Thank you, Mr. Roland. Good afternoon, colleagues. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Jim Antoine will be absent from the House for the rest of the week to attend a Resource Development Council Conference in Anchorage, Alaska. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Mr. Speaker, later today, on behalf of the Minister responsible for Justice, I will table a proposed Human Rights Act for the Northwest Territories. Tabling of this draft bill is the latest stage in our consultation with the public. As you no doubt remember, earlier in the fall we released a discussion paper on the proposed act. I am pleased to report that response by concerned groups to this discussion paper has been positive so far.

We are taking a somewhat unusual step in tabling this draft instead of introducing it in the House for first reading, that is because we want the public to review this draft and give us their opinions. This draft will be included in the consultation package that we are preparing now.

The Department of Justice has two goals: to create legislation that meets the needs and expectations of northern people, and to meet national requirements such as rulings by the Supreme Court of Canada. During the rest of this month and into December, the Department of Justice will be preparing further consultation materials that deal with the various interests and concerns people have raised with us so far. The departments staff will also conduct further research into some of the issues associated with this type of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation will replace the Fair Practices Act, which has been our human rights law since 1966. The Fair Practices Act is a good law, but over the years human rights legislation has advanced and we have not kept up. Our aim is to build on the best qualities of the Fair Practices Act to create

a law that satisfies people's wishes and meets national requirements.

Once the draft Human Rights Act is tabled, it becomes a public document. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues here and the public to consider this draft and take part in the consultation process, that way, we will create a law that meets our needs and stands the test of time. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Speaker, I want to share with you today the details of an exciting new program designed to reintegrate older workers back into the workforce. The Older Worker Pilot Project is a joint effort of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, divisional boards of education and district education authorities in the NWT and Human Resources Development Canada.

Mr. Speaker, the Older Worker Pilot Project was developed to help Canada address the issue of unemployment among workers between the ages of 55 and 64, by creating innovative ways for older workers to acquire new skills, while at the same time making a meaningful contribution to society through participation in the labour force.

In the Northwest Territories, the Older Worker Pilot Project will employ 19 workers between the ages of 55 and 64 in schools in the Deh Cho, Beaufort Delta and South Slave regions, as well as in Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, these workers are elders with unique life experience and special language and cultural skills from which young people will benefit. Through interaction with elders employed in the schools, as elders in residence, special needs assistants, literacy mentors and program support assistant trainees, students will acquire knowledge of their traditional values and language. Self-esteem and self-worth in both groups will be enhanced.

Most of the workers hired under the Older Worker Pilot Project will learn on the job under the supervision of the school principal. Together they will decide on specific projects that will allow workers to use their skills effectively, while at the same time providing the greatest benefit to the school.

Mr. Speaker, this unique program will go a long way in addressing the issue of unemployment among older people in NWT communities. These people are untapped sources of knowledge and insight and this program is an opportunity to untap these resources. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Status of Women, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have this opportunity to speak to you today about the Status of Women Council of the NWT. Mr. Speaker, the Status of Women Council of the NWT was established in 1990 with a mandate to work towards the political, social and economic equality of all women in the NWT. The council works to achieve its mandate through research, public education, advocacy on behalf of women and assistance to women's groups.

Since its establishment, the council has undertaken an impressive amount of work in the areas of human rights education, wellness, family violence, income and employment, justice, political representation, and child care.

Given the nature of the council's work, Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that many of the projects they have initiated have not achieved overnight success. More often than not, these projects and initiatives have required a number of years of hard work and dedication. Ongoing and consistent efforts by the council and its staff have resulted in many progressive initiatives. These include:

• • continuing efforts to raise awareness about FAS/FAE;
• • the Women and Children's Healing and Recovery Program, which resulted from the work of the Coalition for New Futures for Northern Women; and
• • establishment of Family Violence Awareness Week, which we plan to make an annual event.

Mr. Speaker, there is a common strength that is reiterated throughout the work of the council. It is the strength of partnerships between non-government agencies and government, Mr. Speaker. The Status of Women Council has developed positive, productive working relationships with numerous agencies and they have shown that partnerships do work. We as a government, Mr. Speaker, have been part of this partnership and I am proud that we have been able to move forward with the council on a common agenda and a common purpose.

