I would like to inform the House that the Honourable Speaker is absent today due to a long-standing commitment within his constituency. I trust you will extend to me the same understanding that you have demonstrated to date towards Speaker Whitford. Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to report to you today that a Northwest Territories Crown Corporation, the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, has won three of the highest environmental honours available from a national environmental organization. The awards come from VCR Inc., a voluntary, non-profit organization in Ottawa designed to celebrate the achievements of members in limiting their greenhouse gas emissions.

The Power Corporation has attained Gold Level Champion Reporter status for excellence in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Members can earn bronze and silver awards for accounting for and reporting emissions, but only those members who actually reduce greenhouse gas emissions can achieve gold level. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to say that the Northwest Territories Power Corporation has gone the extra mile and actually decreased its greenhouse gas emissions to below 1991 levels. Of some 980 registered members nation-wide, the corporation is one of only 45 gold level champions.

The corporation was further awarded first place in the Best New Submission category, and an honourable mention in the Electric Utilities category. The Power Corporation's prize-winning submission outlined a detailed and successful plan to reduce greenhouse gases.

The initiatives introduced by the corporation to reduce greenhouse gases include: development of hydro projects; recycling residual heat; improving efficiency of existing plants; replacing old-style streetlights; converting the Inuvik plant to natural gas; and installing wind energy conservation systems. Employing these methods, the Power Corporation has decreased greenhouse gas emissions by almost 14 percent since 1991.

Mr. Speaker, this achievement is particularly impressive when you take into consideration the difficulties associated with generating power in our harsh climate. It is my hope that the leadership the Northwest Territories Power Corporation has shown will encourage other northern organizations to follow suit and voluntarily record and reduce their greenhouse gases. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to clear up what I believe is a misunderstanding about the priority of maintenance operations on different sections of the territorial highway system. The Department of Transportation has only one maintenance priority, and that is to keep the highway system in safe travelling condition. In every region and on every highway, the department's maintenance staff works to achieve the same goal of a safe highway system.

That being said, Mr. Speaker, maintenance routines and requirements do change from one part of the highway system to another. Geographic differences in physical terrain and seasonal weather patterns call for different kinds of maintenance treatment. More importantly, differences in traffic volumes create different maintenance standards. The Department of Transportation's Highway Maintenance Manual identifies five categories of maintenance standards based on traffic volumes.

• • Highway No. 3 between Rae-Edzo and Yellowknife is in maintenance category no. 2, with a traffic volume of between 250 and 500 vehicles a day.
• • The Dempster Highway between the Yukon border and the Tsiigehtchic River Crossing is a maintenance category no. 3 highway, with a traffic volume of between 150 and 250 vehicles a day.
• • With fewer than 80 vehicles a day, the Liard Highway between Nahanni Butte and the Junction with Highway No. 1 is in maintenance category no. 5.

For the reasons of terrain, climate and traffic, some sections of highway are much more difficult and expensive to maintain than others. Maintenance costs vary from a high of $21,300 per kilometre annually on the Dempster Highway through the Richardson Mountains, to a low of $3,100 per kilometre on Highway No. 1 between the N'dulee ferry crossing and Wrigley. The high cost of the Dempster is caused by high winds and drifting snow in the mountains. Highway No. 1 north of the N'dulee crossing has a low cost because it has very little traffic.

Among the most difficult and expensive sections to maintain is Highway No. 3 between Rae-Edzo and Yellowknife. This is for two reasons. First of all, this part of Highway No. 3 was built over muskeg and permafrost. Secondly, it carries the highest volume of rural traffic in the Northwest Territories' highway system. Other difficult sections of highway to maintain are all of Highway No. 6 from the Buffalo River Junction to Fort Resolution, Highway No. 1 from its junction with Highway No. 7 to Fort Simpson and the Ingraham Trail.

