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

Ministers' statements. Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Ministers' statements. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I informed Members yesterday, the Department of Health and Social Services has recently established a Strategic Initiatives Fund. The fund calls for health and social service boards to initiate reinvestments in the following critical areas:

1. healthy children;

2. mental health;

3. public health;

4. supported living; and

5. human resources.

Our population continues to increase rapidly with children and youth making up approximately half. Mr. Speaker, everyone agrees that our children are our future, so it is critical that our children be healthy. The department supports a number of programs that focus on child health. These programs include early intervention, alcohol and drug counselling, priority access to addictions treatment for pregnant women, promotions to reduce use of tobacco, and services like speech and occupational therapy.

Last week, my honourable colleague, Mr. Dent provided an update on the joint Healthy Children Initiative being developed by Education, Culture and Employment and Health and Social Services. In this fiscal year alone, nearly $2.3 million has been allocated to communities to enhance programs for young children and families. We know the rate of population growth is coming down slowly, but we also know that current rates of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease indicates more work needs to be done in the areas of sexual and reproductive health.

Mr. Speaker, we need to remind ourselves that solutions in this area are:

1. difficult to achieve;

2. need our leadership; and

3. will not come about through the use of simplistic, or culturally irrelevant family planing initiatives.

Counselling on family planning and reproductive health is currently offered at well women clinics. Also, health centre staff visits new mothers to offer assistance and monitor the health and well being of the baby, mother and family. We continue to work in partnership with the education sector to improve the level of knowledge that young people have about these issues. The Strategic Initiative Fund will allow boards to build upon existing services and to introduce new programs.

The Inuvik Mental Health pilot project brought health and education boards together with communities, to enhance mental health services in communities across the Inuvik region. These organizations pooled their resources to hire mental health counsellors to live and work in every community. While this particular program is now permanent, similar programs could be started or enhanced using the Strategic Initiatives Fund.

Mr. Speaker, one of this government's priorities is to increase people's ability to live independently. Over the past year, there has been a dramatic increase in the availability of home care. In most communities, residents who need help with minor medical and self-care assistance can obtain it in their own home. Supported living also means providing services like day programs, respite care and group homes. Mr. Speaker, for many years people who required 24-hour long-term care were sent to southern institutions due to the lack of services in the north. We have succeeded in bringing many of these individuals home to their communities and families.

While there are people who need a level of care that is available only in an institution, many others would prefer to stay at home with some assistance. Providing a single point of entry into increasingly greater levels of care allows boards to do a better job of identifying the best options for individuals. It also provides for increased coordination in assessing individual needs. The Strategic Initiatives Fund can provide boards with the funding to further develop and evaluate these services over time.

Mr. Speaker, significant work has been ongoing in the human resource area. Next week, I will release a recruitment and retention plan that addresses immediate difficulties in recruiting social workers, nurses and physicians. This plan is part of a broader health and social service human resource plan aimed at developing the people and organizations we need to move our services into the next century.

A working group including the department, boards, the medical associations and the Nurses's Association have been involved in this process. The plan considers innovative approaches, including the following:

1 .redefining roles of health and social service providers,

2. enhancing skills of northerners, and,

3. developing integrated or primary care models of service delivery.

Boards can implement some of the approaches that are being developed by the working group by accessing this fund.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to sharing with this House the innovative approaches that each board will take. We believe this fund will help boards to shift from dealing exclusively with the crisis on their doorstep to the proactive planning of prevention and promotional strategies. While we know that prevention and early intervention strategies will only pay off in the longer run, the results are well worth our attention and action now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you. Ministers' statements. Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform this House that the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation has developed an Affirmative Action Employment Plan for the Western Arctic.

--Applause

This plan complements the Corporation's Inuit Employment Plan. The corporation has set aside $300,000 for salaries, training and development of affirmative action candidates in the Western Arctic. The plan includes identifying four on-the-job training positions in headquarters and the western district offices to develop candidates for positions within the corporation for future management positions in government. In addition, the corporation will sponsor two Aurora College students from the Business Cooperative Education Management Studies Program. The students will be able to combine on-the-job experience with classroom teaching.

