Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Steen.

We did not get the recording on that Mr. Steen, can you repeat your question please?

The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary. Question period is over but I will allow you to conclude your supplementaries. Mr. Steen.

Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Question period is over. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to opening address. Ms. Thompson.

I am pleased to be standing again and I will say what I wanted to say previously and I will take the time to say it now with out being nayed. I am a little disappointed that some Members choose to nay my request to conclude my Member's statement as I have always chosen to allow Members the opportunity to speak on behalf of their constituency. So although some Members may not agree with my statement, I have chosen to use my reply to the opening address to voice my concern on behalf of my constituency.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to make an observation. My Member's statement today is about how we work together in a consensus style government to make things better for the people in our constituencies. Our Legislative Assembly is unique in Canada and, indeed, the world. Mr. Speaker, as we all know just because we have consensus government does not mean that we always agree. There is room for debates and arguments in this House, but that is not my concern. My concern is how we are handling conflicts and how the media is reacting to them. We all know some leaders are taking advantage of these conflicts and using them to gain recognition through the newspaper, radio and television.

Mr. Speaker, is it more important to get your face in the paper and television then to prove your leadership professionally? This problem will only become worse as we draw near the next election. (Translation) I would like to say this in Inuktitut. We have been hearing a lot about the Keewatin. Is it more important to get your face in the paper and television then to prove your leadership professionally? This problem will only become worse as we draw near the next election. I think this is recognized all over and I just wanted to repeat that. (Translation ends).

The Keewatin has been portrayed as a region in chaos and has even been referred to as having Third World conditions. (Translation) I would like to define what I mean by Third World conditions, having a Third World condition portrayed on the Keewatin. It seems that people are looking at the Keewatin going through starvation and the third world conditions is a word I am using. I would like to tell the Inuit if they were watching television and you see programs about children starving, people living in hard conditions, not having the facilities that we have today like toilets and water and electricity, those are the types of conditions that we seem to be seen as. It seems as if people are looking at the Keewatin as children starving, people living on the streets and it seems as if we could be looked as having children that need to be adopted by the more fortunate. (Translation ends)

I am very concerned that some of the statements that have been made in this House and in the media have been unfair to the residents of the Keewatin. Mr. Speaker, this humiliating label is unfair and insulting to the Keewatin residents and especially each and every one of the health board members from the communities. (Translation) The people in our communities are trying to work with the health board. They are trying to work towards trying to make it better for the community. This is the way we are looked at in the region. This includes the communities of the Keewatin which consist of seven communities that have people who are representatives on the health boards and remain on those health boards (Translation ends) ... communities I believe, they deserve an apology. Our region has always been well known for being pro-active and productive. I will challenge anyone of the Members who has criticized the efforts of these community members, come on over to my communities, come on over to those communities, see those members yourselves face to face and repeat what you have said about them.

--Applause

Like every other region in the north, we have our problems. I would like to say today, the Keewatin region, they are strong individuals, strong leaders in each of those communities who have been embarrassed so much by statements, by rumours of people who do not understand their traditional ways of resolving conflicts. These people need an apology. You are working in a different system. There are two systems here. It is a challenge to be a leader, an aboriginal leader, understanding both cultures. These people, these Inuit leaders, the Inuit elders who are not understanding what has been happening here, the chaos. It is a work of scam artists into our culture. That is the only translation I can say about this. These strong individuals, proud people from the Keewatin, they can work in a rational manner to identify and resolve issues. You do not know what you have done to a culture that can stand up to you face to face and solve these conflicts without spreading rumours. It has been to the advantage of those people who like to see their pictures in the papers, on the television. Do you think these elders pick up the newspapers and read what you say? We have an oral tradition. You have a written tradition. What you say orally means a lot more to me as an Inuk than what you say on paper. I am getting a little bit emotional here, but that is what I had to say. It is not because I hate anybody. It is because I wanted to make a point today. It has been going on too long. It just has been going too long. That is why I am a politician today because I wanted to say these types of things. There are two different types of systems here and you have to learn today that when you are an aboriginal leader, it is a challenge to try to balance two cultures.

Our traditional Inuit culture has taught us that it is better to work together to solve problems than just to criticize and criticize and criticize others spreading rumours for your advantage. It is also not acceptable to call attention to oneself or to use a leadership position to put down the efforts of others. Do you know how many times those board members sat down and tried to solve those problems? None of those people who criticized them ever actually sat down with them and tried to talk with them and tried to listen to what changes they were trying to make. Spreading rumours, untrue statements and negative criticism is childish in my culture. Be a man. It is immature. I, myself, was always taught by my elders, by my mom and dad, who are traditional that it is extremely rude to behave in this manner. This is part of my concern today,

Mr. Speaker, that we remain committed to a consensus style of government. One that reflects traditional values of cooperation and working together in mutual respect. When elders and people in communities see leaders, constantly criticizing for months at each other in the media without resolving their conflicts, they become concerned about their leaders. It is especially confusing for the unilingual people and elders to hear these things on the radio or television. It is a system they are not understanding. It is no wonder they become concerned about the future of Nunavut.

