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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to provide Members with an update on the Department of Health and Social Services' strategic plan, Shaping Our Future: A Strategic Plan for Health and Wellness.

During the next few years, the people of the north face historic change. Shaping Our Future provides a framework for the governments of Nunavut and the Western Territory to develop effective and sustainable health and social services systems that will meet people's needs now and well into the next century.

This plan results from the department's strategic planning activities over the past 18 months. Creating the plan involved extensive consultations by boards and the department with the public, non-profit groups, associations and other departments. Shaping Our Future identifies the challenges to improving health and well-being. It provides a framework for making improvements to the delivery and management of services. Over the next few years when two new governments are developing, the plan will provide a focus on our most pressing health and social issues.

During our consultations, we heard from people across the north about what is important to them. We heard about their expectations and needs and about how we can improve the system. We also heard that we cannot wait to make changes to improve the health of our children, youth, families and communities. Mr. Speaker, we must address health and social issues today. Many people stressed the importance of fair and equal access to services. They want to take greater ownership of personal and community issues, supported by government.

The system must be managed so that basic health and social needs can always be met. The system must place the needs of individuals and families first. Mr. Speaker, services should be coordinated and integrated so people get the services they need when they need them.

Shaping Our Future is a commitment to make improvements where they are needed and to keep the things that are working well.

The plan focuses on three areas:

1. increasing partnerships between different agencies at all levels to provide better services;

2. involving all of the government in improving health and well-being by dealing with the underlying causes of health and social problems, such as

-low income and education,

-unemployment,

-poor lifestyle choices,

-addictions,

-abuse, violence and crime,

-inadequate housing and environmental pollution; and finally

3. improving the network of programs and services.

The plan will be distributed to MLA's, boards, departments and interested agencies over the next few weeks. A summary of the plan will be available to the public at their local health and social services office or from their board. The plan will also be posted to the department's world wide web.

We will, Mr. Speaker, collaborate with our partners to move this plan into action. Some work is just beginning. For example, we are developing a Mental Health Strategy and a Health Promotion Strategy to address coordination and gaps in service delivery for these areas.

Other work is well underway. Health Suite and the Child Welfare Information System are two new information systems that will improve our management and use of the information we collect. These new systems will be installed once new computers are available in local and regional offices.

These activities highlight the department's commitment to improve health and well-being as well as our public system of programs and services. These activities show that we are prepared to act on the directions spelled out in our strategic plan.

The work that went into this plan and the work that continues will allow a stable start for the two new governments. In the future, we need to keep our commitment to the people by keeping health and social issues a government priority. Mr. Speaker, we look forward to working with the public and our partners to meet the needs of northerners with innovation, cooperation and collaboration.

Mr. Speaker, later today I will table a summary of Shaping Our Future: A Strategic Plan For Health And Wellness. For further information on the plan and related activities, I invite Members to visit the display set up in the Great Hall. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you. Ministers' statements. Ms. Thompson.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to advise Members today of the progress that has been made on the Municipal Finance Review. This review is being done by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, in partnership with the NWT Association of Municipalities. Members may recall this was an initiative highlighted in MACA's 97-98 and 98-99 business plans.

Mr. Speaker, community governments have raised concerns with the current provisions of MACA's funding programs. The NWT Association of Municipalities also requested this review in a resolution at their 1996 Annual General Meeting.

Mr. Speaker, last Friday the NWT Association of Municipalities and MACA presented the first two public consultation documents to community governments at the association's annual general meeting in Hay River. I will be providing copies of these two documents to Members of this Assembly today. The first document is called the Municipal Finance Review portfolio. It is intended to be a consultation primer and provide stakeholders with a brief overview of the issues, components, possible outcomes and consultation schedule. The second document is called Part 2, Building Key Concepts. It discusses issues that are important for early consideration, before proposals to revise existing funding arrangements are fully developed. In September a third document called, Understanding the Funding Distribution Options, will present stakeholders with proposals for a new financial relationship with community governments. It will also include analysis of how these possible changes could affect the funding available to each community and their financial bottom line.