The department's maintenance crews all do their best to keep these sections of highway in safe travelling condition. The different sections of highway do not all have the same budget because they each need different types and amounts of maintenance work. The maintenance priority always remains the same: keeping the highways in a good, safe operation condition. Across the system, that cost can vary tremendously. Again, Mr. Speaker, the Dempster Highway near the Yukon border costs seven times more to maintain than the Mackenzie Highway north of the N'dulee crossing. Yet they are both kept in a safe condition. One costs a lot more than the other, and that is the only difference. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week I received a copy of a proposal called the Community Response to Housing Needs: Emergency, Transitional, and Hard-to-House. Mr. Speaker, this proposal was put together by the Young Women's Christian Association of Yellowknife, the Yellowknife Women's Centre, the Salvation Army, and the Side Door. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the four non-government organizations in Yellowknife who worked to put this proposal together.

Amidst a time of fiscal restraint, this type of co-operative effort needs to be recognized and encouraged. The YWCA, the Women's Centre, the Salvation Army, and the Side Door have joined forces to recommend a strategy for responding to the housing needs of at risk people living in or moving to Yellowknife. Mr. Speaker, as an urban centre, Yellowknife has recently experienced a significant increase in the number of high needs individuals and families moving here that require specialized housing and support services.

A large number of these people come from the communities, and the greatest increase has been in young people with no permanent homes. Mr. Speaker, the housing services in Yellowknife are provided by a number of agencies, but there is a lack of co-ordination between non-government organizations and social agencies, which results in gaps in service and some duplication.

Mr. Speaker, the YWCA, the Yellowknife Women's Centre, the Salvation Army and the Side Door want to work together with their partners within the Government of the Northwest Territories to develop a long-term strategy to address the special needs of hard-to-house people. I think the need to do this, Mr. Speaker, was highlighted by some of the reports we heard about one centre closing down here, perhaps within the next few days, in Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is important to point out that these groups are not looking, and I repeat, not looking, for an increase in funding from the Government of the Northwest Territories. They are looking for a co-ordinated approach to develop the inter-agency protocols, identify ongoing needs, and to maximize the current resources. A strong partnership would also be more effective in accessing federal funding and surplus federal housing. Mr. Speaker, a strategic long-term plan must be developed to address homelessness, particularly in this city. I will be forwarding this proposal to the Ministers responsible, asking that they meet together with the representatives from these agencies to consider it. 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. You have unanimous consent, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, honourable Members, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will be forwarding this proposal to the Ministers responsible. I will be asking them to meet with representatives of these organizations, together, along with the Ministers from the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Education, Culture and Employment, and Health and Social Services.

Now that these non-government organizations are making a co-ordinated effort to work together, I will be encouraging and watching to ensure that the departments of this government do the same. This is no time for turf wars, or protectionist stances. By working together and maximizing our resources, government and non-government partners will be able to find real solutions for the betterment of our community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak briefly about the Western Arctic Leadership Program. Last week, the leadership program wrote letters to all of the Members, outlining their situation and asking for assistance. Mr. Speaker, in 1990, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, under the direction of the government Minister, Mr. Kakfwi, created the Western Arctic Leadership Program, based on his vision and his desire to see a program that would be a residence and an opportunity for children from small communities to learn and develop their leadership skills and to graduate from high school. It was modelled after the very successful environment of the former Grandin College, which was also located in Fort Smith.

Mr. Speaker, the students from this program study at the local high school, while they reside in a residence in Fort Smith. The program has very active house parents, and they focus both on the academic and on developing outdoor skills and leadership skills on the land. Over the past decade, dozens of students have passed through the program, and all but two of them have gone on to post-secondary education. Mr. Speaker, the first ever graduates from communities like Colville Lake, Fort Liard and Trout Lake were Western Arctic Leadership Program students. It is a successful program, Mr. Speaker, and I believe it has proven itself after ten years. It has a very blue chip board, if I may use that term. The former director for Grandin College, Father Pochat, is on the board.

The one problem, Mr. Speaker, is that the leadership program is facing funding problems. For the past half-dozen or so years, the board has had to cobble together sufficient resources every year to meet its budgetary needs, in order to keep the program running. They have money from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, and Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development has also thrown in some money to help promote the wilderness and leadership training on the land. Our Member of Parliament has also been very supportive.

However, it is a funding process that is very hard to sustain. The board has reached the point where it does not believe it can continue under that particular approach. In their letter to the Minister responsible for Education, they have asked for a more realistic funding commitment based on the proven track record of the leadership program, and the intent of the government, which I still believe is there.

Mr. Speaker, the leadership program has been an important part of the educational scene in the Northwest Territories. I hope the government will recognize the value of this program, and find ways to provide the support it needs. Thank you.

-- Applause

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight a very important event which will take place in April and May, in both Yellowknife and Fort Smith. Mr. Speaker, ten years ago in Barrie, Ontario, Skills Canada, employers, educators, labour groups and governments began their program, working to ensure that students are exposed to, and will consider, jobs in the skilled trades and technology fields.

Through trial and error, it has been discovered that competitions make these occupations more visible and real for students, teachers and parents. In the past decade over 100,000 students have been directly influenced by the program. In 1999, the first Territorial Skills Competition was held in Fort Smith and Yellowknife. Over 80 students and apprentices from the Northwest Territories and Nunavut participated. A team of 53 competitors and team leaders went on to represent Team Nunavut/NWT at the Canadian Skills Competition in Kitchener. Mr. Speaker, we received five top five finishes, including two silver and a bronze medal.

The employers of our apprentices have been generous in providing paid leave for the competitors. At the national competitions, many of the competitors are offered jobs onsite.

Mr. Speaker, the goals of Skills Canada NWT should be the goals of all of us. To have more regional participation in these competitions at the high school level, to increase participation of young women in skilled trades and technology careers, and to have more companies registering and hiring apprentices.

In an effort to help Skills Canada NWT get established, HRDC has funded this program for the past two years, Additionally, in the past year alone, approximately $100,000 in-kind contributions were received in the form of equipment and materials, from local industry, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and Aurora College.

This year the second Skills Canada NWT Competition will be held April 19th and 20th in Fort Smith, and May 11th in Yellowknife, to select Team NWT for the national skills competition this June. Territorial industry is facing a critical shortage of skilled labour. Opportunities are being lost in current oil, gas and mineral development. More youth participating in Skills Canada NWT competitions is a win-win situation. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I urge the government to fund and continue their support of this worthwhile project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to speak on the Western Arctic Leadership Program in Fort Smith. Mr. Speaker, grades up to 12 are available to our students in most of our smaller communities in the Northwest Territories. However, the resources are limited. A high school class may consist of a teacher teaching two or three students, from grades nine through to grade twelve.

The Western Arctic Leadership Program offers an option to those students who want more than what can be offered in the communities. Some students want to be educated in an environment with computer labs and science labs or where the sports programs have the facilities and qualified gym teachers.

Mr. Speaker, the program in Fort Smith has been in operation since 1990. It was designed to develop the qualities of the youth of the Northwest Territories. This program, in its infancy, was initially funded by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Lately, this program and its board of directors have had to struggle from year to year to deal with the ever-dwindling financial support from the government.

Mr. Speaker, over the years, the board of directors of the Western Arctic Leadership Program have made many attempts to secure funding from different sources. They have applied to foundations across Canada, as well as to major corporations within and outside the Northwest Territories. They have also lobbied our government and the Government of Canada to no avail.

Mr. Speaker, the Western Arctic Leadership Program has had a very good success rate over the past ten years, and has produced many students who are now in our workforce or in post-secondary institutions in the south. This program has seen students from many communities across the North, and has played an important role in furthering their education. This program has proven to be an excellent service to our youth. This program gives the youth of the Northwest Territories the opportunity to advance their education through sources that are not available to them in their own communities. I hope this government can come up with the required support this program needs to continue. I will be asking questions on this issue during question period.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For years now, this government has been deferring a response to concerns regarding the current residency requirements to obtain a hunting licence in the North. I am aware this has been an ongoing issue for many, many years and there have been repeated requests by Members of this Assembly to have the regulations changed in the Wildlife Act. These changes are being requested to allow members of the Military and RCMP the privilege of hunting without having to wait the current two-year period.

Last Friday, Mr. Speaker, my colleague, Mr. Dent, asked questions relating to our current legislation, which does not recognize the limitations and restrictions of DND and RCMP staff. My colleague also questioned the Minister responsible for the Wildlife Act on whether or not new amendments will recognize the employment restrictions these two groups of federal employees have.