I understand that there are different ways of doing politics. I understand perfectly. There are individuals who do politics differently. I do understand that and there are very good politicians that I have learned from or who I am still learning from and Members of this House who I am learning from. There are different ways of doing politics. It has been a challenge to be an aboriginal MLA and having to observe and understand both cultures based on different values and different ways of thinking. Mr. Speaker, we have very little time left before two new territories are created in 1999. We are the people that are making history here. We are the last government until this land divides into two. Let us work together for the collective good of all the people in the east and in the west. Let us strive to put personality politics behind us. Our people deserve better. This is what is expected of us leaders. Thank you, Mr. Speaker and I would like to thank the Members for letting me speak what I wanted to say on my mind. Thank you.

--Applause

Thank you. Replies to opening address. Your point of order, Mr. O'Brien.

Point of Order

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My point of order is, I believe the honourable Member is misleading the House in reference to comments that were made about Third World conditions. Mr. Speaker, they were made in relation to health and social services. Mr. Speaker, when we look at the 25 social services people or staff in the Keewatin, with only seven, seven in place, that is Third World. When you look at one nurse that has to serve 1,600 members over Christmas that is Third World...

Can we have some order please. Your point of order, Mr. O'Brien.

Mr. Speaker, my point of order is, the honourable Member with her comments is misleading the House.

Thank you, Mr. O'Brien. You do not have a point of order. Replies to opening address. We will take a 15-minute break.

--Break

The House will come back to order. We are on item 10, replies to budget address. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you. We are on replies to the Budget Address. Respond to the Budget Address, please. Mr. Rabesca.

Thank you, Mr. Rabesca. Replies to the Budget Address, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to first of all start off by thanking the Premier for agreeing to reinstituting this government's central switchboard. I am sure it was due to the well reasoned and researched arguments put forth in this House by some of the Members in this House. Mr. Speaker, I will be following the format of the Finance Minister's Budget Address.

The first thing that the Minister touched on was the government anticipates a small surplus and a reduction in the accumulated deficit. Mr. Speaker, I think we should applaud this, but it is not only the politicians who have to take credit for this. The people of the Northwest Territories have been asked to and have taken cuts in programs and services as well as layoffs. We have to thank people for putting up with this.

Also the bureaucrats who have implemented our policies. We have to thank them as well. I know it is very difficult to say, no, to people when people have perhaps in their own mind, they have legitimate questions and requests. However, in order to achieve a balanced budget we have to toe the line. I believe this is a good way to end our budgetary relationship with our comrades from the east. This is the last budget that we will be working on and improving together. To have a balanced budget I think is a good way of doing it.

On the issue of the pay equity. This has been going on for a long time, but as the Minister has indicated we cannot agree to a settlement that forces further job loss or program and service reduction to our people. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated earlier, we have already gone through program and service reductions and job loss and we cannot go any further. So I urge both sides to work together and to come to an agreement on a reasonable settlement.

In the area of the Formula Financing Agreement, the Minister indicated he has been working with his federal counterparts for financial arrangements based on the expenditure base of each territory which should be determined separately and based on each region's requirements. This, of course, is a good way of doing things, Mr. Speaker. We in the west have stated many times we support the creation of Nunavut and the aspirations of the people in Nunavut, but we cannot agree to implement this dream at our expense. Meaning that the programs and services in the west should not deteriorate because of implementing this.

At the same time, Mr. Speaker, we have to recognize that most likely there will be several advantages because of the division. The main one being that both sides will be able to fully concentrate on their particular problems and aspirations. Although we have dealt with the aspirations and problems of both in the past, it will just make it simpler to not have to deal with the extra problems and aspirations from the other side of the territories.

The existing staff of the GNWT, Mr. Speaker, they are our most valuable resource. They have experience and knowledge that has been accumulated over the years. We cannot continue the brain drain as it is called. So we have to ensure that our current staff are treated fairly and have first crack at the jobs in the east upon division. I am glad to see that the Interim Commissioner agreed to implement the $4.2 million human resource computer system and to pay their fair share. I am sure this will improve things dramatically. In the area of the investment credits, Mr. Speaker, I am glad to say I was part of the sub-committee of the Standing Committee on Government Operations that made some recommendations.

Hear! Hear!.