Mr. Speaker, later today at the appropriate time, I will be tabling the 1999-2000 Annual Report of the Status of Women Council of the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to clarify the answer I gave during question period on Wednesday, November 8, 2000. The Member for North Slave had asked me, in my capacity as Minister responsible for Transportation, whether the department intended to build a winter road to Wekweti.

My answer did not clearly separate the important difference between the seasonal public winter roads built and maintained by the Department of Transportation and the short-term resupply road the Department of Public Works and Services uses to deliver government cargo to Wekweti more cost effectively by truck than aircraft.

The Department of Transportation's winter roads are built every year and kept open through the season for use by the general public. The Department of Public Works and Service's resupply road to Wekweti is built strictly for the delivery of freight, with no public commitment that it will remain passable for general traffic or kept open any longer than necessary for the delivery of the shipments involved.

The Department of Transportation has never opened a public winter road for general traffic to Wekweti and, at least in the immediate future, has no plans or budget to build one. A public winter road to Wekweti would be 215 kilometres long and cost an estimated $450,000 a year.

In the past, when there has been a winter road into the Colomac mine site, the Department of Public Works and Services found it cost-effective to build a temporary resupply road into Wekweti because it provides cheaper transportation for government cargo than an airlift. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Status of Women, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, October was Women's History Month and a time when the Governor General's Award in Commemoration of the Person's Case is presented. The Government of Canada established this award in 1979 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Person's Case decision, and to salute the contributions of contemporary women in the advancement of women's equality.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to tell you that Mrs. Elizabeth Mackenzie of Rae has been awarded this prestigious honour. Accompanied by her daughter Alice, Mrs. Mackenzie was presented with the award in Ottawa on October 18th by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada.

Mrs. Mackenzie was recognized for her efforts to combine the Dogrib culture and non-aboriginal cultures in the delivery of educational programs in Rae. Mr. Speaker, leaders in the Dogrib region, and indeed throughout the North, have sought and received advice from Mrs. Mackenzie. Her tireless work and her dedication to the mutually respectful merging of cultures has made her a positive role model for women and for all Northerners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister responsible for Justice, I would like to make a statement on Restorative Justice Week. Mr. Speaker, across Canada and around the world, people are observing Restorative Justice Week. This is an international movement to raise public awareness about the realities of crime, criminal justice and corrections. I would like to take a moment to discuss what that means in the NWT.

The philosophy of the restorative justice movement is to find a more holistic way of responding to the needs of people affected by crime and is inspired by aboriginal traditions. It focuses on having offenders take responsibility for their actions and on helping victims of crime recover.

Over the past few years in the NWT, we have been looking for different ways of responding to crime. For example, we have found that community justice committees are a more effective way of dealing with certain types of cases than the court system. I am pleased to note that the number of community justice committees is growing as more communities choose to get involved in this program.

We are working hard to bring the concepts of healing and restitution into our justice system, whether that means alternative measures for young offenders or bringing elders to our jails to work with inmates. Mr. Speaker, this year's theme for Restorative Justice Week is Harmony and Healing: Broken Wings Take New Flight. It is an opportunity for all of us to think about how to support everyone affected by crime and build stronger communities. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we all know, the Government of the Northwest Territories has implemented a Hay Job Evaluation System to rate the Government of the Northwest Territories' jobs and all positions in the territorial government with a point system. Mr. Speaker, this system that we have has to be fair and equitable to all our employees to ensure that they have ways of evaluating performance in the job evaluations of our employees. It has to make sure that everybody is treated fairly and is paid for the services they provide to this government as our employees. In order to do that, we have to ensure that we continue to improve the pay scheduling system that we have in place.

I, for one, feel we do have to continue to improve it, but we have to be fair to all our employees. We cannot classify or declassify individuals for sake of promotion. I feel that we have to do an evaluation, especially when we have senior staff in this government whom we move from one position to another by simply giving them a new heading. I think it is important that the Hay Job Evaluation System is there for all employees and it has to be carried out by all employees. It has to be evaluated to ensure that they are being paid fairly, but also for the underpaid employees that we are not overlooking them in the area of benefits, services, and wage differences.

