Thank you, Mr. Henry. Good morning. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Dent.

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

Good morning, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Honourable Stephen Kakfwi and I met with the Honourable Ron Irwin, Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, in Calgary on February 8. I am pleased to inform you that Minister Irwin has announced his continuing support, along with the Government of the Northwest Territories, for the Constitutional Working Group working to have a new constitution in place for the western territory when the NWT is divided in 1999.

Minister Irwin also joined the Government of the Northwest Territories in accepting the general objectives set out by the Constitutional Working Group in Partners in a New Beginning, as the basis for developing a new model of government for the western territory. The bottom line objective in the Partners proposal is to bring together public government and aboriginal self-government at the territorial level in a manner consistent with the constitution of Canada, including the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, treaties, land claims and self-government agreements.

Together with Mr. Irwin, we agree that we must work diligently towards a new Act, passed by Parliament, which will replace the existing Northwest Territories Act which no longer reflects our needs or the realities of the post-division environment.

Partners proposes that the Act be accompanied by a companion self-government agreement which would acknowledge and ratify the new federal Act as a system of government which implements, in part, the aboriginal inherent right of self-government at the territorial level.

Minister Irwin agreed that federal officials will work closely with the Constitutional Working Group over the next few months to help resolve any concerns that have been raised or which may be raised with the current proposal in Partners. He also agreed to seek support from his Cabinet colleagues once an acceptable final proposal is complete. We thank him for this and for his continuing support.

Over the next few months, the Constitutional Working Group will be seeking the views of the public on a constitution for the west, consistent with the objectives in Partners. It is our expectation that, based on reactions from the public and on input from the federal government, the Constitutional Working Group will produce a final constitution, consistent with the principles which we collectively support, that will then be put before the public for ratification.

Mr. Speaker, the date for division is rapidly approaching. It is essential that the Constitutional Working Group has the support and active involvement of the public and the federal government in order to complete a final constitutional proposal and see a new Act passed by Parliament before April 1999.

I acknowledge that the northern agenda is very crowded, but I strongly believe that, in key areas, and this is one, we need to get the job done. This is also the case in relation to establishing Nunavut, negotiating formula financing for both territories, streamlining government in accordance with fiscal restraint, and continuing to negotiate aboriginal land claims and self-government agreements. Some would suggest that we set aside the development of a constitution for the western territory until after division and aboriginal rights agreements are settled. Mr. Speaker, we simply do not have that luxury. If we allow the April 1999 deadline to pass, the pressure will be off and there may be very little enthusiasm or commitment to see the job done. I believe we need to act when it remains possible to do so.

I realize that it will not be easy for the Constitutional Working Group to complete its work and Parliament to pass a new Act before April 1999. That is why it is essential that Minister Irwin extend his support to the western constitutional process and commit himself, and federal officials, to engage with the Constitutional Working Group and the Government of the Northwest Territories to help arrive at a constitutional proposal acceptable to the residents of the west and to the Government of Canada.

Mr. Kakfwi and I welcome Minister Irwin's commitment and encourage the Constitutional Working Group to seize this opportunity to move ahead. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On Wednesday, February 5, 1997, I had the pleasure of attending the open house at the Yellowknife Women's Centre. The Yellowknife Women's Society recently received a grant from CMHC to do some long-overdue renovations to their facility. I had the honour of accepting an award in recognition of the many acts of support that the staff of MACA has given the Women's Centre. The award reads, "1997 Humanitarian Award of Notable Achievement and Excellence for the Advancement of Social Development and Community Prosperity".

As some of you may know, the Yellowknife Women's Society provides several services to the women of the Northwest Territories and their families such as: a hot lunch program; a food, clothing and furniture depot; and advocacy and support for women in their dealings with other agencies, employers, landlords, and the legal system.

The Women's Society has received an ongoing contribution of $30,000 from the GNWT, which assists with the core expenses. For the last two years, the Women's Society has received funding from Brighter Futures Canada. This is a federal government program to promote healthy babies and mothers, by providing high-risk pregnant women with information about health care during pregnancy and after delivery.

