Thank you, Ms. Thompson. Good morning. Mr. Barnabas.

Point of Privilege

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on a point of privilege under Rule 20(1). My point of privilege concerns an article from the Friday, February 20, 1998, issue of the Yellowknifer. The article is entitled Questions about Confession. Mr. Speaker, the article quotes MLA Jane Groenewegen as stating that, it is unfortunate I was caught up in the dispute. She is quoted as saying;

"I don't want Levi to get hurt, personally or politically. Levi Barnabas is not a person who should in anyway be caught in the crossfire of this."

Mr. Speaker, the article also refers to my refusal to provide a handwriting sample. Mr. Speaker, at the request of the Member for Hay River, just prior to my apology in the House, I provided Mrs. Groenewegen a handwriting sample which was clearly identical to the unsigned note that the Member, Mrs. Groenewegen, took offence to.

--Applause

I say again, Mr. Speaker, it was an exact copy. I note that this fact was not mentioned in the article or by Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Speaker, I further take offence to the statement by the reporter, Mr. Richard Gleeson, that I did not respond to the media and refused to provide a handwriting sample. Mr. Speaker, I am responsible for my actions to this House and to my constituents, not to the media.

Mr. Speaker, this article and Mrs. Groenewegen's comments, if indeed, they are accurately reported, suggest that I was lying when I admitted that I was the author of the note to Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Speaker, I do not like the suggestion that I am a liar. I wish to state categorically for the record that I am not lying - that I am not, taking the fall for the Honourable Goo Arlooktoo and to repeat, again, for the record, that I am the author of the note in question - an action which I deeply regret. I trust that my words today will satisfy the honourable Member for Hay River that I was, indeed, telling the truth when I offered my apology to this House last week. More important, Mr. Speaker, I trust that my statement today will put this issue to rest. I deeply regret the fact that this House and Members of this House have been discredited by this unfortunate incident. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you, Mr. Barnabas. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have an emergency statement to make. Mr. Speaker, as everyone is aware, the federal Minister of Finance, the Honourable Paul Martin, brought down his 1998-99 budget yesterday. For the first time in over a quarter of a century, the federal government has balanced the budget. I am aware of what a difficult task it is to achieve a balanced budget in even a small jurisdiction such as this one, and I commend the Minister of Finance for his efforts to achieve this goal at a national level.

Mr. Speaker, I am encouraged by this budget and by the positive impacts that it will have for northerners. A major focus of the budget is on education. Education is a priority in the NWT and the initiatives announced yesterday complement the existing and future programs of this government, particularly supporting lifelong learning, distance education and improving opportunities for post secondary education. Our Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, the Honourable Charles Dent, will be speaking to these federal initiatives in greater detail later this week.

Mr. Speaker, the federal budget also contains measures aimed at employment which will benefit our young people, including, the elimination of the employer share of employment insurance premiums on new jobs for youths aged 18-24, and wage subsidies to employers for up to $10,000 to encourage hiring young people who have not finished high school.

Mr. Speaker, I am particularly pleased to see that the federal government will be contributing an additional $850 million to the Child Tax Benefit Program over the next two years. When I brought down the territorial budget on January 22, of this year, I announced that the GNWT would be supplementing the existing federal Child Tax Benefit. This additional injection of federal funding, announced yesterday, means that starting in 1999, even more money that we originally anticipated will be put in the hands of families at the lower end of the income scale. This, Mr. Speaker, is very good news for northerners.

Mr. Speaker, I should point out that it is not always the information that is contained in the Budget Address which is of significance, but details contained within the budget itself. This federal budget contains a specific reference to the economy of Canada's territories, which is noteworthy. In this budget, the federal government has recognized that the economies of Canada's territories are undergoing significant change and that, as a northern government, we are pursuing diversification of our economy through various means, including a focus on the nonrenewable resource sector and, in particular, the diamond industry.

Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Finance, I am very pleased that, with the support of our Members of Parliament Ms. Ethel Blondin-Andrew and Ms. Nancy Karetak-Lindell, the federal government has acknowledged the significance of the nonrenewable resource sector to the northern economy and has agreed to work in partnership with us to develop an Economic Development Strategy which recognizes the changing dynamics of the north.

Mr. Speaker, I am also very pleased that the federal budget recognizes that incremental funding will be required for the ongoing operations of two new territories after 1999. The budget uses the current transfer payment to the existing GNWT as a holding figure that will be amended to reflect the two new formulas, once discussions have been concluded this spring.