Mr. Speaker, last fall the Standing Committee on Social Programs raised with me, the issue of affirmative action employment and development for the Western Arctic. Comments from committee Members led to the decision that an Affirmative Action Employment Plan for the Western Arctic should be developed. After all, the development of affirmative action employees will be every bit as important to the new western government as it will be in Nunavut. Within the next several days, I will be forwarding the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's Western Arctic Affirmative Action Employment Plan to the Standing Committee on Social Programs. I look forward to a future opportunity to discuss this plan with the committee. Thank you.

--Applause

Thank you. Ministers' statements. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to provide Members with an update on the discussions relating to the formula financing arrangements which will be in place for Nunavut and the Western Territory after April 1, 1999. As Members are aware, a process has been underway since last May, to address this issue. The participants on the Special Committee on Financial Arrangements for Nunavut and the Western Territory are senior officials of the federal government, led by Finance Canada; the GNWT, led by our Department of Finance; the office of the Interim Commissioner of Nunavut; the Western Coalition; and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated.

The terms of reference for the committee include:

-the determination of the ongoing expenditure bases of each territory, including the incremental costs associated with the creation of two new territories;

-the determination of appropriate funding mechanisms; and

-the assessment of revenue raising capacity of each territory.

A great deal of work has been accomplished since last May, and the list of outstanding issues has been narrowed down significantly. Officials will be meeting next week in Rankin Inlet to discuss these remaining issues at the working group level, in preparation for a meeting of the special committee, which is scheduled to take place by mid March.

At that point, the federal government will have all the information it needs to make a recommendation to the federal Cabinet regarding the critical issues of funding levels and the broad parameters of financing mechanisms. We, therefore, expect the March meeting will be the last special committee meeting prior to the federal government taking the issue of territorial financing to Cabinet. We are confident that Mr. Martin's commitment to provide one year's notice to northerners on funding levels can be achieved. We recognize, however, there will still be significant work to do to finalize the details and to draft the agreements.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to say a few words of appreciation to all the parties involved in this process for the effort that has gone into meeting this deadline, given its importance in terms of providing the time necessary to develop budgets for the 1999-2000 fiscal year. We need to provide certainty to our employees and to establish confidence among all northerners that the creation of two new territories will have a positive economic impact on the north.

Mr. Speaker, as I stated in my Budget Address, I am very optimistic that adequate funding will be available for the two new governments beyond April 1, 1999, and I look forward to advising this House, in the near future, that formula financing arrangements for Nunavut and the Western Territory have been concluded. Thank you.

--Applause

Thank you. Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is Friday the 13th, and I do not think it would be appropriate to make a Member's statement that I am about to make now. Mr. Speaker, I would like to send a valentine greeting to my family in Pelly Bay. Their names are George, Alex, Vincent, Russel, Louise, Stella, Jonathan, Walter, Ramsey, Georgina, Kevin, Wendy, Gwendoline, Kimberly, Donavon, Matt, Uriash, Patrick and finally, my partner in life, Celine. Thank you.

--Applause.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Evaloarjuk.

(Translation). Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my concern about the communication system in Hall Beach. For some time now, the community of Hall Beach has been experiencing problems with the local radio system and also problems with receiving CBC Radio in the community.

In remote communities, local radio and CBC Radio are the only types of communication that one has. There is no variety of radio stations in the north, regardless if it is local or CBC, the community should be able to have the one small comfort of the local news. Weather information is very important to residents in the Arctic, as it determines whether or not one can go hunting, camping or fishing. Not having this information could be very dangerous.

I understand CBC is under the direction of the CRTC, which is the federal government's responsibility. However, it concerns me that Hall Beach has not had CBC Radio since December, 1997. These transmissions are out of Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet, not from the far south. A technician had come to the community to replace the old equipment with new equipment but they experienced problems with it. The technician indicated he was waiting for a FM receiver but, to date, no receiver has arrived in Hall Beach.

The Mayor of Hall Beach asked the technician to inform him prior to his departure so he could repair the old system for use while they waited for the new equipment, but the technician did not do so. Therefore, some of the local people tried to put the old system back together, but as they are not qualified technicians, they could not repair it. The hamlet council of Hall Beach passed a motion in order to have some resolution to this ongoing problem. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. (Translation ends)

The Member for Amittuq is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do we have any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Evaloarjuk, you have unanimous consent.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. They feel this is not adequate because CBC is a nationwide program and the residents of Hall Beach cannot receive it.

