Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Good afternoon, everyone. Bonjour. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, later this afternoon, at the appropriate time, I intend to table a document entitled Investing in Roads for People and the Economy: A Highway Strategy for the Northwest Territories.

The Northwest Territories transportation system makes possible the movement of people and goods within the Northwest Territories as well as to and from our provincial and territorial neighbours. Transportation mobility is key to the health and well-being of our people and our economy.

The Department of Transportation has worked hard over the past decade to improve our transportation system. Since the department was formed in 1989, new airports, marine facilities, community access roads and extensive highway reconstruction have all been accomplished. These improvements were guided by the strategic objectives and priorities set out in the 1990 Transportation Strategy and the 1994 Transportation Strategy Update.

In 1998, the Department of Transportation began the highway strategy initiative. This initiative earmarked special funding for planning studies on roads in the Northwest Territories. Over the past two years, both technical studies and consultations with stakeholders have been undertaken. The results of this effort were first presented in the Summary Report of the Highway Strategy released in October 1999.

As we move into the 21st century, we must ensure that the transportation system continues to move forward. We must direct its expansion and enhancement so that it will contribute to a more prosperous and healthy northern population. Investing in Roads for People and the Economy: A Highway Strategy for the Northwest Territories is this direction. It presents a vision for roads in the Northwest Territories with a plan of action to achieve that vision.

Investing in Roads is shaped by and consistent with the broad vision for the Northwest Territories as outlined in the 14th Legislative Assembly's report Towards a Better Tomorrow, along with the Economic Strategy Panel's report Common

Ground, and the Government of the Northwest Territories' Non-Renewable Resource Development Strategy in which roads play a prominent role.

The Department of Transportation has taken steps to implement the plan of action proposed in Investing in Roads. With our existing resources, we are actively improving portions of Highway 3 between Rae and Yellowknife, Highway 7 south of Fort Liard, the Dempster Highway and the Ingraham Trail.

We have also begun several new initiatives including determining how to obtain greater control of the Lupin winter road, constructing a public winter road to Colville Lake and constructing bridges on the Mackenzie Valley winter road to extend the operating season. In addition, we have begun the search for new funding, including lobbying for an appropriate share of the federal $600 million allocated to the National Highway System.

Just as the 1990 Transportation Strategy served to focus the department's effort through the past decade, I expect that Investing in Roads will serve as an equally reliable guide for the opening years of the new century. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Merci, Monsieur Steen. Déclaration des ministres. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, as Members are aware, the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development is preparing a new Wildlife Act and species at risk legislation.

A Wildlife Aboriginal Advisory Group was recently established to encourage aboriginal participation in the development of this wildlife legislation and to ensure aboriginal viewpoints and priorities are reflected in it.

The advisory group includes representation from the:

• • Akaitcho Treaty 8 Council;
• • South Slave Métis Tribal Council;
• • Inuvialuit Game Council;
• • North Slave Métis Alliance;
• • Sahtu Renewable Resource Board;
• • Gwich'in Tribal Council; and,
• • Salt River First Nations.

The Dogrib Treaty 11 Council and the Deh Cho First Nations declined to attend the meetings given the status of their land claims negotiations.

The advisory group has held two meetings to review issues already identified through public consultation and to note any additional ones. Advisory group members will be consulting with the people in their communities this winter to determine options and recommendations to be included in discussion papers on the new Wildlife Act and species at risk legislation.

The discussion papers are expected to be completed this spring with another round of public consultations scheduled for the summer and fall of 2001. Aboriginal governments will also be conducting their own consultation on the discussion papers.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the aboriginal government representatives for working with us on this very important legislative endeavour. Wildlife is extremely important to all people of the Northwest Territories and it is essential that we all work together to develop the proper tools to manage that resource. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we hear a lot with regard to the oil and gas exploration and the possibility of a Mackenzie Valley pipeline. However, Mr. Speaker, the protection of the environment is not an option. It is a deal breaker. Northerners are welcome to develop the North, but the land and the resources and the sustainability of our non-renewable resources is important to many of the aboriginal communities and those who live and depend on the land for their lifestyle.

