Mr. Speaker, on Friday many of us will be going home for the first time since the 15th of January. Although the hospitality of Yellowknifers is second to none, it will be good to get back home. We will then have to reflect on some of the legislation, debates and, of course, the budget passed by the 13th Assembly. There have been some good debates over the past several weeks and, although I have not agreed to all of the budgetary measures, it is within the framework of our legislative system that allows me and every MLA the right to say that. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank my wife, friends and my wife's co-workers, who have been supportive of my family while I have been away. Sometimes being in the public eye is very difficult and stressful, but it can also be stressful for the people at home. As today is Aboriginal Languages Day, I would like to take this opportunity to say to my wife. (Translation unavailable) Mahsi cho, qujannamiik, merci, quanaq (Translation unavailable) Thank you.

-- Applause

Members' statements. Mr. Ningark.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think that the world is shaped like a heart. Mr. Speaker, as children we went to school in Chesterfield Inlet, perhaps, before the other Members from the communities that are represented here were born. When we were in Chesterfield Inlet, we were encouraged not to use our aboriginal language and our parents, when we went home, could not speak English. When we attended school in Chesterfield Inlet, we were taught the English language and then when we got home to our communities, we were encouraged to speak our language. I would like to thank today's government because they are responsible for teaching the aboriginal languages, in particularly Inuktitut. As well, I want to thank all the teachers who are responsible for teaching the Inuktitut language.

Another topic with regards to what Mark Evaloarjuk was talking about as he was referring to different types of snow. I appreciate this as well because we have different meanings as well. Mr. Speaker, when we get into the Nunavut government, the Inuktitut language will be the working language and I am very proud of this. As well, with regards to our children, they are being taught the Inuktitut language and they are also being provided assistance through the government for their education curriculum, which is provided in the Inuktitut language. Language is part of your heritage. It shows who you are. When we are at home, we do use our language, but when we are in different communities, we have different names for different items or different things, maybe even with the land. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My Member's statement today is on the value of education. Mr.

Speaker, there is a strong relationship between education and income and employment levels. Fourteen percent of Canadians 15 and over, have less than a grade nine education. At the same time in the NWT, 27 percent of our residents, 15 and over, have less than a grade nine education. That is two times higher than the Canadian average. Mr. Speaker, dropping out involves high costs to government. Canadian society loses billions of dollars over the lifetime of dropouts. For example, Canada will lose $4 billion over the working lifetime of the nearly 140,000 youths who dropped out instead of graduating in the class of 1989. Costs include less earning before spending and lost tax revenue. Costs also include the personal cost to the dropouts. Studies have shown that dropouts experience more social problems. These social problems include poor personal health, lower social status, higher unemployment, dependents of social security payments and their children as well are less likely to stay in school. It is a never ending cycle.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT spends proportionately less on education than the Yukon and the provinces. It is no wonder that we have the lowest education rate in Canada, if we spend the least amount on education per capita. Mr. Speaker, this cannot be allowed to continue. We need to put more money into adult education. We cannot leave our education levels at a rate where people with grade nine or less are two times higher than the Canadian average. Thank you. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Erasmus. Members' statements. Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today is Aboriginal Languages Day so I will be speaking in my language. As my friend, John Ningark spoke, I also think of when I was a child, I went to Fort Providence from Fort Simpson to go to school. I went to school there for four years. During that time, I did not see my parents and we were taught only in English. We were prohibited to speak our language and so the majority of the native students spoke mostly English. When we went home, we spoke only our aboriginal language. That happened not only in his area, but all over the country. I am thankful that we can still speak our native languages today. When I left my community I was gone for a fair amount of time and when I arrived back in my community I spoke a little bit of my native language. When I became a chief, I spoke my language fairly well. As I learned more from my elders, I continued to speak better in my language. Today, the students seem to have a hard time speaking their native language. It seems like everything is mostly in English, like TV and so on. They do not seem to speak their native languages that much and the elders predominantly speak in their native language, so there is a communication gap. Today, we are starting to learn to write our languages. I would like to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. (Translation ends)

(Translation) The Member for Nahendeh is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Antoine, you have unanimous consent to conclude your statement. Mr. Antoine. (Translation ends)