What Hall Beach needs is a qualified technician to repair and install the radio system. This major work needs to be completed in order to have radio communications of any sort. Mr. Speaker, I will be directing my questions to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment regarding this problem later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Barnabas.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give an overview of concerns raised by the Baffin, Kitikmeot, and Keewatin education authorities. Both the Nunavut Implementation Commission model and the Nunavut Education Council's model have been discussed by the existing education councils in Baffin, Keewatin and Kitikmeot and their staff. The decision of

the GNWT to proceed with the Keewatin pilot project for infrastructure transfer as part of the community empowerment initiative and the procedures used to do this have caused concern among the education councils and have underlined the many implications the GNWT community empowerment model would have for education governance and administration. The education councils take issue with the lack of consultation with both the education councils and DEAs and with the community empowerment model's implications for education governance and administration. This is illustrated by the process in which the infrastructure pilot project was introduced in the Keewatin and implications that program funding transferred may follow infrastructure transfers without due consultation. Two, the incongruence between existing legislation of the GNWT, for example, the Education Council Act, the proposed arrangement and education governance and financing under the GNWT community empowerment initiative. Three, the GNWT's express commitment to community empowerment on the one hand and lack of implementation of the process which will ensure that community members can be well informed and can make decisions about which responsibilities in the communities we will assume and what structures will be in place to guarantee that these responsibilities will be met.

Mr. Speaker, it would seem more questions from the stakeholders on the Keewatin pilot project have been raised. I will ask the Minister about them later today during question period. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I am going to talk about my other community in my riding, the community of Lutselk'e. The people of Lutselk'e have strong ties to the land and water, and strong connections to a traditional lifestyle. More importantly, they respect the land and water and all that inhabit it and share its bounty. Mr. Speaker, when I visit Lutselk'e I cannot help but admire and honour the elders and the trappers who maintain that connection.

Before Treaty 8 was signed, the people of this area lived a nomadic lifestyle. They built canoes out of birch bark. Made fish nets out of roots. They bartered their goods with other families and shared their food with one another. In winter and summer, they followed the caribou in order to eat and feed their families. I know it was a tough life, and one that we who have not lived it, cannot easily understand.

Mr. Speaker, in those days, everyone spoke Chipewyan. Although western medicine had not reached this part of the country until the mid-1900's, our people used natural medicine from the land, built sweat lodges and depended on their midwives to assist women during child birth. Mr. Speaker, these people are proud, proud they are independent, proud of the fact they took care of their families and proud they lived an independent free life. They were spiritual people who paid their respect each year at Fort Reliance to the Old Lady of the Falls. They do that pilgrimage still on a yearly basis, Mr. Speaker.

The next era, was called the Trauma Years. It was a time when European explorers brought many of their products and influence into the north. The missionaries arrived, residential schools tore children away from their parents and culture at a very young age. While Lutselk'e became a fur trading post, the people moved permanently off the land and into the community where welfare became their sole source of income for many, instead of furs.

Mr. Speaker, that is the time when the traditional lifestyle began to crumble. It has been especially hard on the elders. I have heard the elders long to return to their old ways. They still want to pass on their knowledge and their skills to their children and grandchildren. It is not too late, and I am glad to say, Mr. Speaker, that their strength and determination are paying off. They are teaching our children and they are listening. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member for Tu Nedhe is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do we have any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Morin, you have unanimous consent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you, colleagues. It has been tough on the community, Mr. Speaker, but I believe the people of Lutselk'e who have been through a lot, know how to survive. They are showing a great deal of innovation to create a community that is a positive place to live in. They are making progress, Mr. Speaker. The people are working to build a road to Austin Lake to stimulate the tourism industry. It is a beautiful place, ripe for sport fishing, boating and swimming. The people of Lutselk'e have accomplished much in a short time, Mr. Speaker. One young fellow by the name of Floyd Able is working to establish a pool hall and arcade. Antoine Michel and Lawerence Catholique are running an outfitting and tourism operation in a joint venture with the Frontier Fishing Lodge. The Development Corporation is marketing fishing trips to the East Arm of Great Slave Lake. The band owns their own buildings and they run their own health programs. The other day I spoke with the income support worker, Mr. Speaker, and he had three clients for the month of January. That is it. Three people on income support in Lutselk'e.

--Applause

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand up today and recognize the people of Lutselk'e and be able to say that, yes, I am fortunate to have so many friends from there and I am proud that I am here representing them today. Thank you.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I spoke of the request that was put forward of the community of Arviat regarding the harvest as required to provide caribou for the elders and the less fortunate. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform the House the harvest has been approved and a similar harvest will also take place in Baker Lake. Mr. Speaker, this announcement is very important news for the elders and the less fortunate of Arviat and Baker Lake, as the people rely heavily on caribou and on such a caribou harvest.

