Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Rabesca.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, many times in the House we often criticize this government by giving

credit where credit is due. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the government and also the Nunavut construction company for the many projects that are being carried out in my riding over the past number of months. Mr. Speaker, it has been stated by a number of business people that in Arviat, for example, this is probably the busiest year in ten years for construction. Mr. Speaker, this is certainly welcome news in the community where we have most of the time, between 75 and 80 percent of unemployment. Thank you.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Krutko.

The Member for Mackenzie Delta is seeking

unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do we have any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Krutko, you have unanimous consent.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Barnabas.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First I would like to state that it is my eldest son, Robert's, birthday today. I would like to wish him a happy birthday.

Mr. Speaker, I stand today to speak about decentralized government in Nunavut being developed. We can really see it because of the buildings that are being built to house the office for decentralization of some services from the departments. We were told that when we were having a meeting in July, at the Baffin Leader's Meeting, when the decentralization is in the process that it would help the local people from the communities. The buildings would be built to house the new services being transferred to the communities. Local people can acquire some jobs from the decentralization process. In smaller communities, they have always been sidetracked by other communities that are in larger communities acquiring some contracts. I think it is possible to transfer some of the offices to even smaller communities. When we can discuss the possibility of transferring some of these offices to smaller communities, I think it is possible to open up some offices to smaller communities, departmental offices. I will be speaking to this later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Steen.

Thank you. Members' statements. Ms. Thompson.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My constituents of Coral Harbour, Chesterfield Inlet and Repulse Bay and all of Keewatin residents, I would just like to make an announcement. I had also talked about this last spring in Inuktitut on the radio. After I made a trip to China. I reported on all the issues we were dealing with over there. Just recently, there was a press release and announcement on sealskins being harvested in Baffin Island. I feel that this is a very important issue for all Nunavut region. There will be a meeting in Iqaluit regarding this issue with the Chinese businessmen, so I just wanted to notify the people of their area. I think they would be very interested in this upcoming meeting in Iqaluit. I want the people of the Keewatin to be aware of this meeting. I am sure it will affect the people of the Keewatin region as well as Kitikmeot. I would like the people of Keewatin to try to check into this meeting, so they can attend some meetings if they are interested in the sealing industry. People should make themselves involved with this very important initiative and I just wanted my constituents to be aware of this . Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak about two important conferences occurring in Iqaluit this week. One is dealing with suicide prevention measures and counselling training. This workshop builds on previous conferences with many people participating from across Nunavut. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish the conference organizers and participants much success with this important topic. The second conference has brought approximately 400 delegates from all across Nunavut, Nunavik and the south for a Bible related meeting. Many Iqaluit residents have opened their homes to help billet the large gathering. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the residents who have helped house the approximately 400 people. I would also like to wish them well with their meeting. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Enuaraq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to discuss Clyde River's accumulated debt. The community has been incurring a deficit since 1982. The debt currently stands at over $600,000. This debt is due to the hamlet delivering programs and services that are the responsibility of the territorial government. In many instances, where territorial staff or infrastructure was not available, the hamlet was

enlisted by the government to deliver those services.

As division fast approaches, the hamlet, myself and the future Nunavut government is concerned that this debt incurred by the current territorial government will remain unpaid. If this issue is not dealt with, it will be an issue that will be carried on past division. It is most likely that the hamlet, which has very limited resources of its own, or the new government will have to resolve this problem. Mr. Speaker, as the date for the formation of the two new territories becomes closer, this issue increases in magnitude. I strongly encourage the government to meet its financial responsibilities to the community of Clyde River prior to division. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have often heard comments that government moves slowly. If you tend to be like myself, I have been accused of being impatient. It seems to me that it moves a little slower sometimes. Last September, Mr. Krutko from Resource Management, Mr. Ootes, Mr. Erasmus, Mr. Dent and Mr. Todd and myself took a trip to what is now recognized as the diamond capital of the world, Antwerp, and we also visited London to get ourselves an education on what benefits the Northwest Territories could muster and obtain out of the new diamond industry that was starting in the Northwest Territories. It was not long, Mr. Speaker, before we all realized there was a dream to be had there. We had seen and heard from enough people that there were opportunities that could take place in the Northwest Territories by northerners, with some assistance, that we could be involved in a new industry that would start in the Northwest Territories. Today's announcement by Mr. Kakfwi is extremely good news for all the people of Canada, the Northwest Territories and, in particular, Yellowknife with the announcement that Sirius Diamonds will be setting up an operation here. It speaks well for this government and for the Members who encouraged this government along to create and work on this initiative when there were so many nay sayers. We had come back from London and Antwerp and we had been told by DIAND officials, we had heard from the industry, we had heard from numerous experts, you cannot do that in the north. It is always done in Antwerp.

Mr. Speaker, I think today is a great day for the Northwest Territories and I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the president of Sirius Diamonds, Jim Ben-Oliel to the Northwest Territories and anticipate they will have much success here. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would just suggest to Antwerp, move over, there is a new kid on the block. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the opening of a new school in the community of Ndilo. Mr. Speaker, on August 31st approximately 25 students began attending a community school in Ndilo. The classes are from kindergarten to grade three. The Yellowknives Dene First Nations have been working on this project for years and the foundation for the school is tradition and culture, with learning taking place in the context of their culture, heritage and language. To this end, a Yellowknife Teacher Education Program graduate teaches the Weledeh dialect language classes. Along with the regular curriculum, the Yellowknives Dene plan to provide the students with opportunities to learn technological skills. This project is a partnership with the Yellowknife School District #1, which supplies supervisory services through a contract. As such, the teachers in Ndilo belong to the Yellowknife #1 bargaining unit. The school is staffed by experienced aboriginal teachers. I might add that they have quadrupled the number of aboriginal teachers in Yellowknife. The school is presently located in the Ndilo education centre with physical education classes held in the community recreation centre. Mr. Speaker, this is the first step in the long-term goal of creating a new facility which house a kindergarten to grade 12 school.

I congratulate the community and the department on this project. I congratulate the community of Ndilo, first for recognizing the problem that students were largely dropping out because of the lack of culture based schooling. Secondly, for their perseverance for seeing this project through. Finally, Mr. Speaker, but not lastly, I congratulate the Minister and his department for listening and responding to the community needs. Thank you.

--Applause