Thank you. Members' statements. The Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Rabesca.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to comment on the progress of Rae-Edzo airport project. If you recall, last year the Grand Chief, Joe Rabesca announced that as a result of lack of commitment from this government, the community of Rae-Edzo would start construction of its own airport. This project would be considered as on the job training for residents of Rae-Edzo, in order that these residents obtain marketable skills that could be used in the mining sector, et cetera.

I would like to inform you today that there are currently 15 residents working and training at the airport site. Work is progressing at a fairly good rate. There is still a problem securing support for this project. We feel we are demonstrating our seriousness, dedication to this project and would hope that this government can provide support for what we are doing. This project's main focus is to provide training to residents to allow them the opportunity to get employment in the mining sector or within the region. This is very beneficial in the area of high unemployment as we continue to experience. We gain a more knowledgable work force but also gives hope to residents who are currently on income support or nothing at all. This is a very positive project and I would hope that the government supports its residents of Rae-Edzo to complete this project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. The Member for Kivallivik, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. O'Brien. Mr. Speaker, as Mr. O'Brien just said, this morning with the Honourable John Todd and the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation, Jerry Ell, and Mr. Han Shood, CEO of the China/High Jung International Project Corporation of China, via telephone from New York, we made a very exciting announcement for the people of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. An agreement has been reached with the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation and this Chinese Corporation to look at the development and export of seal pelts, oil and meat. Mr. Speaker, additionally other sustainable harvest of arctic white fox, shrimp, turbot and the possible development of a rendering plant to be constructed has been discussed. Mr. Speaker, the 800 million plus population in China is an incredible market place to access. The potential here is unlimited, Mr. Speaker.

In conversation with some of my Nunavut colleagues in this House, we are excited by the possibilities of this development. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the honourable Mr. Todd and especially, Mr. Morin, our Premier who had the foresight last year to actually go to China and make the initial contacts with these people. Mr. Speaker, sometimes we have to spend money at the front end to make money at the back end.

--Applause

Mr. Speaker, this is indeed, good news for all of Nunavut and for the fur harvesters in Nunavut and in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you, Mr. Picco. Members' statements. Mr. Barnabas.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Women's Auxiliary Groups in small communities. Since this government cut the compassionate travel and escort travel the Women's Auxiliary Group have done all they can to raise funds through fund raising. The immediate family has to travel to meet the need of the ill person or the family or to attend a funeral in a different community. Many times relatives have to travel from Grise Fiord, Resolute Bay, Arctic Bay or to other communities in the High Arctic without volunteer groups like the Women's Auxiliary Group travel would not be possible. It is something that the Nunavut government would have to review on April 1, 1999.

In conclusion, I would like to thank the Minister responsible for the Women's Directorate, Honourable Manitok Thompson for assisting these groups when they are in much need of assistance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Evaloarjuk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to voice my support for the community of Pond Inlet and their education council request. With local support from their hamlet council, the new school that will be built has a gymnasium which was designed inadequately. For clarification, the school in Pangnirtung is the same design as the one in Pond Inlet, but the gymnasium is larger. We are all aware of the ongoing cost of inflation each year. If there is a delay in renovating this building, it will eventually cost all that much more in the future.

Another example is the school in Cape Dorset which is adequate, but this is not the case in the higher Arctic communities. If we had adequate facilities for recreation in Pond Inlet, people from other communities would be more apt to visit and use the building. Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that I am not against the communities in the Baffin region, namely Pangnirtung and Cape Dorset, but I am voicing concerns expressed by my constituents.

At the appropriate time, I will be raising questions to the Minister responsible regarding the school in Pond Inlet. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to express my appreciation to the Honourable Stephen Kakfwi for his important announcement earlier on the upcoming carvers conference in October. I would like to thank the Minister and his staff for the hard-work they put into ensuring that this important economic issue is dealt with. I can say on behalf of the carvers in my constituency that they are very much appreciative that the Minister shares their concern and demonstrated that he is prepared to do what he can with the Department of Renewable Resources to assist them. Earlier this morning, Mr. Dent and I both gave speeches at the Prospects North conference here in Yellowknife and discussed economic opportunities arising as a result of division. It was a timely reminder that there are economic challenges to be addressed in advance of April 1, 1999. While I am confident that there are immense economic opportunities ahead, I have voiced my concern in the past about one key sector of the economy and that is the carving industry. All indicators are that there is a down turn in the carving industry and there is a great need to address this situation.

There is a high level of concern throughout Nunavut, and especially in the south Baffin communities that I represent, Kimmirut, Cape Dorset and Sanikiluaq. It goes without saying that carving not only fuels the imagination of carvers and their consumers, but also fuels the local economy. Carving has put food on the table, pays the bills and provides the only source of income for a large percent of my constituents. Mr. Speaker, it is my sincere hope that the upcoming carvers conference announced by Mr. Kakfwi will serve to identify the problems and outline solutions where carvers, community owned businesses, marketers and government can work together to improve the economy of these communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River, Madam Groenewegen.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Todd

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with the sitting of the Legislative Assembly coming to an end in the next several days, I would like to take this opportunity to speak about an issue that is of growing concern to me. Mr. Speaker, we are six short months away from division of the Northwest Territories. The work to ensure that there are functioning governments in both territories is a massive task. A great deal of work has been accomplished to date, and a great deal of work remains to be done. We have achieved the progress that has been made to date on this historic undertaking, Mr. Speaker, because we have been able to maintain a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect between the parties to this process. We have undertaken many complicated discussions and negotiations so far. They have occasionally been contentious and they have not been without differences of opinions. We have reached mutually satisfactory arrangements on a number of difficult issues because all of the players have demonstrated a fundamental and abiding respect for the objectives of division and the individual and different desires of the various groups at the table. It is, therefore, disappointing to me on a personal level to detect that the good will which has brought us this far is beginning to erode as the time for division draws near.

