Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister what his department is doing to remove some of the stringent measures that are in place, to make it a smoother process for people who find themselves on the street and need a home today? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Minister Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to reassure the Member that we are continuing to work with all organizations in all of the communities to ensure the homeless, however they are defined, have a good, safe and secure home. That will take some time. Hopefully, we will be able to provide more definite answers by May 15, 2000. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Allen. The time allocated for question period has expired. Item 7, written questions. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is addressed to the Minister responsible for the Department of Public Works and Services and the Department of Transportation. Please provide a list for the years 1998-1999, 1999-2000 of all contracts over $100,000 that were over the initial project estimate.

Also provide the initial project estimate, the actual cost to date, any projected additional cost to complete the project, and the primary contract. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 7, written questions. The Chair recognizes the Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 5.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. The Member for Hay River North is seeking unanimous consent to return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Are there any nays? There are no nays, Mr. Delorey. You have unanimous consent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Mr. Charlie Furlong in the gallery, the chief from Aklavik.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The Chair recognizes the Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Ms. Arlene Hache, a very well-known social activist in the city of Yellowknife.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Welcome to the Assembly, Ms. Hache. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to opening address. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that your Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development has reviewed Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act, and wishes to report that Bill 5 is now ready for further consideration in committee of the whole.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 13, tabling of documents. The Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table a letter to the Inuvik Regional Health Board from Chief James Firth in Inuvik regarding the security and reception services contract.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. The Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, March 27, 2000, I will move the following motion. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that the Speaker be authorized to set such sitting days and hours as the Speaker, after consultation, deems fit to assist with the business before the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker,

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Workers' Compensation Act to permit dependent surviving spouses who marry or re-marry, to retain their compensation entitlements under the act. The bill also restores the compensation entitlements of such spouses who married or re-married on or after April 17, 1985, the date the equality provisions of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms came into force. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. To the principle of the bill. The Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak in support of the principle of the bill, but point out to the government that there is an omission. Very clearly, they have addressed one of the components of this with all of the widows post-1985. I do not think it is morally, ethically or politically right. I am not sure legally, but I think in some jurisdictions it is, that we have not recognized the rights of widows pre-1985.

Mr. Speaker, these widows are in the same boat and should not be discriminated against. We should be making every effort to deal with this issue in a careful, caring and humanitarian way. I believe there are only five of them. While I commend the government for finally coming forward with this legislative change as opposed to continuing with a protracted, legal court case.

I hope the Minister will hear the concerns. I know there are letters to that effect. I know in some jurisdictions, such as Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta, arrangements have been made with widows. I hope the Minister will recognize that we cannot ignore this issue. To tie it up needlessly in the courts for an extended length of time will leave a flaw in this legislation. That would be unfortunate. It would leave some long-suffering widows without what is their due reward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. To the principle of the bill. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to speak in favour of this bill. I am glad to see we are moving ahead to deal with the widows in a more compassionate way than going through the court action. I would have to say that I am also disappointed that we are not seeing a commitment on the part of the government to deal with the widows before the enactment of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

I would argue that a legal statute should not be the reason for us to react and say that it is right that we treat people who became widows after a certain date in 1985 differently than those who became widows before 1985. I would say this government has a moral obligation to follow the precedent set by the Prairie Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and I would hope that we would soon hear from this government that they are prepared to follow that precedent and make decent offers to those widows who would be affected if this legislation were truly retroactive to before 1985. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.