Thank you. Ministers' statements. Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, similar to the territorial government, governments throughout Canada and the United States are adopting community development approaches. This is in response to difficult social and economic conditions. Government budgets are shrinking and communities are demanding more say over priorities, programs and services. We are not the only government to have embraced this change in how we do business.

Mr. Speaker, I recently saw first-hand how the province of Manitoba has approached community development. I was proud to lead an NWT delegation to Brandon, Manitoba to attend the Department of Rural Development's Rural Forum 1998.

This forum was a celebration of community development success. It showcased the community development efforts of rural Manitoba. There were over 350 small business and food product displays, a youth and northern forum, seminars, conferences, workshops, guest speakers and special events.

A northern committee of NWT, Nunavut and northern Manitoba elected officials and staff met for over a day to discuss community development issues and practices in remote communities. This meeting was very positive. The committee has decided to meet again to discuss developing a northern Manitoba/NWT/Nunavut rural forum.

As a result of attending the rural forum, Manitoba is now providing technical expertise to Coral Harbour in country food processing. It is assisting Keewatin communities in developing community-based planning programs. Manitoba is also considering an investment in the Kivalliq Partners in Development, to cost share a trade and investment specialist position.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT is developing a memorandum of understanding with the Province of Manitoba to consider partnership and exchange opportunities that benefit both places. I am glad to say that this partnership is off to a great start. Mr. Speaker, our attendance was organized by the Kivalliq Partners in Development. They provided the support for Keewatin businesses, residents and mayors to attend. They are to be congratulated for developing a partnership with Manitoba that clearly benefits their clients. Mr. Speaker, the Province of Manitoba and community of Brandon provided wonderful hospitality to our delegation. My special thanks to Premier Filmon, Minister Derkach, Brandon's Mayor Atkinson and the people of Manitoba for allowing us to share and experience their rural forum and community development success. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you. Ministers' statements. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, subsection 100 of the Financial Administration Act requires the Workers' Compensation Board to prepare an annual report of its operations for the Minister responsible to approve and bring to this House. I rise today to table the Annual Report of the NWT Workers' Compensation Board for the period January 1 to December 31, 1997.

At the same time, Mr. Speaker, the WCB worked hard in 1997 to balance its responsibilities for accident prevention and safety enforcement:

Safety Education Programs were revised and delivered to workers and employers across the NWT. Safety seminars and examinations were provided at all NWT mine sites. Regular inspections were conducted at all NWT mines and major work sites. The Mine Occupational Health and Safety Legislation Committee produced a very comprehensive and virtually unanimous report. Events were organized to mark both the North American Occupational Safety and Health Week and the Annual Mine Rescue Competition.

Mr. Speaker, the numbers shown in this Annual Report reflects the success of the WCB's many programs and initiatives. Perhaps the most significant influence on the financial health of this organization has been the success of the WCB's investment portfolio. This, again, is no accident. In 1995 and 1996, the WCB made significant changes to its investment policies and assets mix model. A more aggressive and better balanced investment strategy has resulted in three successive years of solid investment performance. Despite high expectations and ambitious targets, the WCB's investment managers met their objectives in 1997 with another exceptional year in the equity markets. The WCB's investment success, low interest rates and liabilities below actuarial projections, combined to create a $20 million operating surplus in 1997.

The NWT Workers' Compensation Board took advantage of this financial position and once again moved to protect its accident fund for the future. The catastrophe reserve, set aside to provide for unforeseen workplace disasters, was doubled and now totals almost $10 million. The WCB created a special reserve of $4.5 million to cover the one-time impact of events which are beyond the board's control. Finally, Mr. Speaker, $10.5 million was added to the WCB's operating reserve to safeguard employer assessment rates during the periods of increased claims of low revenue. Through it all, Mr. Speaker, the commitment of the NWT Workers' Compensation Board remains to its stakeholders. Since 1996, the WCB has consistently reflected its financial success by decreasing employer assessment rates and increasing benefits to injured workers.

--Applause

Thank you. Ministers' statements. Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Ministers' statements. Item 4, Members' statements. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak briefly about both the communities I have the honour of representing, they are of course, Arviat and Baker Lake. Mr. Speaker, I attended the official opening of the new Inuit Heritage Centre in Baker Lake yesterday. The Governor General of Canada and his wife, along with Mr. Jose Kusugak, Senator Willy Adams, Peter Ernerk and Mayor David Tagoona were just a few of the guests who attended the opening. Mr. Speaker, this was an historic day for the people of Baker Lake. I hope some day my colleagues will have the opportunity to visit this magnificent centre.