With regard to the resource opportunities, they come and go. The boom-bust scenario is something we have to realize. Also, we have to realize the long-term implications of these developments on the people that live here. Aboriginal people and Northerners have always taken the environment very seriously, through our land claim arrangements, the institutions that have been established and also with regard to establishing legislation to ensure, protect and preserve what makes us unique in northern Canada.

Again, I would ask, at what cost are we willing to sell our environment with regard to development? Mr. Speaker, it is essential that there is that balance. It is essential we work with our partners with regard to this development. Mr. Speaker, we have seen what can happen with regard to working relationships with industry and the aboriginal groups with BHP and also Diavik, where there are assessments in place that can deal with these incomes, but realizing we do have some serious challenges in front of us when it comes to developing the North.

With regard to what we have heard from comments made in this House by the Premier and also news articles and statements that we have seen in his address to the industry in Washington, Ottawa, Calgary and elsewhere in Canada, one thing we have heard very little about is the environment and how we, as a government, will also find a balance to take on that challenge. So with that, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking questions to the Premier on that matter.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Déclaration de députés. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for North Slave. Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Lafferty. Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Members know, Students Against Drinking and Driving (SADD) are hosting a national conference. The 11th Annual Canadian Youth Against Impaired Driving are having a conference in Yellowknife in March of next year. We are going to see about 500 young people gathered from across Canada to focus on the issue of drinking and driving. The last time I spoke on this issue, Mr. Speaker, SADD had raised $70,000 toward this conference. They have now raised in excess of $100,000 through government, corporate and community support.

I would like acknowledge the commitment of our government through the Minister of Youth, the Honourable Roger Allen, and the Minister of Transportation, the Honourable Vince Steen, in particular for their efforts through their departmental initiatives and correspondence with federal and provincial counterparts in promoting this event. The Ministers of Health and Social Services, and Education have also shown great support for this event. I hope it will continue and I look forward to further updates on their progress in supporting this conference, Mr. Speaker.

I am informed that organizations are endeavouring to have community involvement across the Territories with at least two students, hopefully more, along with an adult advisor from each community in the Northwest Territories. Good progress is being made on participation from Hay River, Fort Smith, Rae-Edzo and Norman Wells. Information packages have been sent to each of the schools across the Territory and there is special travel support for the first six communities registered and in today's Yellowknifer, Mr. Speaker, there is further information.

We are all aware of the tragedy that can occur when alcohol and motor vehicles are mixed together. In the last ten years or so, drinking and driving has been a contributing factor in 60 percent of the fatal collisions in the Northwest Territories. People across the Northwest Territories are all too familiar with the personal tragedy resulting from drinking and driving. This is not a new message, Mr. Speaker, but it is well worth repeating.

I would ask each Member of the Assembly to encourage participation from their communities in this conference. Show your support. This is one event where youth can make a positive lifestyle change and show leadership where it really counts. Thanks, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, my comments will be about justice in the smaller communities in the North. Mr. Speaker, the Charter of Rights requires that legal counsel be provided to persons charged with committing a crime who cannot afford a lawyer or that representation by counsel is essential for the accused to receive a fair trial.

Mr. Speaker, in the Deh Cho region, adequate representation for those accused of serious crimes is simply not available. The court workers, when they are available and do attend court, do what they can for those accused of minor crimes and usually this is sufficient. However, those persons accused of more serous crimes in the Deh Cho, those crimes from which upon conviction a person faces significant jail time, their rights are not being met.

Mr. Speaker, I question how anyone can think that a legal aid lawyer can offer an accused person a quality defence based on a ten minute conversation that occurs half an hour before a trial. How can we justify this lack of pre-trial preparation and consultation between the client and lawyer? How can we justify an insufficient number of legal translators in the Deh Cho? I ask, are my constituents no longer entitled to a trial in their first language?

It is little wonder that the Northwest Territories has an inflated inmate population when compared to other Canadian jurisdictions. Mr. Speaker, when you combine the Northwest Territories' inflated inmate population with the fact that the majority of those inmates are of aboriginal descent, we begin to see the magnitude of this problem. How many of our residents are in jail because of inadequate or expedited defences? How many can say they have not received a fair trial and thus have had their constitutional rights ignored, because of the way that justice is delivered in the Northwest Territories? I am guessing, Mr. Speaker, that the number would shock you.

