Thank you. Again, I would like to remind the Members that when Members ask for unanimous consent to conclude their statement that you are allowed a reasonable time to do it. If you go beyond that, I will remind the Members. Members' statements. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, several times over the past sessions, I have raised a concern with the GNWT employees in Iqaluit with regard to their housing and rent increases. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Todd, as Minister for FMBS, implemented a program with renters at the FDL and other properties to ease the transition from subsidized rental rates to market values. The government agreed they would increase the rents charged to employees by increments of ten percent, while at the same time the lessors would lower the rents charged by 10 percent. Mr. Speaker, this pro-active move by the government was well received by Iqaluit residents. However, Mr. Speaker, as of December 31, 1998, the Subsidy Program is set to end, sending hundreds of employees to the situation where their rents could increase by 40 or 50 percent. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Todd and I worked cooperatively on this issue two years ago. Mr. Todd came to Iqaluit and met with the parties involved, and the solution I just spoke about was worked out. Mr. Speaker, I have, on occasion, tried to constructively criticize the government, but for the Subsidy Program, I congratulate the Minister and the government for that pro-active move.

Mr. Speaker, later today I will be asking the Minister for FMBS, Mr. Todd, about the continuance of the subsidy and the direction the government will be taking on this important matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Members' statements. Mr. Enuaraq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to tell you today about how my home community of Clyde River is preparing to meet the challenges of Nunavut, particularly in the area of economic development. In view of the necessity for economic growth, a group of my constituents have, over the past two years, banded together to form the Apitak Development Corporation. Named for one of the forefathers of our community, this corporation is comprised of 30 Inuit shareholders who have committed themselves to establishing training and business ventures that at once reflect the desires and the needs of the community and stimulate the economy.

Over the past 18 months, Apitak has established a visitor's centre, taxi services and staff housing for some teachers. It has trained six cooks and four community tourist guides. It has purchased carving stone to sell back to the carvers of the community. It has supported the Prenatal Nutrition Project in the community and has recently taken over the administration of the Igutaq Arts and Crafts Group. It has taken over the POI fuel contract in the community.

In conjunction with Apitak Development Corporation, a tourism industry is developing slowly but surely in Clyde River as well. Qullikkut Guides Ltd, which is owned by a group of hunters from our community, has attracted over $40,000 tourism dollars in the last month alone.

Employing ten men from the community, Qullikkut runs tours dealing with dog team and snowmobile trips in the spring and boat tours in the summer. Visitors are drawn to our community by the spectacular scenery and wildlife such as polar bears and the bowhead whales I mentioned last week. Sam Ford Fiord, in particular, is becoming a world renowned site for the big wall climbers, and a National Geographic team is presently on site making a television production and a magazine article of the area.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that this kind of grassroots community development that is from the people and for the people is the basis upon which Nunavut will come to be a reality. Mr. Speaker, I would like to conclude my statement, please.

The Member for Baffin Centre is seeking

unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do we have any nays? Mr. Enuaraq, you have unanimous consent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hope this Assembly and the new Assembly of Nunavut will see fit to support the initiative of Apitak Development Corporation, and Quillikkut Guides and other community-based development organizations in the future.

The good news in Clyde River continues. I am pleased to tell this House that I was privileged to open Ilisaqsivik on March 2nd during one of my visits to my home community. Ilisaqsivik is a family resource centre housing the Health Children Programs, the community library, two counselling units, the Elders' office, and the office for Suqqaqkut, the Clyde River Women's Group. This centre has already had many positive repercussions in the community and has become a focus for groups and individuals from the community itself who are dedicated to supporting functional family life and social well-being in general. There is great potential in this project and others like it to build Nunavut on a solid foundation.

Mr. Speaker, I intend to do my best to support these initiatives by lobbying for funds and other kinds of support to maintain community development such as this in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Members' statements. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have many laws and regulations governing public and their safety. Public facilities have many requirements to fulfil before they can open their doors for new businesses. However, Mr. Speaker, concerns have been brought to my attention over the lack of public facilities for parents with infants who require change room facilities. Many public areas do not have any facilities for parents who, in many cases, are forced to change their infants on dirty washroom floors or atop public tables. Some newer facilities are now providing a wall mounted change table in their washrooms as a courtesy to their customers, and they are to be commended for this because it is not a requirement. I understand this piece of equipment retails for less than $300 and are sometimes installed in disabled washrooms, which are more spacious but can also be found in both men and women's washrooms in newer facilities.

Across the north, where we have such a young population, parents and caregivers are sometimes forced to use open areas or washroom floors to change infants which, as I am aware and I am sure all Members are aware, they are not always the most sanitary or safe. I would ask the Minister to consider incorporating a requirement for public washrooms to include changing facilities for infants such as a wall mounted change table in future amendments that he may be proposing for the act.

A new amendment to legislation to put the requirement of this small piece of equipment in public facilities would certainly be accommodating for the vast number of infants we have across the territories who require this facility. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to introduce members of my family in the public gallery, my son George, my granddaughter Georgina, my grandson Jonathan, and my staff member, Patsy. Thank you.

--Applause

Welcome to the Assembly. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize John Quirke, who will be the future Clerk of the Nunavut Assembly. Mr. Quirke is a constituent of Yellowknife South, and we will hate to lose him. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services. I wonder if the Minister could give this House an update as to the status of the proposed new Arviat Health Centre? Thank you.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Ng.

Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Finance answered last week, it is one of the projects that is identified under the P3 pilots. With that as a consideration, there is going to be a request for qualified bids and request for proposals' outlines over the course of the next two to three weeks. In respect to the actual facility and a functional program in that facility itself, I know there is still work continuing on into the size and which programs are going to be required for that facility. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I did pose this question last week, and unfortunately, was not able to get all of the information I requested. Therefore, the second part of my question to the Minister is, does he have a timeframe in mind that the people of Arviat can look forward to as to when the process will be started? Thank you.

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the process has been underway for quite a well in respect to some of the initial planning for the facility. Could the Member clarify his question, is he referring to substantive construction, the hope is to get as far as possible so that we could possibly start some foundation work this year, certainly, with some of the more substantive building construction early in the next year? Right now, it is a matter of timing in respect to how quickly we can get out these proposal calls, how quickly the response is to come in and they are evaluated and signed off, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.