Mr. Speaker, I invite all Members to take the time to review these documents and discuss them with their constituents. Any comments, concerns or other feedback from Members would be very much appreciated. In addition to consultations with community governments, a number of other stakeholders will be consulted by MACA and the Association. These include band councils and Metis locals, the Office of the Interim Commissioner, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and other First Nations organizations.

Mr. Speaker, consultation on the Municipal Financing Review will continue through to mid-December. Then the feedback and advice received will be combined. Final proposals will be developed for joint recommendation by the association and the department for presentation to the two new territorial governments on April 1, 1999. It will be up to the two new governments to decide when and how these recommendations might then be implemented. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Ministers' statements. Mr. Antoine.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise this Assembly that a number of productive discussions have recently taken place between my department and the Alberta Department of Transportation and Utilities. With the participation of the Regulatory Reform Secretariat and the Minister responsible for the Regulatory Reform Secretariat, the focus of these discussions has centred on the areas of regulatory harmonization and the reduction of barriers to trade for the motor carrier industry. The aim is to provide a seamless program between the two jurisdictions with the goal of increased highway safety, a smooth flow of goods across borders and ultimate cost benefits to our consumers.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that the first step toward harmonization with Alberta was taken on May 29, 1998 when Premier Don Morin signed a Memorandum of Understanding on my behalf for the Partners in Compliance Program. The Partners in Compliance Program started as a joint and innovative program between Alberta Transportation and Utilities and the Alberta Trucking Association in 1995. Under the program, transportation carriers, including truck and bus operators, commit to a high level of compliance and safety performance based on a system of benchmarks reporting and general monitoring.

Carriers who participate in this voluntary safety program are rewarded with a number of operational and administrative considerations, such as reduced random inspections and less paperwork, in return for their increased commitment to highway safety. Government benefits from greater regulatory compliance, improved highway safety and the ability to refocus enforcement efforts and resources on those carriers requiring greater attention.

Mr. Speaker, the signing of this agreement means greater cooperation between Alberta and the Northwest Territories, as this program expands to include the Government of the Northwest Territories and the NWT Motor Transport Association. It is seen as the first step toward national and international participation in the Partners in Compliance program.

I am pleased at the cooperation shown between Alberta and the Northwest Territories and further, Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to implement a program aimed at improving motor carrier safety through the cooperation, trust and good judgement of responsible carriers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you. Ministers' statements. Ms. Thompson

Mr. Speaker, on May 23rd and 24th the Sport North Federation held its Annual General Meeting in Yellowknife. Representatives from 32 territorial sport organizations, along with recreation leaders from across the Northwest Territories attended the meeting.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that the delegates made preparations for the future of Sport North. The delegates formed Nunavut and Western Caucuses. They discussed the future of Sport North for the Western Territory and the creation of Sport Nunavut for the Nunavut territory. The Western Caucus reviewed how Sport North is currently organized and considered recommendations for the future.

The Nunavut Caucus supported an interim constitution and bylaws, which form the working documents that will guide the creation of Sport Nunavut.

Mr. Speaker, the Nunavut delegates elected an Interim board to work on incorporating the Sport Nunavut Federation as a society. The Interim board is expected to submit a draft Sport Nunavut proposal to the Interim Commissioner, to me and to the Nunavut Deputy Minister of Community Government, Housing and Transportation. Meanwhile, Mr. Speaker, Sport North will continue to represent the territories until the founding Sport Nunavut meeting is held. Sport North will also work with the Interim board to ensure a smooth transition between the two sport organizations. Through the combined efforts of Sport North, the territorial sport organizations, community governments and MACA, more northerners are benefiting from sport programs than ever before.

Mr. Speaker, this will be an exciting year for all partners involved in sport across the territories. The challenge today is to continue the development of sport programs for our children and youth at the grassroots level, while preparing and planning for the future. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs will continue its support by providing healthy lifestyle choices and recreation activities to all northern residents. We are committed to:

-providing the necessary sport and recreation facilities to communities,

-fostering the development of sport and recreation programs throughout the territories,

-assisting Sport North in carrying out its mandate, and

-helping to make Sport Nunavut a reality.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker

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

Thank you. Members' statements. Mrs. Groenewegen.

The Member for Hay River is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Do we have any nays? Mrs. Groenewegen, you have unanimous consent.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Roland.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Steen.

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