With the high price of food in Arviat and Baker Lake, this is an essential part of their diet for the people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Enuaraq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, the air terminal at Broughton Island is an ATCO trailer. Mr. Speaker, Broughton Island, a community with a population of 486 would like a proper airport building, not a trailer. The airport terminal building is scheduled to be replaced in the 2001-02 fiscal year. Unfortunately, the community cannot wait that long. There are important immediate needs to be addressed.

A new airport is needed to meet higher building and safety code requirements, accommodate an ever-increasing number of passengers and reduce operation and maintenance costs such as utilities. It would have a longer lifespan than the current trailer. Overall efficiency would also be improved. Replacing the current air terminal building now, will result in operations and maintenance savings and other benefits being realized earlier.

Mr. Speaker, we have to acknowledge the long-term potential of Broughton Island and to look at the big picture. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak about the recruitment and retention plan the Minister of Health and Social Services had mentioned earlier. Mr. Speaker, last week I asked questions regarding this recruitment and retention plan. As the Minister had indicated, this plan is to address the immediate difficulties in recruitment of social workers, nurses and physicians as well as to develop people and organizations needed to move our services into the next century.

Mr. Speaker, I commend the department for undertaking this initiative and working with its partners. I know that we must respect the independence of our health boards, however, we cannot afford inconsistent interpretation and perhaps, haphazard implementation of the planning that has gone into this report. Therefore, I would urge the Minister and the department to bring the board chairs and the chief executive officers into a central location to review and discuss the report.

Mr. Speaker, the department must also be prepared to travel to board meetings to hold workshops and discuss the report. This would help identify things that can be implemented territorially. It might help to identify cost savings and common concerns.

Mr. Speaker, I reiterate that we must allow the boards to maintain their independence, however, this government must assure our residents that they can have consistent health care across the territories. Getting the board chairs and the chief executive officers to a central location to go over the recruitment and retention plan would help assist us to achieve this consistency. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the course of the last couple of years, my colleagues and I have made statements and asked questions regarding the improved high speed communications throughout the Northwest Territories. Also, last year we were informed that the famous green book that listed all the government personnel with their respective phone numbers is not being published. This would save the government money and we now have the Internet to take its place. To me, this is great as long as the residents can utilize this tool. However, we are still not to that state yet.

Mr. Speaker, on our web site, the GNWT directory lists all personnel with e-mail addresses, phone numbers and in some cases fax numbers, which is theoretically better and easier to use than the green book was ever thought of to be. Unfortunately, this great tool still cannot find staff who is working with this government. The reason being, this page has never been updated. I know of staff who relocated a year ago, who have made numerous requests to change this record and are still listed in the old area instead of where they work now. Mr. Speaker, do we have this web page, if we cannot let our residents use it for what it is intended to. This page must be updated on a regular basis or else scrap this page entirely. Our staff is important as well as our residents. They should be able to communicate without problems like not finding the right phone numbers. The directory is supposed to tell which department and how to get in touch with people, not where they were. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in a return to a written question yesterday, the Minister for Education identified that and I quote from the return: "There is no doubt that the department would like to provide additional funding to our schools, to enable them to purchase more resources, texts and materials." This week, published in a full page ad, the NWTTA and education stakeholders submitted a similar plea. We have raised the concern of schools operating without proper resources within this House. We have asked for more allocations to help alleviate the shortage of staff, yet the same response is that we have no monetary or fiscal resources to help and identify the agreed need. We have heard morale is low in our schools. Educators have to do more with less.

Today, I received a letter from the chair of the Apex Education Counsel, Eva Michael. Ms. Michael states that, children come to school eager to learn, to share and to grow up as citizens of the world. Too often though, our children are burdened by problems too numerous to elaborate. Teachers spend too much time maintaining a semblance of discipline rather than in guiding our children. These problems affect our children's learning. These problems have a negative effect on the morale of school staff. Mr. Speaker, a progressive school encourages learning within a sensitive and caring family oriented atmosphere. A reasonable and manageable class size, fosters learning in a school. Ms. Michael is sending a letter and she states, "we petition the Government of the Northwest Territories to provide our children with adequate resources to achieve their potential. Children are our future and do we deny them that future."