I am hearing comments in this House and outside of it which serve to entrench positions based on east or west. Equally disturbing are comments that question the rule or the motivations of others in the process. As well, I am hearing discussions in the public that suggest to me there is increasing polarization of opinion east and west reflective of narrow self interest rather than the concern for the greater good of the residents of the NWT. For example, preliminary estimates indicate, I am told, that the division of the NWT Power Corporation will result in a rate increase of between seven to ten percent in the Eastern Arctic and 5.7 percent in the west. This means, Mr. Speaker, that a family struggling to pay a power bill of $300 a month will see an increase of over $320 a year to their power bill in the east and $205 in the west.

Mr. Speaker, as division approaches it is only appropriate that the Members of this House and the parties to division and that residents from both Nunavut and the western Northwest Territories begin to focus on the future of their respective territories. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude the rare statements I make as an Ordinary Member.

Thank you. Mr. Todd is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do we have any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Todd, you have unanimous consent to conclude your statement.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you colleagues. Mr. Speaker, as division approaches it is only appropriate that Members of this House, the parties to division and residents from both Nunavut and the western Northwest Territories begin to focus on the future of the respective territories. The people of Nunavut are rightly excited about the possibilities that a new territory presents. So too should the residents of the western Northwest Territories be excited about the unique opportunity they have to redefine how government is delivered in the west.

However, Mr. Speaker as we move closer to April 1st we would do well to remember that the people in Nunavut and the western Northwest Territories will continued to be joined by much more than a common history. The bonds and the special relationship we have as Northerners will not disappear with a simple establishment of a boundary. Our mutual interest are too many and varied for that to occur. We have been able to move a long way down the path of division without individual self interest and narrow political agendas making the job more difficult. It is my hope that in the next six months that all Members of this House will continue to work together in the best interest of all people in the Northwest Territories no matter which side of the boarder we live on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about an university/college entrance program. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance had wanted some ideas on how to spend any surplus money and in keeping with the motion that had been passed last session that we should spend money on education, I am making a specific recommendation that this government should develop and deliver a one-year university/college entrance preparation program. Currently, the federal government does fund certain students to upgrade and gain admission into university and college. This program has been evolving since 1968. The problems are first, that all long-term Northerners do not get funding for this program. The second problem and probably even more outstanding, is the fact that the north does not deliver such a program here so people receiving this funding could enrol in a program. The problem now is that this money is just being used for upgrading and other students are going south to receive their university and college preparation.

The solution as I am saying is that the government needs to develop and deliver a university/college entrance program which would refresh students academically who have been out of school for a long time, teach them success skills for learning, how to learn, how to study, how to manage their time and very importantly how to do research and how to write a paper. Without these skills, students have a very difficult time surviving university or college. The program I envision would be funded by student financial assistance for one year and it would be for all long-term Northerners. I have talked to the college, it would be relatively simple to implement such a course and would be relatively cheap as well.

Mr. Speaker, we simply cannot continue to send people to college or university without the tools to succeed. Too many have had bad experiences and never go back. It is a waste of money, time and human resources. We need to ensure that long-term Northerners have the tools to get off income support and to work for this government if they so wish. Mr. Speaker, a UCEP program is one way to do that. Thank you.

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently I had the opportunity to drive the Mackenzie Highway from Yellowknife to Alberta. I must say, the condition on the portion of the highway south of Rae has certainly improved over the past number of years. I recently addressed the issue of increasing the speed limit on the highway portion south of Rae to the Alberta boarder as this portion of the road is certainly comparable to highways in neighbouring provinces. However, I am dismayed at the condition of the highway between Rae and Yellowknife, quite frankly Mr. Speaker, this portion of the highway is a mess and an embarrassment to the citizens of the Northwest Territories.

During my trip I had the opportunity to meet with fellow travellers and tourist to the north. They too are dismayed at the condition of the highway and I listened to their frustration caused by the condition of that particular road. One would think that a highway, especially to a capital city would improve as you neared the destination, not get worse. We have back roads around this community which are in better condition. I certainly see why the speed limit on this section is 90 kilometres and wonder just how many travellers actually can do that speed limit, I certainly could not Mr. Speaker. I am surprised we are not hearing of more accidents on this section of a major northern highway.

I raise this issue, Mr. Speaker, in the House today to create awareness to my fellow colleagues who may not have had the opportunity to travel this section of the highway and also to state to the Minister of Transportation that this section of the highway urgently needs addressing. Later today, I will be addressing some questions to the Minister on that portion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause