Thank you, Ms. Lee. Good afternoon, colleagues. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Status of Women, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the nation-wide efforts of men and women who are working towards ending violence against women.

December 6th is the anniversary of the 1989 Montreal massacre in which 14 women were killed at the hands of a man who had a deep hatred of women. In response to this atrocity, the Canadian government proclaimed December 6th as a National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Commemorative events occur on this day across Canada, including here in the NWT, to remember the women killed and to continue action to end violence in all its forms.

The White Ribbon Campaign is a national campaign that started in 1991 in response to the Montreal massacre. Its purpose is to end men's violence against women. The campaign, started by men, targets men of all ages to:

• • do educational work in schools, workplaces and communities on the issue of men's violence;
• • support local women's groups; and
• • wear a white ribbon during November 25 to December 6th - this ribbon is a personal pledge never to commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women.

Mr. Speaker, in these past few weeks, we have heard from Members of this House, as well as groups across the Territories, that violence in our society, in our communities and our families, continues to be a destructive force. I wish to take this opportunity to recognize the efforts of individuals and organizations to speak out against violence in all its forms.

I ask Members, leaders and organizations to join me in supporting the White Ribbon Campaign and community events commemorating the December 6th National Day of

Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. White ribbons will be available to Members prior to November 25th. As in the past years, the YWCA, in partnership with other organizations will be holding a vigil on December 6th in the Great Hall of the Legislative Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, as one Member has already stated in this session, speaking out against violence should not only happen on special days or weeks that we designate. It should be a part of our daily actions and reflected in the ongoing work of this Assembly. Participation in and support for these upcoming events is one way to continue our commitment to strive to eliminate violence against women. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Déclarations de ministres. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Youth, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to formally invite all Members to a reception in the Great Hall later on this afternoon. This reception is to recognize all the efforts and dedication displayed by the Canadian Youth Against Impaired Driving 2001 organizing committee. The students of the conference organizing committee will also be providing Members with an update on their fund raising activities.

As the Minister responsible for Youth, and a Member of the 14th Legislative Assembly, I truly support an initiative such as this. From March 22 to 25, 2001, over 500 enthusiastic youth from across Canada will arrive in the City of Yellowknife to participate in this conference. An event of this magnitude will certainly raise the awareness against drinking and driving, not only at the territorial level, but also at the national level.

I look forward to working with the youth in ensuring that this message does get across to the people of the North, so that we can work to improve awareness of this fight against drinking and driving. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Allen. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Déclarations des députés. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it has been over a year and a half since Royal Oak Mines was ordered into receivership. The workers at the mine and people in this community have had to deal with the emotional and economic scars left by the loss of jobs, reduced severance packages, and under-funded pension plan.

Mr. Speaker, the issue that will continue to hang over all our heads in this community for years to come, is that of the need for the environmental clean-up at Giant Mine. Mr. Speaker, this is a federal government problem. For over 50 years, Giant Mine operated under federal regulations and the federal government reaped the benefits of the royalties, but it is now the people of the North who are stuck with the huge liability of this potential environmental disaster. This environmental danger includes contaminated tailings ponds, the residue from fuel spills, and storage drums full of arsenic trioxide dust. Mr. Speaker, that is only on the surface.

What if the 260,000 tons of arsenic dust buried deep in the mine starts to seep into our watershed? The environmental implications are horrible. What commitment has DIAND made thus far to address these concerns? Well, for the surface reclamation, small contracts this year and last for under $500,000, which amount to a drop in the bucket towards the $16 million estimated cost of what is needed to clean up the surface.

What about the estimated $250 million cost over 20 years for the underground clean-up? Mr. Speaker, DIAND's response in June was to reduce this year's clean-up budget by over 30 percent to just $3 million and with the majority of that money going to the Colomac Mine clean-up.

DIAND's Royal Oak team, who was focussing on the clean-up of the two mines, even had to be dissolved in July due to the lack of funding. Mr. Speaker, I understand that recently the Royal Oak team under DIAND has been re-established, but there does not seem to be any long-term planning or direction. This issue is too important to leave to federal whims. Our government must make this a priority. We must demand that the federal government make the necessary commitments to address this environmental nightmare that looms over us all. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to speak briefly to the issue of National Addictions Awareness Week. Like the issue of family violence, this is not a single issue unrelated to other major concerns that affect us as a Territory, that affects our communities or our families.