Mr. Speaker, later today I will be asking the Minister of Education, some questions on this matter. Thank you.

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Ootes.

Members' statements. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our kids are our future. Education is the key. Mr. Speaker, we have all heard these terms many times within in this House. Yet, the current education system does not have the resources to address and deal with the issues of special needs within our school system. Mr. Speaker, I do recognize they are making every effort, however, we are losing too many of our future generations between the cracks of our education system.

The Department of Education in coordination with the Department of Health and Social Services have recognized a need for future support for students within our school system when dealing with those who have special needs. It has been determined we have additional students with special needs given our high incidence of fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effects in the north. Mr. Speaker, there has been a psychiatric assessment team from Stanton Regional Hospital established to meet with school administration and staff who are dealing with the special needs students. We have speech and language services within our school system. We have accommodated school environments for students with physical handicaps. The department has initiated early childhood education programs.

Mr. Speaker, I could go on, but the simple fact is, our education system is still not able to address the educational needs of all students within our system. These new programs are good, Mr. Speaker, but many students are not reached soon enough within our education systems to receive the timely help and the support they need.

Every child has a right to an education. Educators across the territories are trying their best to identify and meet these special needs but without the proper financial support, our schools cannot accomplish the mandate of the Department of Education. We all know class sizes are increasing, resources are decreasing and the quality of our education is getting stretched. Are we prepared to accept this, Mr. Speaker? The answer has to be no. We have heard our Minister state in this House. There is no more money. Mr. Speaker, we must not accept this. We must fight for our future generations, especially when they cannot fight for themselves. We have an obligation to create future generations who need to have the education and skills to become independent citizens.

Education is the key. Our kids are the future. Mr. Speaker, these catch phrases have no meaning if we do not act now to support and enhance our education system. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member for Yellowknife South is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do we have any nays? Mr. Henry, you have unanimous consent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you, colleagues. Students, parents, educators and this government all have their role to play, but we cannot succeed if we lack the basic resource, and that Mr. Speaker, is money. Thank you.

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Thomas Kudloo from Baker Lake, chairman of the Nunavut Water Board. Thomas is here somewhere. Thank you.

Thank you. Welcome to the Assembly. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for Division Planning. In response to my question on February 10th, concerning the decentralized model, the Government of Nunavut and the implementation schedule to put this model in place in the capital and in other communities. The Minister indicated that the Government of the NWT supported the decentralized model recommended by NIC and Footprints 2. The Minister also qualified his answer by saying. The support is there, subject to the dollars.

Mr. Speaker, I believe these one-time costs were outlined in the GNWT's document entitled "Creating Two New Governments, Transition Action Plan." Mr. Speaker, in response to an oral question from the honourable Member from Yellowknife South, Mr. Henry, on January 28th, on the transfer of GNWT employees to Nunavut, the Minister indicated that not one single response for the transition plan had been received to date from any of the parties. My question, Mr. Speaker, would the Minister confirm what importance, rather, the importance that has been paid to this one time transitional funding, necessary to implement the decentralized model? Mr. Speaker, I am asking how it is being addressed. This is the key to putting the decentralized model into place. Thank you.

The Minister responsible for the Division Secretariat, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated in my ministerial speech earlier today, I am cautiously optimistic that in the formulas for the ongoing needs for both Nunavut and the west, we are going to come to an agreement fairly soon with the federal government and the parties and hopefully, a positive announcement within the next two or three months. On the other hand, my honourable colleague talks about the need for additional transitional dollars, in which, within that identification there were monies as it related directly to one-time monies as related to the decentralized model. I understand there is a working committee working with the Interim Commissioner's office and the federal government trying to identify or working toward identifying the additional dollars necessary to ensure that the implementation of a decentralized government happens as quickly and expeditiously as possible. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not quite sure if I heard the Minister say as to when we would hear the timing.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I indicated on the question earlier this week, I think it was asked by Mr. O'Brien with respect to division that the Interim Commissioner's office is going to provide to the working committee which is made up of all partners, NTI, GNWT, federal government, his pre-implementation plan. We are optimistic it will be at the end of March. In that implementation plan it will identify what he believes can be done and within the time it can be done, where it will be done and who will do it. He will also have to identify in there, who is going to pay. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, following the same line of questioning regarding the setting up of offices in the capital and regional centres, these offices will need furniture and so on. My question to the Minister is, can the Minister confirm exactly whether the budget is for new furniture or furniture that will be moved from A to B?

