Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Good morning. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and good morning. Mr. Speaker, today I will provide Members with information on the development tools the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has prepared to help communities become empowered.

Mr. Speaker, since community empowerment is community driven, communities set the pace and decide when they want to pursue greater opportunities. Our job, Mr. Speaker, is to facilitate the empowerment process by providing the tools, training and support. Mr. Speaker, community development is not an overnight process. We expect to be in this business for some time, as communities move from one level to another along the continuum of empowerment.

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs and other government staff are working together on a number of community development approaches that will provide support. My department has held workshops, developed resource materials and provided training to empowerment resource people in the communities. A community-based planning workshop was held last summer to train regional government staff in community-based planning and assessment. These training sessions were not just for MACA staff, they involved staff from all departments who work in communities and will assist in the community-based planning process.

A Training Information Fair was also held to streamline government training resources and strengthen training support networks. A Training Resource Catalogue for communities was compiled which lists all the government training resources available to elected officials, boards and agencies, community staff, government staff and the public. Copies of the Training Resource Catalogue were sent to community empowerment resource staff for further distribution to communities. Members of this Assembly also received a copy. Staff are also working to co-ordinate information on training from other sources and through programs like the Nunavut Unified Human Resource Development Strategy.

Late last year, community empowerment orientation workshops were held in all regions. These regional workshops increased awareness of community empowerment, developed a consistent approach to community development activities, and developed government staff to fulfil their role as regional resources to communities. Regional staff are now beginning their travels to communities to carry the message and have the necessary discussions at the local level.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that departments have formed interdepartmental teams at the regional level to plan information sessions for each community. MACA is co-ordinating these efforts and a greater understanding of the Community Empowerment Initiative is growing.

Recently, I provided all Members with copies of our newest resource kit called, "Stepping Forward: Putting Vision Into Action". This resource kit will assist northern communities in determining how to take increased responsibility for programs and services to better meet local needs. Skill development workshops are planned for community resource people. These workshops will develop local skills and confidence so communities can begin the visionary planning process. For those communities with identified training needs, training opportunities are available. Training is a shared responsibility between the individuals who will receive it, the communities who want and support it and this government who has available resources.

Our government departments continue to offer over 130 training opportunities to elected officials, boards and agencies, community staff, territorial government staff and the public. Regional interdepartmental teams are working in partnership with communities, to determine where training gaps exist and to focus training efforts to fill those gaps.

We recognise that communities are at different levels of readiness and ability. Several communities have already taken over certain areas of control from the territorial government. Many others have expressed keen interest but want more information on the initiative before forging ahead. Communities have many questions for empowerment resource people. I welcome their questions, suggestions and input.

Mr. Speaker, community empowerment starts and ends with people in our communities. It is our responsibility to help people take on more responsibility by providing them with the necessary tools, resources, training and support so they can empower themselves. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to bring to the House a concern that has an impact on the way our government provides service to its residents. Earlier my colleague, Mr. Erasmus, asked about the publication of the GNWT telephone directory, whereas most know it as the "green book". Mr. Speaker, I believe this government is trying, to the best of their ability, to provide good service with the limited dollars available in trying to use the latest technology available. However, when it comes to the issue of this green book versus phone numbers accessed by the Internet, I have concerns. Mr. Speaker, I believe we should, in any way possible, use the latest technology to help make our staff more effective and knowledgeable. However, this may be fine for communities that can access all this new technology. It does not hold much water for the smaller communities that do not have this luxury.

Mr. Speaker, it is important for our government to be able to give access for all of our residents, not just the ones who can access the Internet. Many boards and agencies rely on this green book to get the required information from the right employees, not having to make numerous calls in order to find a person you need to talk to. This can be very expensive, considering the high cost of phone service that we in the north have to pay. Mr. Speaker, there must be some way that we can get a new phone listing of our people in a cheaper and efficient manner. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Rabesca. Members' statements. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when we came to this House as new Members, we were informed that Friday mornings were supposed to be a little light and a little jovial so I will try and do my part. As MLAs we are required to do significant amounts of reading as part of the job, we deal with high volumes of correspondence and are expected to read binders full of information as part of the job. I expect other Members feel this to be a burden at times as the material can be very dry and we are forced to keep a clear head and digest all that we read. There is not much opportunity for light reading or even entertaining reading material but when there is, it sometimes proves to be worth sharing. Mr. Speaker, I refer to an article on page 664 of the unedited version, Hansard of February 4, 1997 when I thought my mind was truly going. Mr. Speaker, I was aghast to read that the honourable Minister of Finance stated, and I quote, "I do not have underwear right now because our agenda is so full..."