Mr. Speaker, like any other fundamental issues dealing with people, a lot of the solutions exist at the community level, involve the family, the parents, the community, having children born healthy, having simple decisions made that will effect the life of those who are going to be born. Mr. Speaker, while we can support and encourage people in our communities to be careful, do not do drugs, do not drink, we, as a government spend millions of dollars trying to assist, support and deal with, on an intervention basis, the problems that result from addictions.

As a government, Mr. Speaker, as with family violence, we have to demonstrate to the people that we are working together, that health and social services is working with education, is working with housing, is working with employment, with renewable resources. There are issues that have to be dealt with as a collective, unless the government can in fact put these recourses to work together to demonstrate a coordinated return and effort in dealing with these issues. It is very difficult to tell the communities to encourage people to deal with these issues when we do not provide the necessary support in a careful coordinated way.

As with family violence, Mr. Speaker, we have to never forget this issue, but as a government, we have to demonstrate to the people that while there may not be lots of new money, we can do a better job spending the money we have as we work with the families and individuals in this very important area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Déclarations de députés. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in regard to the public perception of how a senior bureaucrat in this government can be out there campaigning for a federal party in a federal election, yet all other government employees in this government are restricted. I, for one, feel that is not fair. It is either we open it up for everyone, or we exclude everyone. Mr. Speaker, I feel that by doing this, we are jeopardizing our relationship with other parties in Canada and also the federal government's obligations and commitments that we have with them. Whoever we get in a federal election should not be interfered with by a senior person in this government. All of our employees cannot take part. Yet, Mr. Speaker, when we have territorial elections, federal elections, people know in our communities that you cannot be party to an election if you are a government employee.

Mr. Speaker, we have fought against the federal government on issues like gun control from this House. We have fought on issues in regard to the incremental cost for division against the federal government. Yet, we have not seen anything coming forth in that area. Other areas we have confronted the federal government on are in regard to the oil and gas and diamond industries and trying to antagonize them from putting money into these resources. To date, we have $3.7 million which, as we all know, comes from an aboriginal fund which is funded through Indian Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, we do not have an economic agreement with the federal government to date. Yet, our head chief of staff is running a campaign for the same government we have been fighting with for the last number of years over issues on behalf of the people of the Northwest Territories, with no outcome.

I know for a fact there have been other issues we have had to deal with in regard to the $100 million cut that we took in our transfer payment from the federal government, which is affecting the health care and the programs and services we deliver to the residents of the Northwest Territories. I, for one, do not feel this is fair to our employees. If we are going to do this for one employee, we have to do it for all of our employees. They are protected under the Public Service Act and we have to do something about that.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Déclarations des députés. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My constituents continue to be concerned about the level of medical services available and the lack of certainty for the availability of doctors. This is a valid concern. I would like to say that my constituents and I certainly understand that this pales in comparison to the situation that smaller communities in the Northwest Territories have, where there are in fact no doctors, and they are forced to come to Yellowknife for medical services or travel elsewhere. Why is this the case?

Mr. Speaker, jurisdictions across North America are struggling to maintain their level of medical services. Sustained competition for qualified medical staff is hurting us. We know there is a worldwide shortage of medical practitioners, registered nurses, particularly in specialty nursing areas, general practitioners, and shortages of doctors in specialty areas such as radiology and pharmacy to name a couple.

Medical professionals now have their choice of positions almost anywhere in the world, Mr. Speaker. Not only do we, the Northwest Territories, have a recruitment problem, we have a retention problem, as territories and provinces continue to outbid each other for these services. Northern Ontario cities, and that includes such remote and isolated villages as Thunder Bay and Sault St. Marie, Mr. Speaker. The Province of Ontario has realized this dilemma and taken some steps to help. Medical graduates who are willing to settle in any of northern Ontario's outposts, can receive up to $80,000 in free tuition and incentive payments, along with free office space. Where does that leave the Northwest Territories?