We have to clearly see if there is a job evaluation system in place for the new positions that have been announced by this government with regard to the chief of staff. I feel it is important that we look at that in conjunction with the position that was previously the executive assistant position. If this position is the same or this person took on more responsibility, how do you classify that position?

We have a system in place to evaluate the individuals and we also have a system to ensure that the job is also evaluated so that other people doing the same work are treated the same, and have the same opportunities to be treated fairly and equitably. All employees of this government have to realize that for the work they do, their performance on behalf of this government, they are paid fairly and equitably and it is distributed up and down the ranks. With that, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Premier questions on this matter later on. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Déclarations de députés. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this being National Addictions Awareness Week, I wanted to lend my support and acknowledge some groups and individuals who are working hard to spread the word and educate people across the Northwest Territories on all the problems associated with addictions. I want to commend the National Women's Association, the Native Women's Association, the Status of Women Council of the Northwest Territories and the Department of Health and Social Services for their effort to develop the material being issued in the FAS/FAE awareness campaign.

Mr. Speaker, we must do everything we possibly can to help raise the awareness around this very important and harmful issue. Mr. Speaker, I have been very blessed with being one of 13 kids brought up in a family whose mother did not drink or smoke. As a result of that, all 12 of us now are very healthy, the oldest being 78, the youngest being 50.

I have been very blessed with two grandkids from one of my daughters who refused to drink or smoke during her pregnancy. I am enjoying two grandsons who are very strong and healthy for that reason now. My oldest daughter, Michelle, seven-and-a-half months ago found out she was pregnant. Michelle is a very ordinary girl who likes to have a good time. She was a smoker and enjoyed a sociable drink, but since she found out she was pregnant has refused to drink or smoke.

I hope that she and her husband, Brent, are rewarded with a very strong and healthy baby. I want to thank them for doing their part in keeping the family strong. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Déclarations de députés. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This past weekend, over 950 kids representing over half of the Northwest Territories communities participated in territorial schools' Spike It volleyball tournament in Yellowknife. Over 12 teams from Fort Smith alone attended. I am especially pleased to recognize this because I believe not enough has been discussed in this House about preventative measures for community wellness.

Mr. Speaker, I truly believe that individual wellness must go hand-in-hand with economic wellness, otherwise all the economic prosperities we may gain from oil and gas and diamond development will be without any meaning or value.

Mr. Speaker, this week we talked about addictions and we have had government strategies and proposals discussed in this House throughout our past three sessions, but what we do not seem to have is an overall approach, a common thread or focus for preventive efforts. I would like to call on the government to focus more on this important connection.

The point is, Mr. Speaker, there is a strong evidence that boys and girls involved in organized team sports keep healthy and stay out of trouble. This includes eating healthy and laying off cigarettes, drugs and alcohol. Further, it has been found that boys and girls involved in sports have increased self-esteem, lower drop-out rates, get better grades and are more likely than non-athletes to go on to a four-year college or university.

Mr. Speaker, organized sports such as Spike It, Arctic Winter Games, Aboriginal Games and Super Soccer events clearly demonstrate ways the GNWT can successfully become more involved in promoting health and social wellness. Since there is already the interest and infrastructure, additional support for organized sports is a common sense approach for this government to take, that which will give us value for our money. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to speak on the issue of the contract that I questioned the Premier about yesterday. Mr. Speaker, in my questioning to the Premier he made a number of references to previous work in committees and in this House during the interim budget. Mr. Speaker, there were many questions raised about the position that was being created by this government. In fact, at that time, there was no concern that they would have possibly written a contract that does not fall within the Public Service Act. You went back further to saying it was done previously for a number of Assemblies prior. That just goes to show, Mr. Speaker, that we as the Government of the 14th Assembly have not changed anything. We are continuing to do it the old way.