I am very concerned, Mr. Speaker, that this government will fail to recognize the calls for legislative revisions to allow members of these two groups to ever hunt in the North. I have reviewed Hansards of the previous Assembly and a great deal of previous correspondence relating to repeated requests to add provisions to address the residence requirement of RCMP and DND officials.

I was disappointed when I read the response of the Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development in the unedited Hansard from Friday's question period. He had suggested, and I quote, "it would probably be a lot faster if they just extended their stay, so they would not have to leave the Northwest Territories before enjoying the hunting privileges everyone else enjoys through their extended stays."

Mr. Speaker, we all know RCMP and DND staff often do not have any say as to where the federal government stations them. Many are posted for only two-year placements. This time limit is out of their hands. Mr. Speaker, we should take this request seriously and change our hunting regulations to accommodate these individuals in public service. This should be changed out of respect and appreciation for these federal servants and to bring legislation in line with many other jurisdictions In Canada. We need to make these changes, Mr. Speaker.

On Friday, the Minister stated such an exemption could violate the provisions of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Again, Mr. Speaker, I have to seriously question what would make our hunting regulations so unique. There has not been a challenge to the Charter of Rights in any other jurisdiction in Canada on this matter. Later today, I will be directing my questions to Premier Kakfwi, the Minister responsible for this legislation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement this afternoon is on the arts. This past weekend, I attended two performances here in Yellowknife that demonstrate the diversity and ambition of creative people in the North. On Friday night, northern filmmaker Dennis Allen premiered his film called Someplace Better. It dealt in thought-provoking ways, Mr. Speaker, with the issues of elder abuse, suicide, alcohol abuse and prejudice in northern society. It was produced with the assistance of many local sponsors, and starred a number of Yellowknife personalities including John Holman, Ben Nind, and elder Helen Tobie of Dettah.

On Sunday, my family and I took in an afternoon matinee production of a children's fantasy called The Education of the Snow King. It was written by a local playwright, Bruce Valpy, and starring his royal highness, the Snow King, Tony Foliot, at the Snow King's Castle on the ice of Yellowknife Bay.

Yellowknifers of all walks of life, Mr. Speaker, and thousands of visitors to our town in the winter, marvelled at, and even helped to build, this castle down on the bay. For the past several years, Mr. Foliot and his friends have created an amazing attraction, and a celebration of winter. I salute their efforts, and those of other northern artisans, passionate and creative individuals all, and the colour and contribution they make to our lives and our lifestyles. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a friend and constituent from Fort Smith, Ms. Bea Campbell. She is the co-chair of the Fort Smith Board of Health, as well as president of the Senior's Society for Fort Smith. Thank you.

-- Applause

Welcome to the House. Item 5, recognition of visitors in gallery. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize representatives of three of the four groups that I spoke of in my Member's statement today. From the Women's Centre, Ms. Arlene Hache. From the Salvation Army, Ms. Karen Hoeft. And from the YWCA, Ms. Lyda Fuller.

-- Applause

Welcome to the House. Item 5, recognition of visitors in gallery. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to acknowledge a visitor to the gallery, the executive director of the NWT Seniors' Society, Ms. Barb Hood.

Welcome to the House. Item 5, recognition of visitors in gallery. Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I too would like to recognize Beatrice Campbell, as chairperson, and Barbara Hood as the executive director of the NWT Seniors' Society.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Welcome to the House. Item 5, recognition of visitors in gallery. Item 6, oral questions. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today goes to Minister Kakfwi, and it is in response to enquiries that I have received from concerned parents in Yellowknife. It is regarding the possibility of arsenic being carried in the transportation trucks between Giant Mine and Miramar Con Mine. I believe there is a great deal of information on this, and I wonder if the Minister could inform us as to whether there is any dangerous arsenic being carried in the trucks carrying ore between the mines.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, the Honourable Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand the ore is not processed. It is simply being trucked. Because it has not been processed, there is no dangerous form of arsenic present. It is in a stable form and does not pose a risk whatsoever.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wonder if the Minister could assure the House as to whether there is ongoing monitoring by his department or the federal officials responsible, to monitor and to make sure there is no harmful arsenic being transported. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, the Honourable Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is not our responsibility, but I will enquire and inform the Members as to whether or not there is any form of monitoring going on. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister's answer. I wonder if I could confirm that he is taking this question as notice and he will respond to us in writing so that I can make it available to my constituents? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Clarification, Mr. Minister?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, that is correct. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. The question has been taken as notice. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct my question to the Premier. It follows up on some questions that were asked last week by Mr. Braden about the Northwest Territories Family Counselling Services. Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories Family Counselling Services provides many important services and programs for the community, such as family life education and community support for family advocacy.