Mr. Speaker, while this budget is good news for northerners, there is, as they say, always room for improvement. I look forward to a continued cooperative working relationship with Finance Canada, so that we may focus our future budgetary efforts on direct employment initiatives, on the infrastructure and on health care initiatives that northerners need and desire.

Again Mr. Speaker, my congratulations to the Honourable Paul Martin and to the federal government for bringing down a balanced budget, one which recognizes the unique circumstances of the north and which will positively benefit the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you. Ministers' statements. Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Ministers' statements. Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to announce the appointment of seven new board members to the Status of Women Council of the NWT. However, before I announce these appointments, I would like to say thank you to those outgoing members who have made a significant contribution to the work that has been done by the council. These women are: Vera Morin of Yellowknife, Elizabeth Lyall of Taloyoak and Joan Kalaserk of Rankin Inlet.

Mr. Speaker, the newest board members to the Status of Women Council of the NWT are Eliza Kingdon of Iqaluit, Jeannie Padluq of Kimmirut, Phoebe Palluq of Clyde River, Cathy Towtongie of Rankin Inlet, Tessie Gonzales of Hay River, Theresa Cazon-Whelly of Fort Simpson and Vi Beck of Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, these new board members will continue working on the initiatives that the Status of Women Council have implemented, while at the same time, they will face many challenges as we move toward the establishment of the Nunavut Territory. As Minister Responsible, I commend the council for all their achievements and wish them continued success in the work they are about to undertake. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause.

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

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Erasmus.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to make some comments about the federal budget. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to congratulate the federal government on balancing their budget. We understand that it is not an easy task as we have had to do the same thing. However, I would like to categorically state that this is not the time for major tax cuts, neither is it the time to pour major dollars into the social programs.

Mr. Speaker, this country still owes over $900 billion, and the only reason, I feel, that we have been able to make substantial gains in the past year is because of low interest rates. Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada must keep interest rates low. The banks make billions of dollars every year and Canadian citizens do not need to continue subsidizing the banks. What we need to do is close the loopholes for companies who have not paid income taxes for several years, decades in some cases, I understand. I understand that the federal Finance Minister has moved cautiously in several areas, for instance, in the area of education, which as you all know, I am considerably interested in. There will be money going to help students who owe money after graduation from post secondary institutions. There is also a northern economic development plan. Hopefully, this will assist us in developing a secondary diamond industry. There is also a child tax benefit which we have discussed here earlier and this will assist the poorest people who need it the most. There is also a moderate tax benefit for low and middle income families who also need this. I think that there could have been employment initiatives and it would have been nice to have something in the health care area, since we have such substantial costs in health care, travel costs and forced growth.

Overall, it was a good news budget, but I reiterate, Mr. Speaker, that this is not the time to begin dancing in the streets. This is not the time for major tax cuts or major spending. We still owe over $900 billion, and because of that, Mr. Speaker, I understand that 40 percent of our national revenues goes to pay the interest on the national debt. Once we get rid of that $900 billion debt or a substantial amount of it, then we can do our dancing, then we can cut our taxes by 20 percent and still pour money into social programs and we could still regard ourselves as the best country in the world to live in.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, we cannot hand out rewards before they are earned. Thank you.

--Applause.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Rabesca.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as you are aware, over the course of this session, I have pushed to ensure that the shortfalls within the municipal funding formula for the communities of Rae-Edzo are fair and equitable. I know the Minister has instructed her staff to work with the hamlet to ensure this historical problem has been resolved. I am confident that Ms. Thompson will make history in the near future by finally correcting this problem that has been around since the community was established in 1971.

However, Mr. Speaker, I am not sure why my community and myself did not receive support from other colleagues from Yellowknife. I would like, at this time again, I would like to thank my colleague Mr. Ootes, for his support and efforts. Mr. Ootes sees the entire picture, where I guess, my other colleagues from Yellowknife do not.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to tell this House a few facts about the marriage between Rae-Edzo and Yellowknife. For years now, many people in Yellowknife have thought of Rae-Edzo as the small Dogrib community down the highway. This is true compared to Yellowknife. Rae-Edzo has a population of approximately 2,000 residents and is the largest Dene community in the Northwest Territories. Rae-Edzo has a very small business base, basically as the result of having Yellowknife so close. Rae-Edzo contributes millions of dollars every year to businesses, charitable organizations and entertainment facilities within Yellowknife. This happens year in and year out. It is a permanent relationship formed by pure economics and in some cases, a detriment to the overall growth of Rae-Edzo.

Mr. Speaker, many people over the years have recognized this relationship, the mayor of Yellowknife, the president of the chamber of commerce, private businesses and others. However, when it comes to support over a fundamental issue such as the municipal funding formula, the truth is finally told.