It seems to me, Mr. Speaker, that the lack of available fiscal resources has meant that we have had to concentrate the majority of funding for enforcement and incarceration. We do not have the money to put into crime prevention. We have to put some money into probation services by creating our own stand-alone probation services. This may help, but I do not see any of these probation officers living in my community.

Mr. Speaker, there are three RCMP officers in Fort Providence to enforce the law and protect the residents; we are grateful for that. However, Mr. Speaker, there must be a corresponding balance in the justice system by protecting the accused and ensuring that their rights under the Constitution and charter are upheld. Mr. Speaker, I intend to question the Minister responsible for Justice on the rights guaranteed to all Canadians via the Constitution. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Déclaration de députés. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my concern today that I will raise in my Member's statement is to do with the Midnight Sun Daycare. Mr. Speaker, this is an organization that has operated in the community of Inuvik for quite a number of years. They have recently run into some serious problems with funding and how that funding can be used. There are a number of pots they can access but there are stipulations to how the money can be used.

They contacted me in my last visit home and informed me that they were having some problems. There has been a fair bit of work that has been done working with them and I must acknowledge the work of the Midnight Sun Daycare Board as well as the regional staff from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. They have been working together and approaching the aboriginal organizations and any other organizations that might have some funding available to them. As of yet, we are not sure how it is going to go. They were on their last avenue to see where they could go and how the Midnight Sun Daycare can continue to function.

When I met with them, they figured they had two weeks left in their mandate in the sense of keeping the doors open. Mr. Speaker, they have in their care during the day-to-day process, up to 36 children. That is a large amount and that will probably grow as we see opportunities for employment grow in the community.

And this affects, Mr. Speaker, all walks of life in the community of Inuvik from single mothers to double income families to those in the Aurora Campus program. We need to try and do something to ensure that this facility and this program continue to operate. I know they have some initiatives to clear up and some work to be done that was pointed out by the regional staff to them, but I know they are working hard at it.

I have contacted the Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment on this and asked for his assistance. Later on Mr. Speaker, I will be questioning him as to whether we have had any success in trying to garner his department's support. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Déclarations de députés. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, Mr. Speaker, I would like to break with tradition and delight this House with a good news story. Mr. Speaker, the good news I am referring to is the recent completion of the new West Channel Bridge in Hay River.

Mr. Speaker, this was an endeavour undertaken by the Department of Transportation. There was an official opening of the bridge on Saturday, August 12th in Hay River. I would like to thank the Minister of Transportation, the Honourable Vince Steen, for attending the bridge opening. It was an important and well attended event in Hay River.

Mr. Speaker, this was a very large undertaking by the Department of Transportation. The original West Channel Bridge was erected in 1963. The old bridge was not able to accommodate large loads as it had vertical and height restrictions. It also had no provision for pedestrians and cyclists and presented a large safety hazard for those people.

Mr. Speaker, the new bridge is approximately 120 metres long, and has two lanes for traffic, and a wide walk-way for pedestrian traffic. It can accommodate all loads as it has no height restrictions, due to the fact that it has an open deck. The new bridge is expected to accommodate 46 million vehicle trips over the next 50 years, and is a very welcome piece of infrastructure for Hay River, the transportation hub of the North.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that several Hay River and northern contractors were utilized for this project. Some examples of these are: Stan Dean and Sons, Rowe's Construction, Northland Utilities and Rail Link Canada, all from Hay River; Nahanni Construction and Jivkov Engineering of Yellowknife, to name a few.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the staff of the Department of Transportation as the project was completed on schedule and well within the budget allotted. The entire bridge design and earth works were done in-house by the department personnel at a terrific cost savings to taxpayers.

Mr. Speaker, in these times of fiscal restraint, I would like to point out that this badly needed replacement of infrastructure in Hay River came in at $1.14 million under budget. It is unfortunate that these monies were transferred to a different region after the bridge was erected, but alas, I did say that this was a good news story. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Merci bien, Mr. Delorey. Déclarations de députés. Item 3, Member's statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

Mahsi, Mr. Nitah. Item 3, Member's statements. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we stand up in this House day after day raising issues to the government, to departments such as Education, trying to get programs, logical programs moved down to the community and regional level, trying to get clear answers for our constituents in what is often a very frustrating kind of process.

Mr. Speaker, tribal wisdom of the Dakota Indians passed on from generation to generation says that when you discover you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount.

-- Applause

Unfortunately, in modern education in government, a whole range of far more advanced strategies is often employed, such as:

• • buying a stronger whip;
• • changing the riders;
• • threatening the horse with termination;
• • appointing a committee to study the horse;
• • arranging to visit other countries to see how others ride dead horses;
• • lowering the standards so that dead horses can be included;
• • reclassifying the dead horses as living impaired;
• • hiring outside contractors to ride the dead horse;

-- Laughter

• • harnessing several dead horses together to increase their speed;

-- Laughter

• • providing additional funding and/or training to increase the dead horse's performance;
• • doing a productivity study to see if lighter riders would improve the dead horse's performance;
• • declaring that dead horses do not have to be fed, are less costly, carry no overhead and therefore contribute substantially more to the bottom line of the economy, as do some other horses;
• • rewriting the expected performance requirements for all dead horses; or finally, Mr. Speaker
• • promoting the dead horse to a supervisory position.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 3, Member's statements. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Mademoiselle Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had a statement prepared to speak on another issue, but I am advised by more experienced Members here that I cannot make a statement on something that is already on the agenda later on.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to talk about my other favourite issue, which has to do with Highway No. 3. Prior to our journey last Session in the summer time, I stated in this House that I was planning on driving a national highway from Toronto to Yellowknife myself so that I could tell first hand how our stretch of road from Rae to Yellowknife compares.

Mr. Speaker, I can report to you that I did indeed take that trip. I drove every kilometre of that 5,500 stretch with my mother next to me, and I must say it was a very great drive. I was very envious of the all the construction work that was happening in Ontario, especially northern Ontario, and I drove through the city of Kenora, which I believe is the riding of our Minister of DIAND. I noticed the freshly paved road coming out of his riding, and I wondered why he could not have put that sort of money into our part of the world.

Mr. Speaker, I must stay, driving through northern Saskatchewan was wonderful. The road was straight, even paved, and no one I do not think drove at the speed limit. I think that you could actually drive at a considerably faster speed than, I think, the speed limit of about 100 kilometres per hour.

Mr. Speaker, I could advise you that we did not know whether to cry or laugh when we hit the last 75 kilometres right after Rae. I think the stretch of the road from the border to Rae is so beautiful. It is straight, it is wide, it is even. You could see the trucks from hundreds of miles ahead of you because the road is so great. Seeing all the wildlife was just absolutely great.

My mom kept saying, "There is nothing wrong with this road. What are you talking about in the House?"

-- Laughter

Of course, until I hit the last 75 kilometres and I had to drive at about 50 kilometres to make sure that I did not endanger my life and my mother's. I thought that if I could only convince the Minister of Transportation of the federal government to drive that road, we would not have to make any more statements because he would be absolutely embarrassed that he actually has the last 75 kilometres of our national highway that is not fit to be a trail in anybody's book. That is my impromptu speech on Highway 3, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a Return to Oral Question asked by Mr. McLeod on November 2, 2000 regarding the process to establish a graveyard in a community.

The process for establishing a legally designated graveyard in the Northwest Territories is as follows:

• • The community identifies the location where they wish to locate the graveyard with the assistance of the MACA regional office.
• • At the request of the community, the regional health and social services board arranges for water table testing of the selected area to be conducted to ensure that the site is appropriate. This can only be performed when the ground is not frozen. The community is responsible for the costs of this service.
• • If the water table will allow for proper burying, the community may need to apply for:

- An access permit for road use from the Department of Transportation; and,

- A reserve on the land from MACA.

As the Member asked this question in relation to the community of Enterprise, department officials have advised me that information on the process has been supplied to the community. MACA will continue to assist them as requested.

Thank you, Minister Allen. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mot bienvenue aux visiteurs. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Colleagues, I would like to take this opportunity of recognizing in the gallery the Consul General of China, Mr. Gu and his wife, Mrs. Gu.

-- Applause

Mr. Liu is Consul and Mr. Tian is vice-consul. Their consulate offices are located in Calgary. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly and we certainly hope you enjoy the rest of your visit as we enjoyed your participation in this morning's events. Thank you. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize in the gallery members of the Northwest Territories Seniors' Society, Barbara Hood, Ida Luca and Ed Jeske.

-- Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pride to recognize a pioneer prospector and a well known Métis in the Northwest Territories who has travelled this land by dog team, by foot, and in places where a lot of us have never been. He is now an author. I would like to recognize Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Arden. Welcome.

-- Applause

Welcome, Mr. Arden. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize my good friend, Darcy Arden, and his wife, June. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you. Item 5, recognition if visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the only Member of this House of Asian descent, may I take this opportunity to welcome and recognize the delegates from China. I know it is a long way that they have come, and it is nice to see them. I hope that they enjoy their stay. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mot de bienvenue aux visiteurs. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Ces toutes. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier in regard to the statement I made. I think it is important that we have a balance between development and realizing that we do have a sensitive environment. Also, the importance of the people who depend on the environment for their traditional lifestyles, and to ensure that it is preserved and protected for future generations.

Aboriginal people and other Northerners take the environment very seriously. I would like to ask the Minister what he is doing to ensure that when he does make presentations on behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories regarding the oil and gas and the pipeline endeavours of this government, would he also keep in mind that the environment is an essential source? Can the Minister ensure that he will keep that in mind when he makes his presentations?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we take the message as we hear it from the aboriginal groups primarily, and from the people of the Northwest Territories, and we convey that message as clearly and as forcefully as we can in our presentations.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a large segment of our population depends on the renewable resource sector. I think it is clear that all people will not have jobs in the oil and gas industry. One segment of our population, especially the middle-aged and the elderly people, depends on that sector. I would like to ask the Premier what he is doing to ensure that those people are being heard and that they will have a chance to have input into this process?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Premier. There were two questions, but you can answer either one.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I said earlier that the Government of the Northwest Territories has an economic strategy. We have a presentation with a message that we have conveyed to the federal government, to other provinces, to industry and to conferences and meetings we are invited to. The message I believe is supported by the aboriginal people of the Northwest Territories, by the business community and by this Legislature. We take what I would call a balanced approach, taking everyone's interests into consideration. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are certain areas of the North that are off-balance, especially calving areas in the Northwest Territories, the Yukon and Alaska. I would like to reference 10-02 lands in Alaska, where the Premier is aware of the concerns of the Gwich'in and people from the Mackenzie Delta who depend on this species. Will the Minister ensure that message is also being given out when he makes his presentations?

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

Mr. Speaker, we will take that into consideration. Certainly both the Government of the United States and Alaska and the Government of Canada take the position that the Arctic Wildlife Refuge and 10-02 lands in particular are completely out of bounds for oil and gas exploration. That is the current situation that exists. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think it is apparent for this government that we do pass legislation in this House and also strengthen the existing legislation we have, especially with regard to wildlife, the environment and also the air. I would like to ask the Premier, what is this government doing to ensure that these issues will be brought forth in the form of legislation?

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

Mr. Speaker, all the different aboriginal groups, First Nations and Members of this Legislature are invited to make suggestions to this government about legislation that they believe should be advanced through the Legislature here. As a government, we are always prepared to hear suggestions and proposals. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question today for the Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs. Mr. Speaker, there are a number of national charities which benefit the Northwest Territories. One such charity is the Canadian Cancer Society, the Northwest Territories-Alberta division. It has joined together to run a charitable lottery to raise funds for cancer research, education and treatment.

It is a big lottery, Mr. Speaker. There are about $5 million in prizes and the total revenue is a projected $11 million. In the Northwest Territories, we charge a percentage of the take as a lottery licence fee. That means for this particular lottery to benefit cancer, our fee would be $360,000. Needless to say, we are not getting this lottery operating in the Northwest Territories and we are not getting the benefit from this very legitimate project.

Circumstances and situations have changed considerably since the Lotteries Act was developed in 1990. I would like to ask the Minister the following question, would the Minister undertake a review of the Lotteries Act and regulations to determine if lotteries such as this can be permitted more economically to sell tickets in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since we did not realize this prize total would ever be envisioned when the fee structure was determined, the department will undertake a review to review the current fee structure for a territorial-wide raffle and propose changes in this current fiscal year, which would allow for a maximum licence fee which would not be based on the total prize. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Allen. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the interest and the commitment that the Minister has made to that. I would further ask whether reciprocal licensing arrangements might be made. By that, Mr. Speaker, I mean could we see an agreement which would facilitate the sale of tickets by Northwest Territories groups into Alberta or southern regions? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, MACA will undertake that responsibility and look into the matter further. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this point in time, the department has no plan to put a road into Wekweti.

