Thank you, Mr. Ng. Good morning. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on the advice of the Clerk, I would like to ask that we seek unanimous consent to waive rule 34(6) so that all Ministers' statements filed with the Clerk today can be delivered today. Thank you.

Thank you. The Member for Keewatin Central is seeking unanimous consent to waive rule 34(6) for today. Do we have any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Todd, you have unanimous consent. Ministers' statements. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that the teachers have voted in favour of ratifying a collective agreement.

--Applause

This means that we now have a negotiated agreement for teachers for the period September 1, 1996 to August 31, 1999. Negotiations for this collective agreement, Mr. Speaker, were arduous and quite difficult. Throughout this process our teachers maintained poise and conducted themselves in a most professional manner. Mr. Speaker, education is a priority for the people of the Northwest Territories. We value and appreciate our teachers and the work they do to educate our children.

I strongly believe in the process of negotiations for solving our problems. The bargaining teams on both sides conducted themselves as professional negotiators. Mr. Speaker, I will be sending personal letters of appreciation to my representatives. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly express my appreciation to each member of the Northwest Territories Teachers Association's bargaining team. Mr. Speaker, I have been a member of a union bargaining team and I fully appreciate the complexity of the politics of trying to find solutions that will satisfy everyone's interests. Mr. Speaker, my appreciation for their perseverance, dedication and hard work in representing the interest of teachers go to Pat Thomas, Erin Blair, Donna Stephania, Ray Young, Cliff King and Blake Lyons. Thank you.

--Applause

Ministers' statements. Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples released its final report last November. Shortly afterward, I informed this House that the Government of the Northwest Territories would analyze the extensive recommendations of that report and be prepared to address them. I am pleased to make this statement outlining our initial reaction to the recommendations. Later today I will table in the Legislative Assembly a document which provides comments on recommendations that are within the mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories.

The report and its recommendations were the culmination of five years intensive work by the Commission which was struck by the Government of Canada to investigate the question: "What are the foundations of a fair and honourable relationship between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people of Canada?". The approximately 400 recommendations are sweeping and detailed covering political, social and economic matters-and call for major action and change by the Government of Canada in partnership with the aboriginal nations as well as the provinces and territories.

As part of our efforts to understand the report, and in the spirit of partnership it advocates, during this past July the Government of the Northwest Territories co-hosted with the regional office of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs an information session. Delegates from communities across the Northwest Territories participated in this session which provided insight as to the meaning of the report and its implications for northerners.

Officials of the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs have also participated in various forums with other jurisdictions in order to more fully understand the report. I had the opportunity to meet with my provincial and aboriginal colleagues to discuss the report during a meeting of provincial/territorial Ministers of Aboriginal Affairs in Regina last April.

One of the most important facts that has come from all this is that, at the territorial, regional and community level, northerners are already doing much to establish new relationships and reform the way we do business as governments. This is not a surprise, since the nature of society in the north, and in the Northwest Territories particularly is quite different from southern Canada.

In the Northwest Territories, we have the opportunity through comprehensive claims, self-government and political development to establish the kind of relationships between people and opportunities for our aboriginal residents which are envisioned in the commission report. The Government of the Northwest Territories through its Agenda for Change has recognized and acted upon the need to adjust our sights in a manner which is very much consistent with many of the recommendations. I do, not make these observations to minimize the need to take the report seriously, though. I believe there is much more we can do and this government will use the report recommendations as a guide and tool to shape our continued efforts to create a better place for all people to live and to create a meaningful place for the Northwest Territories in Canada.

This is particularly the case when we look at the report's major recommendations for rebuilding a cohesive national legislative and administrative framework with which to foster a new relationship between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people. This part of the report we have commented on to some extent in the paper I am tabling later today. There is still more considerations that will be needed based on the federal response.

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the Government of Canada will be officially responding to the report in the near future. The Government of the Northwest Territories anxiously awaits this federal response so that we might begin understanding how northerners and their governments can support the larger national agenda promoted by the recommendations.