The cuts they will take now as a result of the change in this governments' contracting on the Employee and Family Assistance Program will effect programs at the YWCA, the Women's Centre, the Aboriginal Community Healing Circle, and individuals in Yellowknife. Mr. Speaker, with the recent awarding of the contract for the GNWT Employee and Family Assistance Program to a new consortium that is twice the cost of the proposal the Northwest Territories Family Counselling Services had offered, they have now lost a good portion of their funding. They will be about $140,000 short for the coming fiscal year.

I would like to ask the Premier if he will commit to finding funding that would allow Northwest Territories Family Counselling Services to continue to offer these crucial programs to the community? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Premier, Mr. Stephen Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is not possible to make a commitment at this time. It would be one of many considerations that the Cabinet and Ministers would make in the course of developing our business plans, which we plan to get into as soon as this session is over. I am unable to make a commitment on financial support and core funding type of support to this organization at this time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just to confirm what the Minister said, while he said that he would make no commitment right now, did I hear him say that his Cabinet would consider such a commitment in the preparation of the business plans?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Cabinet will be in some discussions and deliberations over the next few weeks to decide what priorities, initiatives, reductions, and reallocations should be made of the existing resources, as well as how to make better use of existing resources in the preparation of the business plans for this year, the balance of the year that is not taken care of by the interim appropriation.

Further, a little later in the year, starting in June, we will also be developing our business plans for the year 2001-2002, so all things will be considered. Some briefly, some I am sure extensively and intensively.

But it is difficult to make any type of commitments. The nature of the geography, the demographics, the priorities that different MLAs and regions as well as our communities have will all have to be considered with dwindling resources. We will have to take everything into consideration. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to make note that that brief answer really made no commitment to do as I thought the Minister had offered to do at first.

Mr. Speaker, as of March 31, 2000, the GNWT will no longer pay for employee and family counselling services provided by the Northwest Territories Family Counselling Services. They were given only one week to notify their clients. I have concerns about this request and I suspect it could be disruptive and upsetting for clients to change counsellors and agencies in the middle of their treatment.

Mr. Speaker, in the best interest of the Government of the Northwest Territories employee and family counselling plans, will the Premier consider continuing to support these clients of Northwest Territories Family Counselling Services until the completion of their therapy?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The funding shortfall that the organization will face because of the awarding of the contract to a different agency will create some hardship. There is no doubt about that. However, it is not possible for this government to make a commitment to make up the shortfall simply on that basis.

The NWT Family Services has been enjoying funding from this government for a number of years, which I understand is a type of core funding that is in range of a couple hundred thousand dollars. That is expected to continue. There is no way that we can commit at this time to compensate for the shortfall they will face as a result of the recent contract. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Final supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are getting closer and closer to no, as we have gone through this process of answering the question. It is frustrating to know that important social programs are being down-graded in this community while we have time upstairs to make all sorts of renovations to the Ministers offices, to add personnel to this government in the Executive, and all the while we are cutting social programs.

Mr. Speaker, I asked the Minister if he would consider in the interest of fairness for employees currently undertaking counselling at NWT Family Counselling Services, will he agree to allow that counselling to continue as long as the treatment is in progress, or until those clients can be concluded in the treatment process, rather than having to switch halfway through a program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is no way to please the Member. As you would gather, anytime there is an increase of resources centred anywhere within ten miles of Yellowknife, there is a huge outcry in the outlying communities.

The fact is, this organization is already funded in the neighbourhood of $200,000 by this government. We expect we will be able to maintain that. They have lost a contract. They are no longer required by this government to provide that service.

