Thank you, Mr. Barnabas. Good afternoon. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Minister responsible for Nunavut Transition Planning, I will be tabling the Fourth Annual Report on Implementation of the Nunavut Land Claim Agreement today. The land claim requires that the Nunavut implementation Panel report annually on all implementation activities related to the Nunavut Final Agreement. This report covers the period between April, 1996 and March, 1997 and is a summary of activities undertaken by government, NTI and the various organizations created under the land claim. The implementation panel is made up of representatives of the GNWT, the federal government and two representatives of NTI. In addition to being tabled in this Legislative Assembly, the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs will also table a copy in the House of Commons. As well, the president of NTI will present it to the board of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Arlooktoo. Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Enuaraq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, education is important to the success of all young people. For most people, education is the only route to success. With the high rate of unemployment, especially in remote communities, education is even more important. I would like to bring to the attention of the House, the shortage of qualified teaching staff in Pangnirtung. The community is especially short of classroom support assistants who address the needs of special students. The education council in Pangnirtung needs more funding to properly staff the growing number of students and to provide adequate programming. Fortunately, this fall, the Attagoyuk School that was destroyed by fire, will reopen. Currently students from Attagoyuk School are sharing facilities with the remaining school, and using other available facilities within the community. However, the student population has grown since the new school was first planned, and as a result, more facilities are needed.

The community also uses the school facilities for meetings, courses and sports. With the final phase of construction this summer, the government has a rare opportunity to add more needed space, staff and programs to the new school. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the Inuit employment plans. We have a strategy funded with our partners, the federal government, called NUHRDS. This had enabled Inuit employees to train here in Yellowknife so that they can begin working after April 1, 1999 with the Nunavut goverment. Mr. Speaker, that is a good thing. The majority of these people being trained in the bureaucracy or working in offices. What are we doing for the trades and other occupations? Earlier the Member for Iqaluit and I asked about the trades programs for carpenters and other construction workers, for example. Later today, I will ask the Minister of Education for an update on provisions of Article 23. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation is the regional birthright corporation owned by the Qikiqtani Inuit Association. QC is mandated to pursue and develop economic and employment opportunities on behalf of the shareholders, the Inuit of the region. QC, along with 16 other licence holders, has been actively involved in the northern shrimp fishery since being issued a northern shrimp licence in 1987. One of the principle benefits derived from the licence is training, hiring and advancing Inuit crew aboard the offshore trawlers. Each fishing year, over 50 Inuit are hired to work on the vessels, returning roughly $1.5 million in crew share alone to the northern economy.

Royalties received by QC are reinvested, not only in the fisheries, but to other projects, such as real estate development and numerous other economic development initiatives. In 1997, six northern licence holders representing Nunavut, Nunavik and Labrador decided that a representative organization is needed and formed the Northern Coalition. Members of this organization are the Labrador Fishermen's Union Northern Shrimp Company, Labrador Inuit Development Corporation, Torngat Fish Producers Cooperative, Makavik Corporation and the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation.

The federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is expected to make an announcement within a month to increase in the overall total allowable catch, a substantial increase in the shrimp fishing areas (SFA) 4, 5 and 6 quotas. The Northern Coalition has been lobbying the Minister that adjacent organizations should have priority access to this resource. Later today, Mr. Speaker, I will ask the Minister for RWED or appropriate Ministers, questions on this matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today as the MLA for Keewatin Central to speak on the matter of health care services in the Keewatin. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the difficulties that have been experienced over the last several months and understand the concerns of my constituents. Adequate health care facilities are fundamental to the well being of all northerners. I am pleased that Percy Kabloona, former mayor of Whale Cove, has been appointed as acting chair of the Keewatin Regional Health and Social Services Board. I am also pleased that the board has moved quickly to appoint Mr. Chris Keeley as the interim executive director. Chris is a former resident of Rankin Inlet, who has worked in senior positions with the GNWT. Chris' wife Martha, was the head nurse at the Rankin Inlet Health Centre for several years. I am confident that Chris has the background and knowledge needed to move swiftly to ensure the needs of Keewatin people for adequate health care facilities are met.

I also commend the Keewatin Regional Health and Social Services Board, working together with the Sakku Development Corporation for their efforts to put a major, multi-purpose health care facility in the Keewatin. As MLA, it is my intention to provide whatever support I can to make this facility a reality for the people of the Keewatin. I would also like to take this opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to congratulate the hamlet of Arviat, for taking the initiative to look at the construction of their health facility through a Public/Private Partnership.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to publicly acknowledge and thank my good and loyal friend, Mrs. Bette Palfrey for her commitment and dedication to the provision of health care for the people of Keewatin. Bette has the distinction of being the longest serving chairperson of the Keewatin Health Board. During a six and one half year tenure, Bette was instrumental in moving the board forward on a number of important issues. Recent health care problems notwithstanding, Keewatin residents owe Bette a debt of gratitude for all her effort and personal sacrifice over the years.

--Applause

Mr. Speaker, there is still much work to be done to bring the quality of health care services back to the level the people of the Keewatin deserve and expect. I have full confidence in Minister Ng in achieving exactly that. I believe that the right steps are being taken now to ensure that happens as soon as possible. Thank you.

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Rabesca.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to address a concern one of my constituents brought to my attention. It is my understanding that our government is always complimenting itself, what a great job it has done in job creation and business development, however, at the same time, refusing some of these new or expanding businesses from doing the business that this government may have given dollars to start up its operations. The reason I say this is because of a thing called, tobacco tax. It is now a policy, I understand, to demand from a retailer who wants to sell cigarettes a letter of credit for an amount that the Department of Finance estimates.

A constituent of mine just applied for a permit to sell cigarettes in his new store. This is a business that has been in operation for at least the past ten years and has decided the time was right for an expansion. When he received his reply, it informed him that he would have to come up with a $5,000 letter of credit. He called and was told to reapply, which he did, and then he received a notice saying that he now needed a $12,000 letter of credit. Mr. Speaker, all this company, like most small businesses of this type, wants to do is sell cigarettes to make a profit, not to go broke to the government for trying to do their business.

How much do special events have to pay this government for selling cigarettes at their events? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Members' statements. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) Mr. Speaker, yesterday, after the Assembly was over, myself and Stephen Kakfwi, the Minister for RWED, flew to Fort Simpson. There is a meeting in Fort Simpson, Tuesday to Thursday, on Western Arctic Aboriginal Tourism which is the basis of the meeting. There are a lot of people there who work for tourism that all gathered for the meeting. The meeting is based on tourism in the western Arctic. I was quite thankful for all the participants at that meeting. There are a lot of people from all over the world who come to our country, like the western Arctic. They really want to come here to see the western Arctic. (Translation ends)

The goal is to build a user-friendly and profitable aboriginal tourism industry which is a very commendable approach. I think this is the first conference of its kind and I am very glad that it is in my home community of Fort Simpson. The objective is reaching a better understanding of the aboriginal tourism market, as well as examining ways that our aboriginal tourism products can and should be presented to the workplace. With that, Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the results of this conference and certainly the direction on how we in the Legislative Assembly can be of assistance to those people who are involved in this developing business sector of our economy. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

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