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What I should do is try and refresh everyone's memory about what our creation of the two territories document was which I tabled in the House in October, 1997. In it we said, in an ideal world, if Nunavut were to occur April 1, 1999, there would be a requirement for an additional $136 million to meet all of the fiscal commitments of the transfer. If my memory serves me correctly, it was somewhere in the region of $7 million identified for furnishings that we identified as costs associated with the decentralized model. In terms of the one-time transition costs to move people, there was $18 million identified. There were a number of areas in that document which identified what we felt was a shortfall in the original Cabinet document that went to the federal government in March, 1996, in which the federal government approved $150 million. It is all in that document and in fairness to my colleague, I would suggest that come the end of March, when the Interim Commissioner's office provides his full implementation plan, I am assuming he will have to identify what he is going to do, as I said, when he is going to do it, who is going where and the costs associated with it. Any shortfall that he has within the $150 million, approved by the federal Cabinet in March, 1996, will have to be made up by the federal government's Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, more to the meat of my question, whether it is $7 million or $10 million, can the Minister advise this House what contracting policies will be in place to ensure that Nunavut based companies will have an opportunity to bid on these contracts for furniture and so on? Will there be a BIP?

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have been trying to say all week that the Interim Commissioner has the responsibility, both financially and legislatively, for putting into place the new government prior to April 1, 1999, when the new legislators are elected. I would hope he would incorporate policies that would reflect the needs and interests of northern business but I do not know that at this time. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Rabesca.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Finance, the Honourable John Todd. Mr. Speaker, I am quite disturbed with yesterday's report on CBC that as of August, 1998, NorthwesTel will be hiking phone rates by four dollars. This rate will increase again by six, the next year. All this is being done to prepare for the long distance competition. I am not sure I see the logic behind hiking rates and making customers angry just before competition arrives. Mr. Speaker, my concern is that this hike will make our rates some of the highest in Canada. On top of this, we also pay some of the highest rates for petroleum, rent and food. We even pay an extremely high price for things such as cigarettes and alcohol. Mr. Speaker, I understand that as of last Friday, February 17, 1998, the price of beer in bars had jumped to $30 a case. My question to the Minister of Finance, Mr. Speaker, is, the government going into the boot legging business?

--Laughter

Mr. Speaker, my question to the Finance Minister is, how does the government decide what the price will be for off sales in northern communities where there are bars? Are the prices the same across the NWT or is this at the discretion of the bar owners? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wonder if my honourable colleague can just give me some clarity on the question. Was it in relationship to the cost of alcohol across the territories or was it in relationship to the cost of telephones? I was not quite sure, and I wonder if he could help me out? Thank you.

Thank you. The Member for North Slave, could you clarify your question?

Mr. Speaker, my concern was the price of all the things I have alluded to such as the phone hikes and the price of alcohol in the Northwest Territories. I am just trying to see how the prices have been levied throughout the territories. Has it been done on the discretion of the owners of the bars or does the hike have something to do with the government pricings? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On the telephone situation, of course, NorthwesTel has to go before the CRTC, in any of the requests for telephone hikes. We did make a presentation to them. I believe my honourable colleague, Mr. Arlooktoo did, earlier in the year, indicate some support for some of their position. I think we could probably table in the House and provide my colleague with our submission to the NorthwesTel and CRTC hearings in an effort to...

The question was not on NorthwesTel's hike. It was on the hike of alcohol, I believe. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Maybe I missed it, sorry. I thought we were talking about both. My apologies. The price of alcohol, yes, yes.

--Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On the cost of alcohol across the territories, certainly the wholesale price is set by the government in its tax initiatives, et cetera. I am not sure if my colleague is saying, does the private sector add different levels of profit to it in different parts of the country. I do not think it does. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Rabesca.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final supplementary, Mr. Speaker. I believe that the NWT is second in Canada when it comes to consuming alcohol. Could the Minister tell me how our liquor prices compare to those in other provinces? Thank you.

Mr. Todd.