There is no doubt we are in a chronic and long-term shortage of doctors and medical specialists. We cannot afford to keep upping the ante. Instead, I believe we can and should be looking at alternatives to what is now a very rigid and institutionalized style of medical support.

My constituents are asking about alternatives. What can we do, Mr. Speaker, to allow midwifery in communities and promote the services of nurse practitioners in our clinics and see alternative medical therapies introduced? I intend to pursue this later today through further questions to the Minister responsible for Health. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Déclarations de députés. Item 3, Members' statements. The Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Lafferty. Déclarations de députés. Le député de la Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this week from the 12th to the 18th is National Addiction Awareness Week. In the Deh Cho, many of the communities have taken time to organize activities to bring awareness to this issue. I want to mention a few of the activities that have taken place in the communities I represent to show how important this week is to the people of Deh Cho.

In Fort Providence, they kicked off the week with a fire feeding ceremony. They have held a sober walk, sobriety recognition awards, movie nights, and sharing circles. On the Hay River Reserve, they have also hosted fire feeding ceremonies, AA meetings, sober walk, a health information fair, and a family dance. In Kakisa, they are also having a sobriety appreciation dinner and a movie night for the children.

I would like to thank all the organizers for their efforts and encourage everyone to participate in the next couple of days, as the week is not over yet. I also want to take the time to recognize and thank a few people from the communities who I believe have dedicated a lot of their time. Most of these people are not paid people in the field of addictions. However, they find that it is a worthy cause and have dedicated a lot of their own efforts.

In Fort Providence, we have Allen Rohiten, Margaret Thom and Joachim Bonnetrouge. In Kakisa, we have the husband and wife team of Julian and Ruby Landry. On the Reserve, Mrs. Georgina Fabian. While we all recognize that most of the addictions are easy to identify, alcohol, drugs, nicotine, gambling, although some would contest whether Bingo is really an addiction, there are symptoms out there that are not easily recognized. They are plaguing the people of the community and also this government.

FAS, for instance. The Minister of Health has indicated there are communities and schools where the students are affected by FAS up to 40 percent. These addictions also result in low self-esteem in the communities, and violence. This government, along with the communities, has to attempt to deal with the core problems that are in the communities and leading to a lot of these addictions. High unemployment, overcrowding in the houses..

Mr. McLeod, your time for your Member's statement has expired.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Thank you. The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays, Mr. McLeod, you may continue.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I bring up the issue of lack of resources because on two occasions this week, I had an opportunity to speak to the community health representative. She has indicated that her wages amount to a net take home pay of $500 every two weeks. I think that is too low. I think that is not a justifiable amount for somebody who spends their life dedicating and raising the profile of these issues and being a frontline worker. Alcohol workers in the communities that are represented, both indicated that they have not had a raise in over 10 years. I question how much support we are giving our frontline workers. Although 64 percent of this government's budget is dedicated to the social envelope as we call it, how much of that is a result of addictions?

In closing, I want to say that addictions is a serious matter. We all have to work together. We have to continue to raise the profile of this issue, and I want to thank all of the people in the communities for their dedication and perseverance in assisting people to overcome some of these problems. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

Merci, Mr. McLeod. Member's statements. The honourable Member for the Sahtu, Mr. Kakfwi.

Mr. Speaker, as the Member for the Sahtu and a Member of the Legislature, I want to talk about accountability. As Members of the Legislature, we are elected, as the Member for Inuvik, Mr. Roland said yesterday, to be truthful, up-front and accountable. I say that yes, that is true and it applies to every Member who stands up and speaks in this Legislature.

I ask the question, who will be accountable when Members of this Legislature stand up and make statements that have no basis in fact, that are in fact untrue, and who made unfounded, unsubstantiated allegations? Who will be accountable for Members who stand up and make statements that tarnish the credibility of this Legislature? We expect all Members to be up-front and truthful, or is it just Members in Cabinet?

I say that all Members should be expected to be truthful and up-front and that when Members make statements that are not true, make allegations that have no basis in fact, yes, I agree they should be truthful and stop making unfounded and false statements, and apologize when they do so inadvertently. Thank you.

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