-- Laughter

Mr. Speaker, had I an extra pair of underwear that day, I would have gladly lent it to Mr. Todd. I do not think anyone should have to suffer that embarrassment. Another such case of light reading comes to mind when I read the February 5th editorial in the Yellowknifer on page seven, paragraph two, regarding the City of Yellowknife appointment of Mr. Bob Brooks as alderman replacing Mr. Dalton. The article talked about Mr. Brooks and the quote was about Mr. Brooks, "he is a respected member of the Yellowknife community with the record of public service including council experience".

-- Laughter

Our city council should feel privileged that they had an opportunity to find such a well rounded individual as Mr. Brooks, although I do wonder what a record of public service really means and how this service will be beneficial to our city council. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Bruce Rigby of Iqaluit. Bruce has just been recognized by Environment Canada for his efforts in changing the dynamics of environmental research in the Northwest Territories, by building bridges between scientists and northern communities. Mr. Speaker, Bruce and I go back to our college days when we worked together. Today, he is the director of the Nunavut Research Institute. The award, well known as the Patricia Roberts Pichette Award, is for those who have demonstrated enthusiastic leadership and commitment to advancing ecological monitoring and research in Canada. Bruce is also widely known for his successful work on behalf of the college with fund raising and accessing third party funding to continue the work of the Nunavut Research Institute. Mr. Speaker, through his work at the institute, which is part of the Nunavut Arctic College, Mr. Rigby has achieved this by promoting and developing ways in which community and educational institutions can have a greater role in local environmental monitoring programs. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to call Bruce a friend and a constituent of Iqaluit. Congratulations Bruce. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Members' statements. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today is about the birth rate in the Northwest Territories and the potential effects of this. Mr. Speaker, we often speak about the forced growth in the Northwest Territories. Our birth rate is three to five times higher than the national average. Of course, this means spiralling costs for education, health and social services. Many of our young people are having babies in their teens and this should cause us even greater alarm, Mr. Speaker, than the fiscal reality that it costs money. I am talking about the potential for spreading infectious diseases. Last week, there was an article in the Globe and Mail concerning the spread of HIV, AIDS, and I would just like to read a little bit out of it.

"The epidemic of HIV infection appears to be growing especially among drug users and young people of both sexes who Health Canada officials say are ignoring warnings about risky sex. The average age for new infections is now 23 years of age down from 32 in the early 1980s. This means that a significant number of people now being diagnosed with HIV must have been infected as teenagers because there can be a long delay between contracting the virus and diagnoses. The rate of new infections has declined dramatically among older Canadians who are apparently taking precautions because they have seen the illness and death among their peers but it has climbed among those in their teens and early 20s, Health Canada said. The fact that the average age is 23 means that half of all new cases occur in people 23 years of age and younger. If we are going to prevent new infections we will have to aim at a much younger population," said Dr. Sutherland from Health Canada.

Mr. Speaker, our young people are our most precious resource and I urge this government to develop and implement a program so we can reach our young people and get them to at least take precautions if they insist on having sex at such a young age. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Erasmus. Members' statements. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I also rise today on a sad note. My home community of Arviat has lost one of its most respected elders and a good friend of mine, Lucy Aiyarani died this week in Arviat. Lucy is also the only living aunt of one of our Members here, John Ningark, and the mother of a very well-known entertainer in the Keewatin, Charley Panagoniak. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. O'Brien. Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Erasmus on February 19th, on the impact of communications privatization. Since 1967, the government has had a switchboard service in Yellowknife. Originally this was combined with a receptionist service in the Laing Building. An internal phone book in a green binder was also provided. The GNWT has now outgrown these approaches.

All other provinces and territories provide phone number information through the public phone book's blue pages and an internal phone list on the Internet. The GNWT is now moving to that same approach.

Special attention has been given to the blue pages in the NorthwesTel 1997 phone book, so they will be helpful to the public. Communications co-ordinators in all departments are aware of the importance of keeping their electronic phone list up-to-date. Systems and communications are working on an additional access point. Soon any employee with a computer and access to e-mail will be able to download a copy of the phone book in the same way employees download Hansard. I believe that the impacts of these changes will be a positive one. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Arlooktoo. Returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Picco.