Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Members' statements. Mr. Miltenberger, Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Keewatin, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to address the proposed budget cuts to the women's groups of the NWT. Mr. Speaker, I can not support this reduction, and find it unacceptable that such a cut is being recommended at this time. Mr. Speaker, I have said many times in this House over the past year, that I agree that we can not carry a huge debt into division, but that I was more concerned with how and where the cuts were being applied. Surely, we are not at the point where we are cutting programs that deliver the most benefit and are most needed. Mr. Speaker, at the front lines and in the trenches are women's groups working with the many horrendous, and damaging social problems and issues that we unfortunately are plagued with in the NWT. Mr. Speaker, on one hand we are increasing the budget for our social envelope by $9,000,000. On the other hand, we are cutting the funds for the individuals who would provide these essential and humanistic services to our ill and less fortunate northerners. Mr. Speaker, I would strongly suggest that the approximate $30,000 cut be reconsidered for our women's groups and organizations, and for the good work that they do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. O'Brien. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Ootes, your time has run out. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? No nays, continue Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in politics we all take liberties, but I have to take exception when public figures make statements about my community that are misleading and inaccurate. Mr. Speaker, in his reply to the budget address last Friday, the MLA from Thebacha made misleading and inaccurate statements in this House about Yellowknife.

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I quote from the January 31, 1997 unedited Hansard on page 552, which states, and I quote, "Mr. Speaker, as well I would like to point out for the benefit of people that things like transfer north of recent military air squadron which brought a huge pile of jobs to the community of Yellowknife, is there, while other communities have experienced a steady erosion as well of federal positions" end quote. I would attempt to respond to what I believe that he is saying regarding the position of the statement about the huge pile of jobs created by the 440 Air Squadron relocated to Yellowknife. I had discussions with the Department of National Defence officials in Yellowknife, and I am informed that there were 12 jobs created by the installation of the recent military air squadron located in Yellowknife airport.

Not exactly a huge pile of jobs. The MLA's statement which, I believe, also refers to an increase in federal employee growth in Yellowknife is also inaccurate. The reality is that Yellowknife has suffered its share of federal cut backs, with decreases of 27 positions alone at CBC North, as well as reductions at Environment Canada's Atmospheric Weather Service. Human Resources Canada in Yellowknife is down a number of positions from last year. Indian and Northern Affairs' employees are down 4 percent from last year. Mr. Miltenberger talked about the community of Yellowknife having quadrupled in size since it became the capital in 1967. This may be true, but he neglected to say that Yellowknife was built by private individuals who responded to the needs of the Government of the Northwest Territories, federal government and private sector for office and retail space and other services

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Hear! Hear!

Yellowknife was built by industrious individuals who went to financial institutions and borrowed money. Yes, Mr. Speaker, borrowed money to augment their hard earned cash and invested in infrastructure...

Mr. Henry, your time has run out. Mr. Henry.

Mr. Speaker, I request unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.

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Thank you. Can we have order in the House? The honourable Member has the same privilege as any other Member to make a Member's statement without being disrupted. Mr. Henry is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? Mr. Henry, you have unanimous consent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It takes a little longer to make a statement with all the catcalls and that. Mr. Speaker, something that I think is worth repeating, Yellowknife was built by industrious individuals who went to financial institutions and borrowed money. Yes, Mr. Speaker, borrowed money to augment their hard earned cash and invested in an infrastructure to supply those needs.

Hear! Hear!

That is how you build a business community. You identify needs that are not being supplied in your community. Go to your local bank. Take out a mortgage. Put up your own cash, and take the risk that goes with. Mr. Speaker, I would like to add that it is a darn sight more productive to do it this way, than complaining about what another community's industrious individuals have, that yours does not have.

person across the NWT has been $1,400. In Yellowknife, it has been $783, which is almost half the territorial average. My fellow Member from Thebacha alluded to Yellowknife as having the largest government budget since it became capital. While this may be true by virtue of our larger population, it certainly does not reflect in the amount Yellowknife receives in capital funding, Mr. Speaker.

There were several glowing accolades to the government on its initiatives, included in the 1997/98 budget by the MLA for Thebacha outlined. I also admit that there are some very good things in this budget, like balancing the books, and not increasing taxes. While the government could have achieved the same result in another fashion is what I believe needs discussing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you. Members' statements. Madam Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to provide this House with some examples of the impact that the government's 10 percent cuts will have on women's organizations in the NWT. Ten percent might not seem like much when people are losing their jobs, but we have to look at the impact of 10 percent. Women's Initiatives Grants Program is a source of money for community women's groups, and other organizations. These are the foundation projects that can have a real impact on local people through community women who know what is needed, who are working to reduce social problems where this government is facing the largest incremental costs.

The Status of Women Council is doing other work, like the study on the needs of breast cancer survivors, another on human rights legislation affecting women, work that will help young women to enter non-traditional occupations, work on community wellness, and a long list of other projects, Mr. Speaker. Its ability to continue this work and to provide this knowledge to government and to community women will be hampered. Women's groups at the community level have almost no money to operate, yet the Council will likely be forced to charge them for the information and workshops it has always provided for free.

Women's groups, especially those just starting out, want and need help with board development, proposal writing, workshops on self-esteem, healthy parenting, healthy relationships, family violence, but the Council's already tiny budget for the community worker to give workshops will be cut. Often the Council helps these groups access sources of money outside of the NWT, but that will also be reduced. Staff of women's organizations already earn less than equivalent government positions, and putting long hours of voluntary overtime because of their dedication, yet because some expenses are fixed, the organizations will have to look at more than 10 percent cut to salaries, when the government only asked their staff to take 6.25 percent. I would like to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement, Mr. Speaker, thank you.