Mr. Krutko, your time has expired.

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

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Krutko, you have unanimous consent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. I want to thank them for being an example of what Northwest Territories youth can aspire, and at what lengths they can go to achieve national and international success. Lastly, I want to acknowledge them in the capacity that they have shown as role models to all Canadians.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the other Members to congratulate these two unique ladies for achieving what they have. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Indeed, the Firth twins have been able representatives of the Northwest Territories for many years. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On March 7th through the 10th, I travelled up to Inuvik to attend the Beaufort Delta Leaders' Conference. It was nice to see the leadership working together on identifying solutions to regional problems. The first two days, the leaders participated in a self-government workshop. This workshop focused on identifying common issues and prioritizing these issues as a group. I truly believe that workshops of this type are extremely valuable and important as the Beaufort Delta prepares for self-government.

A representative from the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation also made a presentation on the hydro-carbon development in the region. This development is going to have a great impact on the region and provides us, the Government of the Northwest Territories, an excellent opportunity to work in partnership with the Inuvialuit to ensure that these resources are developed in a manner that ensures long-term local, regional and territorial benefits. Overall, Mr. Speaker, the conference was a success. I look forward to working with the Beaufort Delta Leadership to assist them in meeting their goals. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I too would like to highlight the concerns raised last evening in the Great Hall at our constituency meeting, attended by six of the seven Yellowknife MLAs. Mr. Bell has already given us a very thorough review of a number of the points, but there were two or three that I would like to highlight.

Mary Kosta, in her 22nd day of a hunger strike who, along with the Canadian Autoworkers' Local, is working so hard on behalf of Giant Mine pensioners to secure a fair and just entitlement. Highlighting, in a very passionate way, the unfair treatment and deplorable position Giant Mine pensioners, widows, retirees and former employees are in, who have not received severance pay are in.

She has asked us to put forth a motion calling on the federal government to provide immediate relief of Giant Mine pensioners and laid off workers. I should add that many MLAs have written to federal ministers seeking an immediate remedy to this unjust treatment. In the longer term, this House, Mr. Speaker, needs to seek control of legislation which affects not only our resources, but our workers, so that pensioners of the future can also be assured fair and just treatment in an accountable system of government.

The need for a vision and a plan of where we want to go in this Assembly over the next five to 15 years was also raised in relation to devolution of programs and the transfer of authority and responsibility of resources from the federal government. Caucus continues to work on this vision. We must remember that it has to be inclusive of many to be successful. We have been preoccupied, Mr. Speaker, with economic, development and fiscal issues, but we were reminded last night that we also have an obligation and an expectation on the broadest possible scale, to develop a caring and fair-minded society.

We heard from representatives of the non-government organizations, Mr. Speaker. There is a heavy burden placed on the social safety net in Yellowknife as a result of sexual and spousal assaults, gender issues, lack of self-esteem, and many other social ills. We value the efforts and the energy of the people behind these community support group efforts, Mr. Speaker, and we continue to press for the kinds of things that they want to achieve.

Mr. Braden, your time has expired.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, that ends my statement.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I too would like to speak about the meeting the Yellowknife Members held with our constituents last night. Previous speakers have addressed a range of issues. One issue I would like to concentrate on has to do with the Giant employees.

We heard many presentations about the Giant Mine pensioners, and particularly from Mary Kosta. The impact not only on these pensioners, but also on the widows and the widows-to-be is something I think we have to encourage the federal government to deal with very quickly. After all, they will soon suffer a drop of about 25 percent in their pensions as a result of the company having under-funded the pension plan.

Mr. Speaker, I think the way these employees were treated by their former employer is disgraceful. There is no severance pay. I think the federal government should be ashamed that their legislation allowed this to happen.

We have talked in this House a number of times about devolution. Mr. Speaker, I think it is time to talk about devolution for labour legislation as well. I think it is time that we took over labour legislation in the Northwest Territories.

This is not just because of this issue, but unfortunately relates back to the Giant Mine strike. I know I was tremendously frustrated in the days of that strike by the failure of the federal government to act. Northerners should be able to decide whether to prohibit replacement workers in our own legislation. We should not be stuck waiting for a federal Minister thousands of miles away to decide that it is indeed a crisis.

Northerners should have our own developed and designed in the North legislation protecting workers. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call on the government to move quickly to bring forward a legislative proposal on labour legislation. This should then go out for public discussion. Then I believe we should move to occupy the field of labour legislation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have three returns to oral questions.

On Wednesday February 23, 2000, the Member for Range Lake asked me if I knew the cause of a truck accident on Sunday, February 20, 2000, and whether it was attributable to the road conditions. The Member's question was very specific and called on me to make a judgment on the cause of the accident, which would have been speculation on my part.