Mr. Speaker, I am also pleased to state that Ms. Roxanne Baker, the daughter of Simona Baker, my constituency assistant and also Abbygail Noah of Baker Lake are two of ten young adults selected to participate in a pilot project known as the Nunavut Youth Abroad Program. This program is aimed at cultivating leadership, cross cultural awareness, individual career goals and international citizenship. In an effort to enhance student participation in education, the program offers life changing work and travel experiences. Roxanne and Abbygail will travel to southern Canada this summer where they will both earn credits in the work placement while gaining general exposure to southern work and life styles. This program will also provide Roxanne, Abbygail and other youngsters with a window to the world through direct experience. Mr. Speaker, I wish both Roxanne and Abbygail and the other students well and hope that they have an excellent time this summer travelling southern Canada. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to wish my colleagues and the residents of Arviat and Baker Lake a pleasant and safe summer. Thank you.

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Krutko.

Members' statements. Mr. Enuaraq.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On May 30th and 31st in Broughton Island, there was a young person who walked for love. There were a few young people who walked about 80 to 85 miles and these young people are: Laz Koksiak, Monica Audlakiak, Jimmy Audlakiak, Danny Audlakiak, Lucy Anne Kuniliusie and Alice Keyutak. I would like to congratulate them for the work they have done for their communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak about forced sterilization. Mr. Speaker, recently we have seen headlines in the Edmonton Journal about the Alberta government compensating women who had been sterilized without their consent. Apparently, Alberta and British Columbia were the only Canadian provinces having this type of program. People have called these acts barbaric and horrific. They want to know how this could have happened in Canada? Mr. Speaker, this was not the only sterilization program in the world. There were similar programs in Austria, Norway, Switzerland, Finland, Belgium and Sweden. In fact, in Sweden from 1934 to 1974, almost 63,000 people were sterilized and the Swedish government said it was because they were unable to raise children. In the U.S.A. from 1972 to 1978, over 3,400 native women were sterilized without their consent. This was to control populations on the reservations. Native American women during that same time period had rates of induced abortions which were increased from 34 to 77 for 1,000, which is over double. In Canada, sterilizations were authorized through the Sexual Sterilization Act, which was later repealed in 1972. In British Columbia, 400 people were sterilized, but in Alberta, they went all out. At least 2,800 people were sterilized between 1928 and 1972, probably some from the north as well. They were sterilized if they had mental deficiencies, were retarded or if they were bad parents. The patients were from all over western Canada and they were sterilized at the Charles Camsell Hospital in Edmonton or in Red Deer.

We know that our native people have been sent to the Charles Camsell Hospital for years and years and many still are. Some of those women were sterilized. It seems native women were sterilized even if they were not sick or retarded or in any other dangerous situation. I have been informed that in the 1960s and 70s, women from Dettah asked their local priests why they did not have any children for the past three or four years. They had found out later that they had been sent to and delivered their children at the Charles Camsell Hospital and were sterilized afterwards. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I was saying, these women found out that they had been sterilized at the Charles Camsell Hospital and in 1996, a woman sued the Alberta government for this very same thing and she won close to $1 million. Since then, the Alberta government has been dealing with such people on a case-by-case basis. In March, they started a bill to compensate victims of up to $150,000 each, but that was later withdrawn because of complaints that they should not limit it to that amount. Mr. Speaker, the question is, will NWT women who were sterilized without their consent also be compensated. At the appropriate time, I will be asking the appropriate Minister questions in this area. Thank you.

--Applause.

Members' statements. Mr. Rabesca.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, while I reviewed my schedule for this summer, I realized how busy the western NWT will be. We have many important issues that must be settled. The different aboriginal groups will all have their assemblies and without a doubt, one of the big topics of these will be the division/boundary issue. The western constitutional talks are under way and all western communities must get involved in these discussions, as well as the residents of the western NWT. This is very important to all of us. We need public input to ensure the constitution is set up the way we all collectively want it.

We now have the boundary commission established, which needs to get moving and discuss the boundary issue with all of our residents. I feel this commission must finalize this once and for all. All residents must have a fair and equitable representation. It is their right as Canadian residents. We must find a way to ensure we have full aboriginal support and input for this to succeed. Our government cannot be perceived to be favouring the larger centres because of the higher population basis. Finally, I would like to wish all of my colleagues a safe and relaxing journey to your families and communities and have a good summer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Roland.

Members' statements. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Members' statements. Mr. Miltenberger.