And if they were any other type of business organization, we would expect them to try to re-organize and maintain under existing resources. I have tried to refrain from indicating that we shut the door on the possibility that they may enjoy additional resources. It is not in my prerogative to decide by myself where funding should be allocated.

I have suggested that I would like to leave that until Cabinet has met and had time to decide where the limited resources we have should be best allocated. Talking about what is going on in different parts of the government is of no help at all. If the Member wishes to flail away, then there is little I can do about it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Just a reminder to the Members that your main question is where you are trying to seek information. Your supplementary is where you try to ask more questions on that information. I do not think we should be getting out of the range of your original oral question to seek information. If we could keep that in mind, please.

To the Ministers, if you could be precise to assist in the supplementaries by trying to answer the questions being raised by the Members. If we could follow that process, hopefully we will get through it today.

Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is addressed to the Minister responsible for Youth, Mr. Allen.

On the weekend, I had the pleasure of attending a brunch with the Let's Write Leadership Program with Mr. Allen. Although he was in town for just a private weekend, he agreed to go to the leadership program. At the leadership program, he met with all the students, the mayor, as well as the house-parents. At that brunch, the Minister indicated he had a talk with the Premier, and he gave some very heartening words to the students. I would like to ask the Minister if he would care to repeat in this forum those words he gave to the students that gave them hope that the program has a future.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The Minister responsible for Youth, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I must confirm with the Member that I did make an address on our behalf to the leadership, parents, as well as the Member, and also with the mayor of Fort Smith in attendance.

I did advise the leadership home that I would continue to play a role with the Premier, as he was the original founder of this great idea of the schools. It brings back memories of my own days as a resident of the school system. I also indicated to the group that I would be in communication with the Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, to discuss continued funding beyond a year-to-year interval. We felt that a longer term of funding would give us more stability in the program. That is the message I have delivered on behalf of our government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Allen. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the leadership program, the board, and the parents have indicated in the letter they wrote to all the MLAs that they are under certain time constraints. They have to make a decision early in April as to whether they are going to be able to recruit again for the coming year. I would like to ask the Minister whether he would be able to, by that time, discuss this matter with his colleagues and have some sort of signal sent back to the leadership board, as to whether they are going to be able to continue on? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The Minister responsible for Youth, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is important that we get together with the Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment to try to find out where we can get additional funding.

As I said in my remarks to the school on Saturday, we would look at funding beyond a year-to-year interval. I can assure the Member that I will continue to investigate that option. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister for that reply. There was just one part missing. Could the Minister indicate how early in April some communication could be had with the leadership program itself, so they may know whether or not they should be advertising and recruiting for the program for next year? Thank you.

The Minister responsible for Youth, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As you can see, I am conferring with the Minister of Education, trying to find some resolution to the question. I would just like to assure the Member that they can go ahead and recruit for next year. I am sure in the interim, we will be able to discuss the needed funding to continue to support the leadership program. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not aware whether or not the Stanton Regional Health Board consulted the Dogrib Community Services Board with respect to the provision of the service.

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

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would be prepared to discuss that with the new chair of the Stanton Board, Mr. Larry Elkin. That is, whether or not the board would consider the services that are available originating in Rae. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would be prepared to enter into a dialogue with communities who would wish to repatriate medical travel services from the Stanton Regional Health Board to their communities or other regional health boards. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is in reference to the Member's statement I made earlier, and directed to the Minster responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, the Honourable Jake Ootes.

Mr. Speaker, the Western Arctic Leadership Program, in its infancy, was fully funded by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Now, as a result of limited funding, there have been reductions in programs and activities for the students. To further reduce funding would take away from the intent of this valuable program.

Mr. Speaker, in light of the comments by the Minister responsible for Youth, can the Minister confirm that there will be funding committed to the Western Arctic Leadership Program so it may continue?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am aware of the Western Arctic Leadership Program that is conducted in Fort Smith. As the Members have stated, it started ten years ago and was initiated by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. It has been funded by this department, as well as receiving funding from other sources.

The program has had a certain amount of good success. It was originally started on the basis of providing an opportunity for aboriginal graduates to develop self-confidence and leadership skills.

