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

Thank you Mr. Speaker, welcome back and good afternoon, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, last week the government announced the Northern Employment Strategy. I believe this two year program is a step in the right direction. As the Chairman of the Social Programs Committee, I have seen many problems we have today. Our jails are full, alcohol and drug use is very high and abuse is common. Many problems come because there are not enough jobs and the people do not have enough education. People who are not leading productive lives seem to have more social problems. Without things to do, people get into trouble.

The strategy has helped all kinds of people:

- There is help for craftsmen or hunters who need some tools or equipment;

- Small businesses can get assistance to get started or grow;

- People who would like to work can get help with training;

- Communities can develop much needed infrastructure while providing jobs for local residents;

- Local organizations can get much needed help as they provide work for students.

The Northern Employment Strategy is not the only answer. There are many other things we need to do, however, Mr. Speaker, it is a good start.

Mr. Speaker, northern residents and businesses should take full advantage of this program and when we reconvene in October, I hope the Minister will be able to announce an overwhelming response. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also rise today to speak about an elder, Mary Adele Sangris who passed away. It seems like every week we hear about another elder passing away. This generation will soon be gone. On Saturday, I did attend Mary Adele Sangris' funeral in Detah. She passed away on May 28. Mary Adele was the mother of Chief Jonas Sangris of Yellowknives Dene First Nation and she was also the widow of former Chief Joe Sangris. She had just turned 85 years old the week before she passed away. She was the daughter of Jimmy Keskorie who was the head counsellor of the Yellowknives. Head counsellor, of course, was next to the Chief and her mother was Julia Fishbone. Mary Adele is survived by her two sisters, Rosalie Paper and Georgina Drygeese and they were the only three surviving siblings out of ten children. Mary Adele and her late husband, Chief Joe Sangris had 15 children. Four daughters and four sons have passed away and she is survived by her three sons and four daughters along with 37 grandchildren and 33 great grandchildren. As her many friends will attest, Mary Adele was very hospitable and very generous. Many people from the surrounding communities would visit. They would always say that she was very kindhearted and always helpful. I suppose in a testimony to this was the church in Detah was overflowing on Saturday and many people had to stand throughout the service. Mary Adele's late husband was the Chief of the Yellowknives Dene for 32 years when he passed away, still in office. Her son, Jonas Sangris has now been the Chief of the Yellowknife's Dene for ten years. He was counsellor for five years prior to that. Jonas often said that he regularly consulted with her on matters. We can see that Mary Adele advised the leadership of the Yellowknives Dene for close to 50 years from looking at her late husband's and her son's leadership. She will be missed by the Yellowknives Dene leadership and her many friends and relatives. Thank you.

-- Applause

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

The Member for Hay River is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Do we have any nays? There are no nays. Mrs. Groenewegen, you have unanimous consent.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Steen.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this afternoon I would like to speak about the always controversial but often misunderstood issue of negotiated government contracts. There are some, Mr. Speaker, who argue that negotiated contracts between the Government of the NWT and third parties are subject either to real or potential abuse and that this should be avoided and the termination of this practice finished.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that there are problems with the existing process as associated with negotiated contracts but I also believe that there are those problems which exist can be rectified provided that those responsible commit themselves to making modifications that will seriously address the existing issues. Failure to come to terms with the identifiable problems, Mr. Speaker, could jeopardize a continued effectiveness of a contracting tool which if properly used can be a useful vehicle for achieving legitimate public policy objectives in a sound business context.

Mr. Speaker, if the negotiated contract process is to be restored to an acceptable level of credibility, two things would have to take place. First, Mr. Speaker, the key ingredient that will have to be established is the responsible and transferred process that will permit Members of this Legislative Assembly and more importantly, the public to have a high level of confidence in the efficiency of negotiated contracts. The second ingredient and arguably the most important one, is the need to revise the guidelines to strongly reflect sound business planning and the establishment of a contracting environment which will generate consistently sound business arrangements which will withstand the test of time.

There is little point, Mr. Speaker, in facilitating negotiated contracts which do not make good business sense. This not only hurts the financial health of the government but also damages the long term viability of business enterprises which lack the discipline to resist the instant gratification of the short term gain.

Mr. Speaker, one of the products of the flaws in this existing system is bureaucratic indifference to making the system work efficiently. I want to make it clear, Mr. Speaker, that I do not blame the program administrators for this. Having to administer a system which is inadequate to begin with and which is subject to abuse, leads to a situation where people just do not try as hard as they might otherwise to make things work. My point, Mr. Speaker, is that with proper, transparent guidelines and processes, we can challenge the bureaucracy to work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member for Yellowknife South is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do I have any nays? You have one nay, Mr. Henry. You do not have unanimous consent. Members' statements. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the community of Baker Lake also suffered a death this week. The well respected resident from Baker Lake, Mrs. Winnie Pudnak, died this week. I would like my fellow colleagues to join me in offering our sincere condolences to her husband, Paul, and for the family. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Jane Groenewegen on February 28, 1997.

On February 28, Mrs. Groenewegen asked what arrangements have been made to ensure existing service providers are not negatively affected by the GNWT's contract for the electronic backbone. I want to assure Members that the process being undertaken to implement high speed telecommunications capabilities in the Northwest Territories has taken into consideration the implications the network may have for existing northern service providers. In fact, in many cases existing Internet providers will realize advantages from such a network.

The network will expand the opportunities for existing and new Internet service providers. They will have a very high speed, high quality network upon which to carry their data signals. Because of the capacity of this service, they will be able to offer a much larger range of services that depend upon higher speed communications. As a result of the extension of this service to every community in the Northwest Territories, they will be able to offer to their clients access to people and organizations in all communities. In addition, they will have the basis upon which to expand their scope of services to any other community, which today is only possible in the larger centres.

The contract negotiations currently under way with Ardicom Digital Communications Ltd. specifically deal with ensuring equitable access to the network for all entrepreneurs in the Northwest Territories. Unfair or anti-competitive pricing will in no way be supported by the government, and as well is subject to review by the Canadian Radio, Telecommunications and Television Commission.

As part of the negotiations, the government is ensuring that local and municipal level connections are separate from the backbone network that Ardicom will provide. In this way, local businesses will be able to compete for the opportunity to provide local connections, for example, using existing cable distribution systems or new wireless systems.

The government is committed to ensuring that high quality telecommunications are available to all communities and all residents in the Northwest Territories. We are attempting to do so with maximum participation from the private sector, and in a manner that provides benefits to all users in every community. Many opportunities will arise for local entrepreneurs to develop their business based upon the availability of this high quality backbone network.

Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It would give me pleasure to introduce Mr. Al Brekke. Mr. Al Brekke is the new manager of Northlands Utilities in Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Welcome to the Assembly. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are concerning my earlier Member's statement on Plan 2000. My question is to the Minister for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Mr. Arlooktoo. Can the Minister, at this time, update this House and the Northwest Territories as a whole on Plan 2000?

The Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, as the Member knows the government announced Plan 2000 during the last session as a way of trying to alleviate the severe housing shortage that we have in the NWT. The plan is to assist 2000 families by the year 2000 with this program. The Legislative Assembly, through various Members, had asked us to try to fast track the program and to get into as much construction as possible this summer. I am informed by the Housing Corporation that so far we have, in place, plans to assist over 500 families this summer. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.