Mr. Speaker, I have, on the advice of the Premier, made the call to the legal staff to request a viewing of this document. As of this time, I have not been able to have a chance to review that and I am going to wait before I continue with this. I still say that the Premier has the opportunity here to save face and table this document or present it to Members so we can deal with it once and for all. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to recognize the Yellowknife Association for Concerned Citizens for Seniors and the fine work they are doing providing services and support for our elders in Yellowknife. The association, known by its short name of YACCS, leases the land where the old Stanton Hospital used to be. It has three facilities for seniors there and is within my constituency, Mr. Speaker.

Aven Manor is a 29-bed long-term care facility. Aven Court is made up of 24 one-bedroom housing units for seniors who can still live independently. The Baker Community Centre is used for social and recreational activities by seniors and the community of Yellowknife.

YACCS recently released its strategic plan for the next three years. They hope Yellowknifers, including seniors and care providers, will share their thoughts and ideas about the plan. The goal is to build a supportive community for the health of seniors. While they were doing their strategic planning, the YACCS board and staff wanted to build on the past successes and set new goals. YACCS intends to maintain the programs and services they currently provide. They will monitor and assess their performance of the board and operators of their facilities. They will develop and maintain a data base on seniors' demographics and needs to use when planning services for seniors. YACCS will determine the most appropriate way for them to participate in addressing the need for seniors' housing and care for seniors with cognitive impairments.

Mr. Speaker, I am very impressed with the work YACCS is doing and with the results of this strategic planning exercise they have just completed. I would like to congratulate them on this work and to wish them luck in the future. I urge all interested Yellowknifers and others to contact the association to see how they can help with the good work that YACCS is doing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Déclarations de députés. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, as well, would like to speak briefly on the good work that the society for the disabled is doing in Fort Smith. Mr. Speaker, the small communities outside of Yellowknife have an even harder task, I believe, of trying to bring resources to bear to improve the quality of life for disabled people. In Fort Smith, this has been a conscious effort for many years and they have won national awards for what they have done in terms of accessibility in public buildings and such for the disabled. Mr. Speaker, the concern is how do we support the people in the small communities? How do we support those societies that often labour in obscurity, unable to get the resources that they need? This is a difficult task. It is a request that requires funding from already scarce resources, but I know in every community there are committed, dedicated people who have devoted their lives to helping the disabled and to making the quality of life better for them.

So I am very happy to hear concerns raised in this House about this issue. We did have a briefing from the Northwest Territories Society for the Disabled. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to take this opportunity to recognize the very many people in Fort Smith. Sister Sutherland is the most prominent spokesperson in our community who has laboured tirelessly for the disabled and done much work on their behalf.

Mr. Speaker, there is not enough money to go around. I do recognize and want to acknowledge the fact that Education, Culture and Employment has given them about $29,000 for a project under the Community Skills for Work Program, which I think is a good start. That support is much appreciated, but I think we should never forget how hard these folks work for our citizens, for our constituents, for our family and our friends in often relative obscurity with insufficient resources. They deserve, I believe, all the recognition and support that we can give them as a Legislature. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Merci, Monsieur Miltenberger. Déclarations de députés. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to take the opportunity to make some comments on an issue that was raised in this House the other day. My honourable colleague for Thebacha asked a series of questions on November 3, 2000 to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on the need for a standardized definition of Metis. I respect my colleague's right to represent the wishes of his constituents and press the government on this issue.

However, Mr. Speaker, my constituents are concerned that the standardized definition of Metis would jeopardize the emerging relationships between the Metis and the federal and territorial governments in regions other than the South Slave. This is not appropriate.

As aboriginal people, the Metis' main relationship and outstanding issues rest with the federal government. Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the definition of a Metis cannot be made without the participation of Metis organizations and the federal government. Indeed some Metis governments are still wrestling with the definition of Metis.

However, this government should not be put in a position to predetermine or prejudice the outcome. I urge the Government of the Northwest Territories to carefully consider their actions in establishing a definition of who is a Metis. A definition that suits the purposes of one claimant group cannot be used to define all of the other Metis claims in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Merci, Mr. McLeod. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to talk a bit about the department's new transportation strategy, Investing in Roads for People and the Economy. I have had a chance, since it has been tabled, to go through the document and have a look at the various different sections there. There are things, Mr. Speaker, that I agree with and there are certainly some things that I do not agree with. I would like to point out one of the things that really irks me with this document, Mr. Speaker.

When we get to the action plan, number 6, one of the things we are suggesting is that we pursue additional federal funding for the Mackenzie Highway extension under the Non-Renewable Resource Development Strategy. It sounds fine, but when we get into the meat of this issue, it is suggested that the development of new roads in the Northwest Territories is an acknowledged federal responsibility. The federal government also reaps the majority of royalty and tax benefits from developments in the Northwest Territories.

I see where we are going with this, Mr. Speaker, and I agree we want somebody else to pay for the roads, but I think this is backwards logic, and I think that it is important that we argue that we need provincial-like authority in this area. We do not want to say to the feds, "You people want to drag the diamonds out of here, they are your diamonds, you go and build the roads." I worry that is in effect what we are saying, Mr. Speaker. I really think that we have got to say to these people, "You know, we will handle this. We will build the roads when you give us control of these resources. We need the royalties and the tax benefits from these resources for our people here." Both the public government and the aboriginal governments should be the ones controlling these resources. It troubles me when the department has a strategy that suggests, well, that is somebody else's problem, they own the resources anyway.

Today, Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for Minister Steen about the highway strategy, but I just wanted to raise this point to let him know that I certainly do not accept or appreciate this approach. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

Mahsi, Mr. Nitah. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member from Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A few weeks ago, the Premier went on record as saying that he was very hopeful and I think a bit anxious that he was going to be able to bring back some good news for this Assembly and for the people of the North, on an investment that we are so deserving of and so anxious to get here in the Northwest Territories to help our economy along and to improve our social situation.

We heard a statement yesterday of an investment that Ottawa is going to make in winter road systems up here. So Mr. Speaker, just in the nick of time, the Premier was able to hang onto his job, because that was what he went on record for a few weeks ago, saying that he felt that might be in jeopardy if he was not able to deliver. The announcement from Ottawa is a welcome one. We are going to see from this $3.7 million about $6 million in investment in a winter road system, and it is going into the right place and into the right project I believe, Mr. Speaker.

It is indeed modest, as the Premier pointed out in his statement yesterday. There is a frustration I think that we all feel compared with the half-billion dollars that the federal government received from leases that were arranged this past summer. It is also very modest compared to the $230 million that we would like to see invested in an overall comprehensive strategy to assist us with our growing economy and our very complex social system.

Mr. Speaker, I know that we are in the midst of a federal election and that things are complex, but I do indeed hope that our government will continue its pressure and its action and its lobbying on our colleagues in Ottawa and in the provinces, and I do hope that the candidates that are successful in this federal election are going to stand up and listen up to what is going on in the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Déclaration de députés. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise again today to speak about fairness, in particular the Student Financial Assistance Program, because I believe that the new Student Financial Assistance Program is not fair in its treatment of some people. The program has increased benefits for most students. However, some who were in the system got lost in the shuffle, I believe. When the program changes were announced by the Minister last spring, it was pointed out to the government that the new rules were not fair to Metis students, and, to this government's credit, they found $500,000 to make the program fair to Metis students.

However, when it is now pointed out that the changes are not fair to some who were promised remissible loans, a promise made in good faith by government employees, the Minister does not choose to act to fix the situation. Mr. Speaker, a fix here would cost far less than the $500,000 it cost to fix the program for Metis students. Mr. Speaker, when asked, in fact, how this can be justified, all the Minister had to say, and I quote from page 1706 of unedited Hansard was, "We have not cut anyone off, Mr. Speaker. There is still availability for all students to access repayable loans."