The program has graduated a number of people over the years. I have some statistics here on it, Mr. Speaker. The funding that has been provided to date contributed about $105,000 for program costs, and $61,000 for utility and maintenance costs. I understand that the funding from other sources has been reduced, Mr. Speaker.

With regard to the Member's question, I believe we would have to consider that as part of the business planning process. I cannot make a commitment at this particular time on that.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister responsible for Youth indicated earlier that the program should go ahead and recruit. Am I hearing the Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment advising against this commitment?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand the Minister had stated that he would discuss this matter with me. We would do so at the earliest opportunity. In all likelihood, very early next week.

I think we have to follow the process of business planning, as we do with all other programs, Mr. Speaker. I do not think we can go outside of that at this particular point. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am hearing two different things along the same line of questioning. Am I to understand that the Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment is reneging on a commitment made by the Minister responsible for Youth?

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What I said earlier was that this process has to follow the regular process of funding that we follow with all programs that we operate in the government. That is the business evaluation process.

We are very interested in looking at this program and seeing what can be done. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Final supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have one final question then. Can I ask the Minister if the program can go ahead and recruit this year? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said earlier, the Minister for Youth had committed to meet with me next week. We will discuss this matter. I do have to follow the rules and regulations of methodologies of funding. We will proceed with that process through the business planning process, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to follow up with the Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development regarding my Member's statement today.

Could the Minister advise this House whether he supports the numerous requests of RCMP and DND officials to have the residency requirement of two years waived or possibly adjusted for these two groups? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, the Honourable Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Wildlife Act and its provisions are provisions that are of fundamental importance to aboriginal groups. The existing provisions are provisions that, historically, aboriginal leaders and Members of the Legislature have paid a very high priority to. Any type of change that would imply changes to the residency requirement for obtaining a hunting license will have to be discussed with aboriginal groups and the general public.

How I personally feel about it has very little to do with it. I know we had put a question to the Department of Justice last year asking if there was a way, in a hypothetical situation, to provide an exemption for the two-year residency requirement under the Wildlife Act for members of the RCMP and the Armed Forces.

The response was that the Charter of Rights provisions would make it difficult to make viable exemption provisions under the law. We could be subject to challenge. If it was challenged, then the exemptions would not be able to be sustained.

Those are the comments by which I think we are guided. If we could do it and the aboriginal leaders and organizations were in support, it would then not be so difficult to forward changes to the residency requirement. Generally speaking, we seem to be of the view that the changes to the residency requirement would have to apply to everyone in the public. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister referred to concerns regarding a possible challenge to the Charter of Rights that such an exemption would cause. Could the Minister provide me with some clarification on what grounds the challenge to the Charter of Rights would be made? I was not clear.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Charter of Rights provides that everyone should be treated equally under the laws of this country. To provide for exemptions, are provided in only certain parts of the Charter.

In the case of hunting rights, because we are a public government, our laws have to reflect equal treatment to everyone. I believe there are provisions under the Constitution for special rights for aboriginal people. Other than that, everyone expects to be treated equally.

So to advance the notion for provisions that would provide an exemption, different treatment to certain members of the public such as the RCMP and the Armed Forces, would be seen as being treated unequally. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Premier for his response. But I am aware that seven other provinces in the country have made the type of exemptions we are talking about here today for DND and RCMP officials. To date, there has not been a single challenge to the Charter of Rights on this issue. I am wondering if the Premier feels this would be a different story here in the North than it has been across Canada. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, the Honourable Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I think we have a very different circumstance here in the Northwest Territories. The possibility that we could have a court challenge is very real. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier today, we had the benefit of seeing the Students Against Drinking and Driving put on a presentation. I must thank the Minister responsible for Transportation and the Minister of Youth for letting this occur and supporting the initiative.

My question is to the Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Seeing that this is Students Against Drinking and Driving, could the Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment inform us if his department is at all involved in this area? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for the question. I have attended the meeting the students had with the Yellowknife MLAs several weeks ago. Of course, I was there today for lunch. It is a very important program, and one that I am certainly very interested in. I also advised the officials from the SADD organization if they could contact me so we could possibly look at areas where we can participate in this particular program, to see if it could be applied in other areas, as well as seeing what kind of support we can provide to this program as a department.