My statement today and this paper which I will table will not mark the end of this government's consideration of the report and its recommendations. It marks a starting point. Based on the work we have done so far, departments are now prepared to answer any specific questions people may have and listen to specific suggestions on what more we can do. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Ministers' statements. Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In May, 1996, I tabled in this House the Interim Implementation Measures for Article 24 of the Nunavut Final Agreement. I am pleased to announce today that the final measures are now in place. The final measures were developed from the interim procedures and include both negotiated contracts and use of Inuit labour, firms and professional services. Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated was actively involved in the development of the document, and they have formally agreed to the government's adoption of these procedures.

Mr. Speaker, I believe these procedures respond to the government's commitment to provide reasonable support and assistance to Inuit firms to enable them to compete for government contracts. It is important to remember that even though these are called final measures, we will work closely with NTI to monitor them to make sure that they are working out. I am satisfied that the measures will maximize the use of Inuit labour and the involvement of Inuit firms in government contracts in Nunavut. Our joint monitoring efforts will help us decide whether the changes are necessary. We will continue to discuss this with NTI to try to find a solution.

Mr. Speaker, as I have stated on many occasions, creating opportunities for Inuit firms is very important. It is even more important to get Inuit involved at every level of economic activity. I believe that we have taken one more important step down that path. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Arlooktoo. Ministers' statements. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Ministers' statements. Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on October 20th, electors went to the polls to vote for the mayors and councils of Iqaluit, Fort Smith, Hay River, Fort Simpson, Norman Wells and Yellowknife. Voter turn out in these municipal elections ranged from 40 percent to over 74 percent of eligible voters.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Members to join me in congratulating the new and the re-elected members of councils. As I have stated before in this House, the responsibilities of local authorities is expanding. The term of the new councils promises to be one of great challenge and change from municipal governments. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs provides many training opportunities which can prove useful to the new councils. For example, we provide training for community works management and community counsellor orientation. These training programs are offered to municipal councils on a request basis. In the past, many Members of council have found these to be of significant benefit in their new positions. I hope many more will make use of these opportunities.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I thank all those candidates who served on the councils this past term for their efforts and hard work and wish you all the best in the future endeavours. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Thompson. Ministers' statement. Mr. Kakfwi.

Mr. Kakfwi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the fishery in the Baffin region both offshore and the commercial char fishery has been growing considerably over the past ten years. We now have several commercial fishermen and a modern fish plant in Pangnirtung. The Kikitalik Corporation has successfully prosecuted the offshore turbot and shrimp fishery for some time now. This has helped create new jobs and provided extra income to many residents of the Baffin.

Mr. Speaker, the Baffin fishery is a good news story and something that we should continue to develop and support. On October 7th through 9th, the Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce coordinated a conference on the fishery sponsored by Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development and held in Iqaluit. There were over 31 participants from ten Baffin communities able to attend. The conference's aim was to help develop a framework for a Baffin fishing strategy and create a Baffin fishing industry organization. The need for more community infrastructure particularly freezers, the need for air connections that will facilitate the shipping of fish, the issue of the percentage of fish allocated to the Nunavut region by federal authorities and cooperation between communities was stressed. An interim board for the new Baffin Fishery Council was appointed. This board was mandated with getting the organization registered and up and running before the first official board is elected which should occur around March, 1998. The conference was a major accomplishment in this important industry and for the economy of the Baffin region especially in some of the smaller communities where fishing is the major income source available.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Baffin Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development office, the coordinators of the Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce and the participants for being proactive in helping foster the development of this important renewable resource. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Picco. Members' statements. Mr. Miltenberger.

The Member for Thebacha is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do we have any nays? There are no nays. We do not have any nays. Members have to be in their seat in order for them to vote or agree on unanimous consent. Mr. Miltenberger, you have unanimous consent.

Members' statements. Mr. Roland. Mr. Picco, you have a point of privilege.