Mr. Speaker, that is shameful, that is the switch that we are talking about that is not fair. Some people were promised that they would have remissible loans, only to have them taken away part way through their programs. Mr. Speaker, just as what they did for Metis people, this government should bring fairness to those who lost benefits with the introduction to the new system. It would cost very little to stand behind the promises made in good faith by employees of this government. I encourage the Minister to take a serious look at this issue and bring some fairness into play. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a Return to an Oral Question asked by Mr. Delorey on November 3, 2000 regarding ambulance services on Northwest Territories highways. Although there is no lead GNWT department with responsibility for organizing or setting up emergency ambulance services to respond to highway accidents, there are a number of departments that are involved. The Department of Transportation is responsible for establishing the rules of the road, for example, speed limits, and ensuring that the highways are safe to travel on. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has, through its legislation, enabled municipalities to establish ambulance services. The Cities, Towns and Villages Act allows municipalities to pass by-laws concerning ambulance services.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, by agreement with the Government of Canada and the Northwest Territories, have the primary responsibility for responding to emergencies on the public highway system. Depending on the nature of the emergency, the RCMP receive assistance as required from a number of federal, territorial or municipal agencies. Ambulance services are not an insured service under the Medical Care Act. The department does, however, have policies concerning payment of or reimbursement for ambulance services. The Department of Health and Social Services will work with the Departments of Municipal and Community Affairs and Transportation to clarify the mandate and responsibility for ambulance services, establish parameters for development of ambulance services, protocols for receiving and dispatching calls and the provision of services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Member for the Sahtu, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a Return to Oral Question asked by Mr. Bell on November 8, 2000 regarding the review of the Government of the Northwest Territories summer student program. During the summer 2000, corporate human resources coordinated the student working group on student and graduate employment. The students involved with the working group came from a cross-section of government departments and regions. The working group produced a report which included recommendations to improve the student summer employment program. I will be tabling this report later today. The report has been circulated to all departments and it will form the basis for additional discussion on what can be done to improve the government's support for student and graduate hiring. Immediate action has been taken on the recommendations dealing with the development of a web-based student employment site. This work is being undertaken in cooperation with Northward Infonet or NorthWIN. The intention is to enable students to apply for government summer jobs on-line as well as through a more traditional forum. Departments and agencies will then be able to access a complete list of potential student employment through the same web site. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to recognize the grade six and seven class from Weledeh School and their teacher, Jennifer Voytilla. Thank you.

-- Applause

Welcome to the Legislative Assembly. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Colleagues, at this time, I would like to take this opportunity of introducing and welcoming to the gallery the Languages Commissioner for the Northwest Territories, Ms. Fibbie Tatti.

-- Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mot de bienvenue aux visiteurs. Item 6, oral questions. Questions orales. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to address my questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services. They relate to the report, It Takes a Community, a report which was prepared by child welfare services in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, this report points out that Northwest Territories child welfare services are functioning precariously close to the edge in the Territories, but that there are no serious impediments for change beyond the one of financial resources. With that in mind, Mr. Speaker, the report notes the weak accountability systems in the Northwest Territories. Can the Minister advise what has been done to specifically address the accountability issues in the child welfare system? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there have been a number of initiatives which have been undertaken within the department to respond to the recommendations contained in the report that the Member refers to. Specifically in relation to accountability, there have been a number of things done but one thing I know specifically is there has been a new information system that has been set up. Training is being provided to social workers at this time in order to participate in using this system for keeping a record of the child welfare cases which they are responsible for. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe there were about 11 recommendations on training in the report. One in particular had to do with the recommendation developing the comprehensive human resources strategy. Has work begun on such a strategy?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the report also recommended that there be another 22 social workers added in the Northwest Territories. I know that Yellowknife and the Deh Cho region were singled out as especially in need of workers. The Minister has said that she is going to have a review done of the Yellowknife office by the end of November. Since we will not be in session, will she table that report as soon as it is done with the Standing Committee on Social Programs?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the people who sat on this panel, who came here and undertook the work of this review for us, has been invited to come back and specifically look at the situation here in Yellowknife to determine where there may be some changes that could be made to help alleviate some of the pressures on the social workers. When that report is available, yes, I would be prepared to share it with the Social Programs committee. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Minister. Final supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It has now been six months since the report was provided to the Minister. Can the Minister provide us a date when she will have a comprehensive response to the report ready for provision to either this House or the Standing Committee on Social Programs?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not know if I would call it a comprehensive response, but I know there is a response that has been developed within the department to the recommendations contained in this report. If the Standing Committee on Social Programs has not received a copy of that yet, I will undertake to make sure it is made available to them. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Premier. I was encouraged by his response to my previous oral questions about the review of the summer student program. The Premier indicates that immediate action has been taken. One of the things that I am aware of, and I am sure other Members are now getting calls, is that it is the Christmas season. Students will be on Christmas break and many of them intend to come back to the North and work over the break, some of them hopefully for this government. I wonder if, when we talk about immediate action, this report on the recommendations will be implemented and things will be up and running so that students can apply for Christmas work immediately.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was responding to a question about the summer program for students. If he is talking about employing students over the Christmas holidays, I am at a bit of a loss to respond to him. I will have to take the question as notice. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. The question has been taken as notice. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this time my question will be directed to the Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. Mr. Speaker, there has been much activity in my end of the Territory. In the Beaufort Delta there is a promise of approximately $1 billion to be spent over the next five years. We have a lot of companies setting up shop in Inuvik and in the region. I would like to know from the Minister responsible for RWED when his department will set up the oil and gas section in Inuvik? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to say that we have established an oil and gas position in Inuvik already. As oil and gas activity gets underway, then I expect that there will be more demand on our department. As demand increases, we will increase our staff in that field. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What he set up is basically the transfer of a position that was existing already in the community, so he has not done anything new. He seems to want to dress this up a little bit. In fact, there will be a lot of work done. Large companies are setting up shop and opening up offices. When is this government going to move forward on a plan to see some increase in that sector instead of having all the oil companies making an extra stop here to visit their staff? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I too, am very pleased that the position was filled by a local person. I think we would all like to fill all of our positions that way if we could. It is true the position was filled by a man who was already working in our department. I am pleased with that.

As I said, we will seriously consider increasing our staff as the work increases. I think we are beginning to see the start of it now. I anticipate there will be a lot more over the next while. As the need develops, then we will keep reviewing and making sure that we are meeting the demand. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is growing in Yellowknife and there does not seem to be much oil and gas activity in Yellowknife. So why is it that it is growing here and not in the regions it is happening in? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I just wish to clarify that we are not increasing any positions in Yellowknife in the oil and gas area. There will not be an increase. Any increase in positions will be out in the regions. We have three positions this year in the current budget and all three of those are out in the regions. I intend to continue that way unless there is oil and gas found somewhere around Yellowknife. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Final supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am aware there has been some other shifting happening in headquarters to try to cover off this area. Just for the record though, I must agree with the Minister that the individual who filled the position in Inuvik has done great work. In fact, the Minister used his information to give to the committee almost word for word, so I think that is pretty good work.

Mr. Speaker, can he commit to a timeline when this will be reviewed? Will it be reviewed quarterly or annually? Can he commit to something here? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I do not have a specific timeline for reviewing it quarterly or annually or anything like that, but we will certainly be watching what is happening in the Beaufort Delta and all the other areas. We will be monitoring this, I suppose almost continually, in many cases on a weekly basis as work speeds up.

I think most of the work is probably going to happen as long as we have freeze up and we see companies getting in and doing seismic work and other exploration activity. For this year, we will need initially to provide a focus on training and our department is working with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to make sure we meet that goal. We need to work more on business development and support the businesses, so we are watching that all the time. With the resources available to us, Mr. Speaker, we will continue to monitor it. We will add resources where we can, but there is no fixed schedule. We will do it as the demand is there and as our resources permit. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today goes to the Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment. I would like to pursue the question I could not ask earlier because it was on the order paper for committee of the whole. It has to do with the Human Resource Strategy attached to the non-renewable resource development.