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Nowadays in the communities the parents, if they still speak their native languages, it would be good if they continued to speak to their children in their native language. Today, the children want to speak their language. When they are taught in the schools it is not taught that extensively. Today the students that are just starting school are learning the languages, but the students in the advanced grades are not being taught their languages. I still speak my native language and I am glad that I still do. I represent six communities that all speak their native languages. When I go to the communities, I only speak my aboriginal languages. I am thankful for that. When I come back here, I have a little bit of a difficulty speaking the English language. Today is Aboriginal Languages Day. That is as much as I would like to say. Thank you. (Translation ends)

Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Ootes. Mr. Ootes asked what percentage of GNWT employees employed in labour and related jobs are aboriginal and what percentage of GNWT employees employed as social workers and wildlife officers are aboriginal.

Government-wide data for 1995 has just been completed and verified. Based on the 1995 data from the Government Human Resources Information System and from Stanton Regional Hospital and the health boards, 71.3 percent of the GNWT's labourer and trade work force are aboriginal. Wildlife officers and social workers are included as program delivery staff. Aboriginal people make up 52.4 percent of all GNWT program delivery staff. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Returns to oral questions. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Returns to oral questions. Ms. Thompson.

I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Edward Picco on February 24, 1997.

I have reviewed the department's fire training plan in preparing my response to the Member's question on GNWT support for the emergency response services program at the Iqaluit airport. In 1995/96, MACA and the Department of Safety and Public Services initiated a three-year fire training plan to better address the training needs of community fire departments.

This training plan was aimed at addressing recommendations of the NWT Association of Municipalities and the NWT Fire Chiefs Association, which called for public education programs, basic fire fighter and specialized fire command officer training. The goal of this initiative was to develop a foundation for community-based fire instruction and public education programs. Community participants are provided Level 1 and 2 fire fighter training, which is followed up by community specific training on local equipment and facilities. Command officer training and train-the-trainer programs are also offered to selected candidates.

However, funding was not provided as a part of this initiative for a training program to support ERS at airports. The level of service to be provided must be rationalized with the actual risk and the ability to respond. This issue prompted Transport Canada to revise regulations which removed the necessity for providing dedicated full-time ERS at most Canadian airports. Statistics do not support the maintenance of full-time ERS at all airports.

It is not recommended that ERS response be maintained at any but the busiest airports. There are serious liability concerns if an airport attempted to maintain a full ERS response but was unable to prevent certain fatalities after a serious accident. It would not be necessary to utilize the Duluth training facility, referenced by the Member earlier in the House, unless the government was committed to maintaining a full ERS response capability. This would be a very expensive proposition.

Airport certification requirements do not require an ERS response but do require an adequate airport emergency plan to be in place. The risk management advice received by the government supports the premise that this more cost effective approach will minimize the liability that may follow an airport incident.

MACA plans to collaborate with the Department of Transportation and the town of Iqaluit on the development of an airport emergency plan which will reflect new emergency response arrangements. Planning will need to commence to revise the airport emergency plan to establish formal links with the GNWT regional emergency committee and the town's emergency response system. It is envisaged that the airport emergency plan will operate in conjunction with the community's emergency plan and as a component of the GNWT regional plan.

The GNWT regional plan will be able to provide the medium for a co-ordinated multi-agency response to an airport incident in Iqaluit. This will not be an ERS response, but it is considered a reasonable and manageable plan to implement. The town of Iqaluit will not be asked to maintain the current level of ERS response once provision of this service is terminated by the Department of Transportation on March 31. The town is considering participation in a multi-agency response to an airport incident, which would include territorial and municipal agencies. The town will be invited to work with the Department of Transportation and MACA officials to establish such a response system. GNWT staff are prepared to initiate this process as soon as agreement from the town is received.

Issues related to appropriate equipment and training will also be addressed during planning meetings, which will need to occur in the immediate future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Thompson. Returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery, Mr. Ningark.

Qujannamiik. (Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to recognize the divisional board of education chairman, Ms. Pat Thomas. (Translation ends)

-- Applause

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Steen.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On behalf of the government, I would like to recognize an old friend and like they say about old friends, sometimes you have a tendency to disagree on certain issues, but friendships do survive that. I would like to recognize Pat Thomas, president of the NWT Teachers' Association, who is a very positive, always smiling. She is very good natured, friendly, honest, hard-working, and just an all around good person and also a very good liberal, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Krutko.