The Department of Transportation monitors and keeps reports on the motor vehicle accidents that occur in the Northwest Territories, including municipalities, but it does not analyze or investigate accidents for the purpose of assigning a cause or causes.

The Department of Transportation received a copy of the official accident report from the Rae-Edzo detachment of the RCMP on Monday, February 28, 2000. Without implying any criticism whatsoever of the RCMP, the department received the report a week after the accident took place and three working days after the Member asked me her question in the House.

The accident occurred on Sunday morning shortly after 10:00 a.m., and involved a B-train transport hauling diesel fuel towards Yellowknife, about 15 kilometres north of Boundary Creek on Highway No. 3.

The driver reported that as he entered a left curve in the highway, he met an oncoming northbound tanker. He steered a bit too far to the right and the tractor's right front wheel caught the right shoulder of the road. The driver lost control of the truck. It left the road and rolled over 270 degrees into the ditch. The driver sustained minor injuries that were attended to at Stanton Regional Hospital.

The road surface was clear and in good condition. There was some limitation in visibility due to light snowfall. Traffic signs were in place warning of the curve ahead and advising a speed of 70 kilometres per hour. This was the speed the driver reported he was travelling. The RCMP report there are no charges pending in the incident.

Mr. Speaker, I have a second return to an oral question asked by Mr. Nitah on February 25th, 2000, referencing improving Northwest Territories highways.

The Member for Tu Nedhe asked me if the Department of Transportation had looked at alternatives to calcium as a surfacing material on the existing unpaved roads in the Northwest Territories.

The best material for stabilizing the surface of gravel roads depends on several factors, such as the strength of the road grade, the type of material in the road grade, traffic volumes and the available funds. Most of our gravel highways were built many years ago, and lack the strength required to support a rigid topping, such as pavement or chipseal. The best traveling surface is obtained from a product that remains flexible, is resistant to traffic wear, lasts over a summer season and can be reworked with highway maintenance equipment.

Calcium chloride has the required properties and it can be delivered and placed on our highways at an economical cost. The product comes from wells near Slave Lake, Alberta. The delivered cost for calcium chloride is much lower than for other competing products.

The department has considered and used products other than calcium chloride for stabilizing gravel highway surfaces. It has, for example, tried oil based and lignosulfate-based stabilization products. So far, no product is available that compares in price and performance to calcium chloride. It remains the Department of Transportation's best option for stabilizing gravel surface roads.

Mr. Speaker, my final return to an oral question is a return to a question asked by Mr. Krutko, the Member for Mackenzie Delta, referencing highway maintenance funding.

The Member for Mackenzie Delta asked me if the Department of Transportation kept a contingency fund in case of some extraordinary event that required the department to make an unexpected and large expenditure on repairs.

No, the Department of Transportation does not maintain a contingency fund. The department's annual budget and the purposes for which it is to be spent is approved by this Legislative Assembly. There is no line item in the department's budget labeled "contingency".

In the event of an extraordinary expenditure requirement, the department would first look to see if, or to what extent, it could manage the expenditure internally. If it could not manage the expenditure internally, the department would have to seek supplemental funding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Bell on February 29th, on accounting for tangible capital assets.

The government is planning on implementing the new approach to accounting for tangible capital assets in the 2000-2001 fiscal year.

A work plan has been developed which includes an initial inventory and valuation of capital assets to enable an estimate of the amortization expense to be included in the 2000-2001 main estimates. Although some delays have been encountered, we do expect that departments will have completed the initial inventory in time to implement the changes with the 2000-2001 main estimates.

The amortization expense included in the main estimates will be our best estimate based on information currently available. We will be working with departments to refine the valuation and amortization of capital assets.

We may encounter a number of issues related to the valuation or title of assets. These issues will need to be clarified and corrected prior to finalizing the reporting of the tangible capital assets in the 2000-2001 public accounts. However, we still anticipate being able to complete the exercise during the 2000-2001 fiscal year.

Actual amortization expenses for the 2000-2001 fiscal year will vary from the amount included in the main estimates as we progress in resolving valuation and title issues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Miltenberger on February 29th, 2000, on the update on the power rate review.

There are no legislative changes proposed at present. The Public Utilities Board requested proposals from interested parties with respect to a strategic and operational review of its operations.

The review may lead to legislative changes. Due to concerns raised by an unsuccessful proponent in the request for proposals, the Public Utilities Board withdrew the contract.

The Public Utilities Board is considering revisions to the request for proposals and expects to reissue the request for proposals later this year, probably in June, 2000. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Allen. Item 4, returns to oral questions. 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 honour to recognize the chief from Aklavik, Mr. Charlie Furlong.

-- Applause

Welcome to the gallery, Mr. Furlong. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.