The efforts of volunteers are indispensable in a not-for-profit organization. Many staff members from MACA have contributed both time and money to helping make the centre flourish. They have taken positions on the Board of Directors. They have provided cooking and baking for the annual Christmas dinner. They have assisted at fund-raising bingos and have made many donations to the food and clothing depots.

I am very proud to be associated with this department. Please join me in expressing my congratulations to my staff. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Ms. Thompson. Ministers' statements. Before we go on to Members' statements, I would like to recognize the Member for Yellowknife North, whose birthday it is today. Happy birthday, Mr. Erasmus.

-- Applause

Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Members' statements. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Ootes.

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

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

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends) Many Members of this House spoke about the national media's video of seal hunting in Newfoundland. Today, I would like to talk about this a bit more. I would like to speak about how Inuit often bear the brunt of the media stories created by animal rights activists. The video seen a few days ago on national television showed seals being slaughtered alive. A group described this as cruel, criminal and out of control. Although this footage was a specific case in Newfoundland, my concern is that all seal hunters, including the Inuit, will be tainted with the same brush. What will Canada or the world think about Inuit people now? These animal rights groups have had a devastating effect on the livelihood of Inuit seal hunters in the Northwest Territories. We all know that aboriginal people have the highest unemployment rate, the highest suicide rate, and the highest alcohol rate in Canada. Mr. Speaker, these groups play on issues like this but seem to forget about how important it is for Inuit hunters to maintain their culture and traditional way of life. Anti-seal hunting groups say the seal hunt must end. This is not realistic or fair to Inuit hunters. The Inuit hunt not only hunt for fur but for food as well. Our traditional lifestyle is very important to us. We cannot allow people who know nothing about us, to tell us how we should live our lives. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Good morning and thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this morning I would like to take this opportunity to talk about day cares. Mr. Speaker, as the former President of the Iqaluit Childcare Association, and having been and still am accessing day care, it is becoming obvious that the financial implications to students, parents and the different non-profit organizations that are running day cares is becoming of great concern.

Mr. Speaker, over the past couple of years with reductions to wages and increased costs, day cares have had to rely on fund-raising more and more. As we all know with the less dollars available out there, this is starting to have a negative impact on these day cares, because they cannot raise the proper funds to operate the day care. Also the cost of having a child in day care has increased. For example, Mr. Speaker, it costs myself and my wife $320 every two weeks to have our son in day care or $640 a month. Mr. Speaker, in some parts of this country, $640 a month would be a good mortgage payment. The financial help to help offset these costs are very minimal. Volunteer boards are having to deal with higher operating costs and lower monies being generated from fund- raising because of less money, as I said earlier, in the public's pocket.

Mr. Speaker, day cares provide not only essential services, but are also a place where a child can be brought up in a safer environment. Statistics have shown that children attending day cares have better opportunities to improve academically when they go to school. Mr. Speaker, later today, I will be asking the appropriate territorial government Minister on our support to day cares in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Picco. Members' statements. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Members' statements. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister for MACA just made a statement concerning the Yellowknife Women's Centre. I too had the pleasure of attending the recent re-opening of the centre which underwent extensive renovations following a flood last summer. While I was there, I spoke extensively with the staff. The centre is a non-profit organization established by the Yellowknife Women's Society in 1990. Women and their families are welcome to use the centre's programs. Their services include: soup kitchen; emergency food bank; donated clothing and furniture depots; and kitchen, shower, laundry facilities. They also provide programs of advocacy and support services, family support services, lifeskills, literacy, parenting classes, nutritional counselling, and support to new and expecting mothers. Mr. Speaker, the centre is also used as an emergency shelter. All programs and services are free. I must stress that most clients are low income women and their families from the communities, not people from Yellowknife. These are people who are either passing through or have moved to Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, there are problems. The centre is run out of a house which has been converted to an office building. They receive program funding from the federal and territorial governments, but the money is simply not enough. They have to rely on donations from people like the Yellowknife Dene Bands, from the Yellowknife businesses, also from their own fund raising activities, and through the efforts of volunteers and staff. I have been informed that many of the staff are paid part-time wages but they work full time and even more, putting more hours than a regular full time position would do. As I indicated, the building is simply not big enough. There are over 100 people using the centre each day. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member for Yellowknife North is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do we have any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Erasmus.