I indicated earlier when my department

was being reviewed we generate somewhere in the region of about $16 million or $17 million on an annual basis on alcohol sales and similar on tobacco sales when we were discussing what is commonly known as the sin taxes. I believe we have a fairly high consumption of alcohol in comparison with other jurisdictions. If my memory serves me correctly, we are sort of sitting second or third in the country on a per capita consumption basis. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Evaloarjuk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Justice. Yesterday, in my Member's statement, I referred to the introduction of the controversial gun control law that was legislated last January, 1997. I was of the understanding that this gun control legislation would not affect northerners whose main subsistence is derived from hunting, trapping and fishing activities. On the other hand, it is federal legislation. I am requesting information as to what has progressed since that time. Can the Minister explain what sections, if not all of the legislation, is applied to northerners? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)

The Minister of Justice, Mr. Arlooktoo.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The gun control legislation that was brought up by the federal government, Bill C-68, is a concern to us as well. Ever since the legislation came into effect, it has been a concern of the GNWT. We have also contacted people who are concerned about this legislation as well. It is directed to all the northerners and all of Canada. We have heard that if the legislation is going to come into effect in October, 1998, it will become a law in Canada. Thank you. (Translation ends)

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Evaloarjuk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary, Mr. Speaker. We were informed that certain sections of the law will not be applied to northerners. I have a strong sense that community people prefer to have their own laws and regulations concerning their own gun control procedures. Is this law applied uniformly across Canada or does this law apply only to hunters who own guns? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)

Mr. Arlooktoo.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like I said, Bill C-68 is federal legislation and was introduced by the federal government. It is going to be directed to anyone who is a resident of Canada. It is not just directed to the hunters and the people who fish. It is directed toward everyone in Canada equally, and they are treated equally under the law, under this legislation. (Translation ends)

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Evaloarjuk.

(Translation) I strongly feel it is not right that these people do not know anything about their possible contravention. Can the Minister make sure that the Inuit will be educated about how this will affect so many of them? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)

Mr. Arlooktoo.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, in regard to the question of the Member, I agree with the Member's comments because a lot of people have to be informed about this federal legislation, especially with the safety of the public in regard to guns. I have heard briefly that the federal government has been informing the public in Canada, but we are not really sure exactly what kinds of information they have been distributing to the public. As the GNWT we are against this gun control legislation. We have been trying to lobby so it would not be passed. We will not be involved with promoting gun legislation. Thank you. (Translation ends)

Thank you. I have been requested by the Member for Kivallivik to recognize some people in the gallery. I hope I pronounce your names right. The first is, Mr. Larry Aknavigak. He is the chairman of the Nunavut Impact Review Board; Bob Lyall, chair of the Nunavut Planning Committee; Thomas Kudloo, the chair of the Nunavut Water Board and some of their staff, Alexandra Thompson, Jon Pierce, John Crump and Phillipe Dipizzo. Welcome to the Assembly.

--Applause

Oral questions. Mr. Barnabas.

Thank you. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. They were at the regional leadership meetings. They had a representative at the Keewatin Regional Leadership Meeting when the proposal was being presented. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Barnabas.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister meet with the education boards of Nunavut to discuss their concerns? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Each department is responsible for consulting with their departments, so I will refer that to Mr. Dent. He may have some details as to whether there has been any consultation between his department and the boards. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Barnabas.

Mr. Speaker, I did not get that answer. The Keewatin pilot project is the responsibility of MACA. I am asking the Minister of MACA, will she meet with the Education Boards of Nunavut to discuss their concerns? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have already done that in partnership with Education, Culture and Employment at the senior levels. The department heads and the board chairpersons were here last week to meet with my department which was coordinated by the Education, Culture and Employment Department . Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Barnabas.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What has MACA done after they heard their concerns? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I heard the presentations went really well and that the education boards understood what the initiative was about. We are doing everything we can to assist them in any way if they are not well informed on this issue. I was also talking with Joe Attagutaluk, the board chairperson for Baffin. I will be going to the Baffin to their meeting on behalf of MACA in regard to community empowerment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services in regard to his Minister's statement today. Mr. Speaker, the Minister indicated that the rate of the population growth is slowly coming down, but that current rates of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases needs more work. I would like to know if the Minister can indicate what are the current teen rates of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases? Does it indicate higher or lower sexual activity concerning teens in relation to the past? Thank you.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not have the specifics on the actual rates per se, but we recognize that it is a problem area which needs to be addressed. The boards are aware of that as well, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would have thought the department would know whether the rates are getting higher or lower in relation to the work they are doing. However, could the Minister elaborate on what has been done in the past to lower teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases? Thank you.

Mr. Ng.