Mr. Speaker, I have already stated this and I will state again that I do believe that it is a good strategy in terms of giving us a picture of what the employment needs are and the amount of jobs that could be created as a result of oil and gas development. It lays out where the unemployed people are and possible trainable people. What was lacking in that strategy is the inclusion of a specific program for women in terms of how to employ women into these positions. I would like to point out to the Minister, Mr. Speaker, that roughly 50 percent of unemployed people are women. They can certainly be trained for those positions, so I wonder if he could advise us as to whether he has any plans for women in these jobs? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The programs providing training opportunities, all our programs, are meant for men and women, male and female. One of the core principles of the strategy is, of course, to provide equal opportunities to all individuals. That pertains, as I said, to all territorial government programs. We do have some programs, one in particular, that is specific to women and it is called the Women in Trades and Technology Program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the point I want to make is that the one-size fits-all training program does not work all the time for women. The specific program the Minister mentioned, the Northwest Territories Women in Trades and Technology, tried to have a welding training program just for women and there were no less than 27 inquiries, but the program was halted when they found out that a women-only trade program was somehow problematic.

I want to know, Mr. Speaker, if the Minister would make a commitment to designing a program specifically for women so women could participate in this? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department is currently working with the Status of Women Council on a trades program called Women in Welding. It is a program we are trying to look at again. As well, we distribute material to school students and have promotional materials featuring women. We certainly will always be attempting to ensure that we try to be representative of the population of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am wondering if the Minister could commit to not just providing equal opportunities, but to following the government policy? There is a policy, 11.18, that is called Equality of Men and Women in the Northwest Territories. It requires the government to do gender analysis in everything they do, so I wonder if the Minister could commit to being more proactive and more interventionist?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department will undertake to provide a quality service to all of our residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member from Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. It is in regard to my Member's statement. Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has implemented the Hay Job Evaluation System for rating Government of the Northwest Territories jobs in all positions within the territorial government civil service which is given a point system. So I would like to ask the Premier, could the Premier please advise the House as to the number of points given in the Hay Job Evaluation System for the position of chief of staff?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to refer the question to Minister Handley. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Hay Job Evaluation System was instituted in 1997, I believe. It is a system of providing evaluations of all positions where there is a standard job description. Unfortunately or fortunately, whichever way you look at it, the executive assistant positions in the government and the chief of staff position are positions without standard job descriptions, so there is no way of evaluating them against other positions. Neither of these positions fall within the standard job evaluation process. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regard to fairness and equity in other jobs within the government where people are doing similar work in other areas, has the Government of the Northwest Territories looked at these jobs and rated them fairly in regard to the pay, according to their responsibilities, to bring them in line with the Hay Job Evaluation System?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are continually looking at all jobs within the government to ensure that all employees have positions that are rated fairly and equitably in terms of what they do and what everyone else is doing. We can look at these jobs but there are a number of jobs, you know, the principal secretary, EAs, chief of staff, a lot of them are unique and depend on the portfolio and the assignments that are given, so they are very difficult to evaluate. It is something that we can look at, particularly as we do any reviews to the Public Service Act and how these jobs are to be classified. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I find it hard to believe that the executive assistant position is not classified in the Hay Job Evaluation System because that is one of the positions that is recognized in the handbook. So I am going to ask the Minister again, why is it that the point system in the Hay Job Evaluation System is not in place for the position of executive assistant? These positions have been there for several years.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, we can only do standard job evaluations where there is a job description that can be compared to other ones. Executive assistants to Ministers' jobs vary greatly depending on the portfolios, depending on the assignments that the Ministers give these individuals, so there is no standard way of being able to evaluate the executive assistants to Ministers. As I said, as we review the Public Service Act, we are certainly open to looking at this. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I find it awfully hard that the handbook clearly states job evaluation, performance valuation, job evaluation. Those are the criteria that you use to evaluate these people. Again, I would like to ask, has the position of the chief of staff or the executive assistant position been submitted to the Hay Job Evaluation System for evaluation on the job responsibilities, in order that they can be rated on a point system like every other job in this government?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, no, the executive assistant to Ministers' positions, the chief of staff position, as I said do not have a standard job description. They are not evaluated through the Hay Job evaluation method. There is nothing to compare their job to. As I mentioned it is unique, depending on which Minister they work for and what their assignments are. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.