As we see it, Mr. Speaker, what is good for Rae-Edzo, ultimately is good for Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause.

Members' statements. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize the establishment of the Inuit Heritage Centre, a special project in Baker Lake that has been initiated and developed by the elders of Baker Lake. This centre provided a great solution to our elders as they face two major challenges. Mr. Speaker, they are the last representatives of the unique Baker Lake Inuit Group. These were the only Inuit people living a traditional inland life based on a diet of caribou and fish.

Mr. Speaker, with instincts sharper than university tools, the elders simply decided to present their traditional wisdom in a modern form that would appeal to youngsters, tourists and historians as well. The elders were the driving force behind the new Inuit Heritage Centre. The concept was theirs and while the old community hall was being renovated, they helped design the building and develop the story line.

Their final and perhaps most brilliant idea included a room inside the centre where elders can meet, record oral history and discuss the details of their ancestors lives. The exhibits will be constructed next. They will eventually display such treasures as the centre's own Kazan River and Back River kayaks, a collection of caribou-skin clothing and a variety of other traditional artifacts and crafts.

Our elders are determined to ensure that their ancestral traditions will be preserved through exhibits, audio and video recordings. When funding permits, the elders intend to purchase materials to demonstrate the construction of traditional items in the original style as an instructive part of the centre.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that his Excellency, Mr. Romeo LeBlanc, the Governor General of Canada and his wife, Mrs. Diana Fowler-LeBlanc, will join our elders on June 3rd, this year in officially opening the Baker Lake Inuit Heritage Centre.

Mr. Speaker, hats off to the Baker Lake elders, Mayor David Tagoona and the council for their hard work on this project. Thank you.

--Applause.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to make a few comments on the point of privilege raised earlier by Mr. Barnabas and once again, I would like to say thank you very much for trying to clear the air as I had tried to do the other day. Members will recall that I did raise a Point of Privilege in the House, which I argued for, and the Speaker did agree, that my privileges had been breached, and that there was a case for breach of privilege and I was in a position to take the next effort to propose a motion on how to deal with that breach.

However, on the morning of the day that we were supposed to propose that motion, I was informed and did receive an apology from the Member for Hay River. I accepted the apology and believed that the apology was made honestly and with meaning. I found out later on in the day that further statements casting doubt on my statement saying that I did not write the note and Mr. Barnabas' statement that he was the one who wrote the note. I believe that what happened on that day and the previous day was a deliberate effort to create doubt and mistrust in the House, on the fact that Mr. Barnabas had written a note. There were further suggestions that Mr. Morin and myself had put Mr. Barnabas up to saying that he wrote the note when he did not. There were other rumours on how that had occurred. That, to me, is totally unacceptable. It is a style of politics that is not mine. Mr. Speaker, I notice that my time is up. I would like to conclude my statement. Thank you.

The Member for Baffin South is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do I have any nays? Mr. Arlooktoo, you have unanimous consent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank Members for allowing me to try to clear the air once again. What had happened since the time when I had made the public statement and Mr. Barnabas had made his statement and was interviewed, et cetera, in the media suggesting that other things were going on that I must tell the House again, were not going on? There was no deal, et cetera. I do not want to stand here in the House and deny things because I think what that does is it raises the profile of that, but I have to say that here in the House again. The point that I want to make is how unacceptable it is for me and to my constituency how this whole thing has been handled by the Member for Hay River, by the Member for Yellowknife Centre, the newspaper, and by others, from what I have seen, it has taken a parasitic approach to feeding on this issue. Living on, politically, the cloud of mistrust and suspicion, to me, is not acceptable. That is not the way I do politics. It is, in my way of thinking, dishonest. There are other things I could bring up, my own analysis of why this has occurred, but I will not say in the House. Maybe I will say that in a media interview, which I am very open to taking afterwards. The final thing that I want to suggest, Mr. Speaker, is that I am so upset at this situation, my constituents are very upset at this situation. I have taken steps to ensure that a credible forensic examiner will do a credible analysis of my handwriting and any others, perhaps, all of the MLAs in the House, to clear up once and for all, who wrote the note because Mr. Barnabas has said twice, that it still did not clear the air.

Further, I am making arrangements to take a polygraph test, a lie detector test which I will be pleased to table again, in the major session, to show that I did not, in fact, write the note. Mr. Speaker, those are a few words from the heart, perhaps a bit disorganized but, once again, I would like to thank the Member for High Arctic for trying to clear the air once again. Thank you.

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Picco.