Thank you, Minister Steen. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty, Supplementary.

The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just for clarification, this is the first year the Department of Transportation has responsibility for a winter road into Wekweti. In the past, this was done through the Department of Public Works and it was not a winter road per se, but rather a one-time route into the community and out again in order to deliver supplies, in many cases, building supplies. However, it was never considered as a winter road such as Transportation builds in other communities.

Transportation has now taken on this responsibility and we would consider it in relation to the amount of identified need for this particular road. We would also have to get an indication from stakeholders what exactly they plan to bring into the community and what exactly would be the overall benefits from putting the road in. I am told by the department that it is not a cheap move on the part of the department. It is very expensive to build a road into the community. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Steen. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department realizes that we have a mandate to connect all communities with the highway system through winter roads if possible. Wekweti is part of that responsibility. We would put very serious consideration into considering a winter road into Wekweti. Our present plans which involve the Lupin winter road, if this did go ahead, it would be on the basis that this is a full cost recovery and no cost to the government.

Thank you, Minister Steen. Final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the question the Member asked is one of the main questions the department would have to take a serious look at. Based on what stakeholders say, whether or not we should in fact take over operation of the winter road in favour of more northern ownership of that road, so to speak. That is one of the questions that has not been answered yet and it is still in the works. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Steen. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe the funding that was identified as being not used was carried over to the following year in the case of aboriginal languages. I believe it was in the neighbourhood of $300,000 for the next two years. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the funding that is in place is used partially to fund aboriginal language groups. That is done throughout the Northwest Territories and the groups in the various regions to look at revitalizing and stimulating the resurgence of the use of aboriginal languages. Other funding is used through the college system and in the school system. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have a selection of programs that are offered in the curriculum, such as Dene Kede, Northern Studies. However, we have devolved a lot of the responsibility on to the communities and on to the regions to be able to offer these programs, such as the selection of an aboriginal language as a first language for teaching. I cannot dictate what communities should choose from that particular program that may be available.

I meet on a semi-annual basis with the chairs of the district education councils and we discuss various issues. In order to enforce any kind of program, I would have to deal with the district education councils.

Now, I understand what Mr. Nitah is saying and I believe we are doing a fairly decent job in advancing the particular agenda that Mr. Nitah is trying to address. For example, when I was in Deline, it was requested that we include land claims issues in the curriculum and I brought that forward to the department. They are, at the present time as we are speaking, looking at ways and means of doing that to deliver that as a possible content in the curriculum. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Final supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe we do have continuity. For example, we have the Dene Kede program, which is offered at the moment from K to 6 and we are extending that from grades 7 to 12, I believe. The curriculum possibilities are there but, as I stated, I respect the control and desire on people in the communities to be able to select.

Additionally, of course, we have been concentrating on ensuring that governance is done in that fashion. There is a district education authority in each community and there is also a district education council. Those bodies make the decision as to what is to be selected for those particular communities. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to pursue my question today following up on my Member's statement, Mr. Speaker. My question goes to the Minister of Transportation. It is in regard to Highway No. 3.

Mr. Speaker, a number of Members in this House had the opportunity to visit the BHP mine over the weekend. One of the things I learned was that the company spends $4 million along with other users of the winter road. They spend no less than $4 million on that winter road. That compares to $6 million or $7 million that the department has budgeted for the reconstruction of Highway No. 3. I do not know what the numbers are on maintaining it.

Mr. Speaker, that just speaks to the extent of the need in the North for some infusion of money in building the roads that we need to develop the resources that create jobs and so on. I do not know what this report the Minister will be tabling has in it. I wonder if the Minister could tell us what the latest was in his discussions with the federal Minister as to what the potential is for any kind of money that will come to the North for building roads? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the last response we received from the federal Minister of Transport on highway funding is our share of the $600 million is not to be decided until possibly the end of this year or early in the new year. So we still at this time do not know. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, as I stated in my statement, when I was driving that road I really was convinced that if the federal Minister in charge of money for roads, whoever it is and whoever it will be next election, if they really ever drove that road and saw how embarrassing it is to call that a national highway system, whoever is making the decision in Ottawa may have second thoughts about it.

