mining and diamond sorting. Mr. Chairman, I do not think the people of Nunavut are about to compromise the ambition of the west for your dreams and aspirations.

I believe that we have qualified people in Nunavut area as we debate the issue of employment, economic development, social problems and so on of the Northwest Territories. There are people in Nunavut area that are in training. There are people in the Nunavut area that are qualified, but not able to get a job in that area because few jobs are really for our taking. There is a very low turnover in Nunavut area. At the same time we have heard Members talk about Affirmative Action Plan. The Members who talked about Affirmative Action Plan questioning the government. Does the government recognize the Affirmative Action Program of this government?

The government has indicated they have. There are people who are qualified and eligible under the Affirmative Action Program who are ready and willing to work for the Nunavut government once the Nunavut is created.

People of Nunavut, when they decided that once Nunavut is created, they were united as one group. Because they realize that once the Nunavut is created, job opportunities and so on would be theirs in their own area. My question to the Premier is, once Nunavut is created, will you assure this committee, the people of Nunavut who are qualified to take on a job with the government and those who are eligible on their Affirmative Action Program will be given the first crack at the job. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We are only one party in the creation of Nunavut. There is the Interim Commissioner and the federal government as well. They will have a lot of say over that whole issue. What you said, John, makes sense to me. If there is Inuit people there and they are qualified to do the job, they should have the job. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Does the Premier recognize that we have a high rate of suicide in the Nunavut area? The unemployment in the Nunavut area is much higher than of the west? The dependency on social assistance

program in the Nunavut area is much high than of the west? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do not have the statistics for east/west split on the suicide and unemployment and those issues. I believe the Member is correct, but I would have to check for sure.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have zones through economic development, possibly when the Minister of Economic Development has an opportunity could explain it. My understanding is Yellowknife and major development areas are zone one. Possibly Fort Smith or another regional centre would be zone two. Because there is less economic activity and then the region Kitikmeot, I believe you said, would be zone three. Tuktoyaktuk would be zone three, Fort Resolution, communities like that would be zone three where there is a higher unemployment. All those zones are developed from the unemployment statistics and the social assistance statistics and what is happening in the area. They do get a higher priority for economic initiatives than the other ones. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The principles and what we stand for as a government is equity and fairness, government resources will be allocated fairly and equitably. Affordability and sustainability programs and services will respond first to basic needs and be affordable and sustainable. A balanced approach, activities will emphasize programs and services intended to prevent or reduce problems rather than just providing treatment. Northern benefits, northerners will benefit from the development of our resources and from all activities of the government. Shared responsibility, individual families and governments share responsibility for the well-being of their community and residence. Flexibility and stability, the government will be flexible in its approach to change and innovation to how things are done, but not at the expense of stability in programs and service and getting things done. Thank you.