I wonder, in all seriousness, if the Minister would be willing to bring the person in charge of money for roads and take them on Highway No. 3 and Highway No. 8 and all the highways in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Member for the question. Part of our strategy in obtaining a larger portion of that $600 million was to try to convince the federal Minister that we are the last portion of the national highway system that does not have hard-top and we still drive on gravel. We thought that if there was some way to embarrass the federal government into putting more towards us than would be allocated to the rest of the country, we would take that. We tried that.

I also invited the federal Minister to Yellowknife with the hopes that we could take him for a ride down Highway No. 3, but he declined. He said he had already been to the Territories twice, but I believe that was as a Minister of the Armed Forces at that time.

In regards to myself as a Minister being embarrassed about the condition of Highway No. 3, I do not share embarrassment alone. If I do not have money to increase the reconstruction phase, it is simply because this Assembly has not given me the money. Give me the money and I will pass it onto the department and we will increase the reconstruction program. Thank you.

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

Mr. Speaker, I think it will be a long time before I accept that I have as much power in how much money goes to that road as Mr. Steen. I think there is a big difference there. Mr. Speaker, if we cannot shame the federal officials for money, maybe we can tell them about the unsafe condition of that road. I know that road is unsafe because following the accident on that road in July, a few days after that, and I do not know if there is any connection, I was driving that road and I noticed a really nice, huge, yellow, freshly painted sign that read "Narrow, winding, dangerous, gravel road. Drive slowly".

Mr. Speaker, I think a safe assumption can be made that there is a concern about the safety of the road. If the federal Minister of Transportation does not want to drive on that road, maybe we can drive him to that sign. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

...rephrase the question, rather than make a comment. I did not hear a question there, but more comments. I will allow the Minister to respond to what he has heard, if he so chooses. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am sure that the department does not need any clarification as to whether that road is unsafe. We probably more than anyone else, recognize the condition of the road. However, we do not come to the conclusion that the road is unsafe, otherwise we would close it. It is as simple as that.

We believe the road is safe if you drive as to the conditions of that highway. We posted speed signs that reduced the speed limits and we were encouraged that this is in fact what is happening. The speeds have been reduced and that is encouraging to us. We do not want, any more than anyone else, unsafe conditions on that highway.

Those unsafe conditions, from the department's point of view, are largely related to weather conditions rather than to our ability to maintain it. We, more than anyone else, would probably like to increase the reconstruction phase, advance that, and have that highway reconstructed in half the time to address the concerns expressed by the public. However, like I said, the dollars are what is controlling everything right now, and we just do not have them. So we are doing the best we can with what we have. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Final supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to remind the Minister that the sign went up in the middle of summer and now it is in the middle of the winter. The sign has not come down. I do not think that has anything to do with weather. When you put a sign up saying it is windy and dangerous, the speed limit is reduced, I think any reasonable person will draw a conclusion that the road is not safe.

Mr. Speaker, would he not use that? I am asking the Minister to tell the federal Minister that that road cannot handle the traffic that it will have this winter with Diavik coming on stream...

Ms. Lee, would you please ask a question? This is a final supplementary. Please ask a question.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. May I have the Minister tell the federal officials that we need extra money for Highway No. 3? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is hard to compare the amount of dollars the mining industry has compared to what we have as a government and expect the same results. They just have a lot more revenue than we have, so they have the ability to construct facilities as the Member has seen.

Our ability to address the mining needs and the impact they have on our highways is very limited right now. I can assure the Member and the House that we are considering ways of encouraging the oil and gas and mining industries to share in the cost of our highways. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Steen. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for the Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member's statement today, I spoke of the inability of the residents in small communities to receive a fair trial. While I acknowledge that the court party does travel to the smaller communities and there is a perception that justice does occur, I would like to ask the Minister of Justice, when a court party comes in and legal aid lawyers are given approximately ten or 15 minutes to talk to their clients before court starts, could the Minister of Justice tell this Assembly whether there is a minimum requirement for consultation between a legal aid lawyer and a person accused of a crime? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Justice, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Minister Antoine. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.