Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Good afternoon, colleagues. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to take a moment to recognize students from a school in my riding who have been working as pages this week in the Legislative Assembly. The pages are grade 8 students from the William MacDonald School. Mr. Speaker, each one of these students was selected by a committee of teachers, based on their exemplary performance in school and their well-rounded ability as students.

I would like to express my appreciation of their dedication to their studies. Mr. Speaker, in order to participate as pages during this Session, and to gain the opportunity to learn more about the Legislative Assembly, the students had to give up some of their precious summer holidays.

I know this experience will further their education and understanding of our political system, and I appreciate their willingness to participate as pages, especially during the summer.

Mr. Speaker, they are doing a great job. I am sure their teachers and fellow classmates are proud to have them represent the William MacDonald School. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of all of us in this House, I would like to thank Nico Todd-Cullen, James Cracknell, Chris Fournier, Duncan Hamre, Leslie Miller, Andrew Silke, Noel Taylor and Louise Tumchewics. Mr. Speaker, although he is not from William MacDonald School, I would also like to recognize a young man who is no stranger to the halls of the Legislative Assembly, and who is also working as a page for us right now, Vital Manuel. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a few minutes today to talk about the Student Financial Assistance Program. Mr. Speaker, I have said previously in the House that I consider myself the biggest beneficiary of the education system of the Northwest Territories. I had the privilege of having eight years of post-secondary education with the assistance of the government. I always thought we had a pretty good system. It needed improvement. I am glad I was part of the Assembly that revamped the program earlier in this Session.

Mr. Speaker, I guess we can always say that it can always be better. I am glad we were able to make the progress we did. We do have some problems, as other Members have indicated in this House earlier, there is a question about the grandfathering of the clauses and benefits.

I have met with the people other Members have met, and I am glad the issue was discussed. Another problem has to do with the administrative complications of it. I am hoping the Minister will address that question. What I want to deal with today is a very simple thing the Minister could change to make what we have even better. That has to do with the automatic payment portion of the program.

Today, I heard on the radio that the department is considering changing the payment plans, where the student loans will be paid monthly instead of in installments by semester. What I understand from the students is that they are really having a problem getting to the officers. I have a problem with the department doing it in a way that would take so much more labour. Why is it that when we have a wide available system of automatic payments, the department has to have someone going and depositing these cheques? Why is it that it cannot be done in a way that the payments can be deposited automatically?

I know this is possible, Mr. Speaker, because I still pay back my student loan and they know how to take the money out of my bank account every two weeks. I would think the system is available there to reverse that. I would urge the Minister to make it perfect and address this simple issue immediately. Thank you.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today concerns forest management in the Deh Cho. Mr. Speaker, many residents in my riding are confused by the policies and practices of the GNWT with regard to the issuance of timber cutting permits in Cameron Hills, through seemingly little reliable information about sustainable forest inventory and how it relates to the annual allowable cut as calculated by the forest management division of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development.

Indeed, much of the information seems contradictory in nature. Yet despite these contradictions, many timber cutting permits were issued this winter, and many residents are concerned about the environment. Mr. Speaker, it is essential that the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development increase its focus on community consultation with regard to forest management issues.

These consultations should be meaningful, Mr. Speaker. By that I mean the department should give consideration to including communities in some kind of inclusive decision making with regard to forest management issues.

Mr. Speaker, the Forest Management Act allows for the development of forest management agreements with communities. These agreements, if structured properly, could allow for more meaningful community participation and decision making, as well as ensuring that benefits from forest management activity accrue to the communities in which the activity takes place.

Mr. Speaker, as the Cameron Hills is an area of shared traditional land use between the residents of Kakisa Lake, Hay River Dene Reserve and Fort Providence, I suggest the forest management division pursues a tri-community approach to forest management issues. Perhaps a comprehensive forest management agreement could be developed between the three communities. I further suggest that the forest management division not focus on jurisdictional issues and the retention of powers when considering policies and practices. Instead, it should focus on maximizing community participation in forest management. In doing so, it will help form a more solid base of community support for GNWT involvement in forest management issues as well as other resource management initiatives. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to address a very important issue that has to do with northern nurses. We are all aware, and have heard very clearly from the Department of Health and Social Services, that there is a critical shortage of nurses in the Northwest Territories. It is especially acute when you come to northern nurses.

We have heard that affirmative action is not working that well. That after 12 or 14 years, affirmative action has not met its targets. It does not do the job it is intended to do. It has not addressed the key areas of the professions. We have heard that the government is giving millions of dollars through its recruitment and retention plan last year, and they request more money this year to recruit nurses from the south and to retain the ones we have in the North.

They have sent groups to the British Isles trying to find nurses. The have admitted they have come up with a short-term strategy, but in the long-term, we have to have northern nurses.

Mr. Speaker, I am very concerned. I have a constituent, a nurse with a diploma, a Metis nurse in Fort Smith, who has applied to go to school to get her degree. We have been told that all nurses are going to soon require a bachelor of science to practice nursing.

Mr. Speaker, this nurse was rejected. I am shocked and appalled that this department, which has voiced such concern and is spending millions of dollars trying to recruit nurses, will not spend the money to train and retain a northern nurse, especially since they lapsed over $800,000 in their recruitment and retention plan last year.

The reason this lady was given was that there were insufficient funds to allow her to upgrade to the degree level so she would be able to provide a better quality of service as a nurse.

Mr. Speaker, I would hope the Minister will do the right thing. She has the flexibility to move funding to make the right decision to not only recruit, but to retain the nurses we have. We have a classic example of a northern nurse seeking to upgrade her skills so she will be better able to provide service to her patients. Later today, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Minister questions about this issue. I hope she would like to tell me that with this $800,000 they lapsed and the $3.4 million they will get this year, they will find a way to make sure we train northern nurses. Thank you.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on the issue I raised yesterday, the Inuvik Regional Hospital. Mr. Speaker, in questioning the Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat and the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, then proceeding to the Minster of Public Works and Services, every response I received gave me more concern than the first.

The Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat said they will be moving along and delays should not be happening. It would stay on the same timeline that was proposed in the P3 project and it would be moving from there. In the last reply I received from the Minister responsible for Public Works and Services, he informed me it would be going back to square one. That causes some concern, because I was informed when this was first transferred to a P3 project from a traditional tender project, that 30 percent of the work was done on the plans. I have a copy of that here, Mr. Speaker, that shows there is an actual footprint that is ready to go.

I would like some clarification today, once and for all, so we can put some assurances on this and I can let my constituency know this will proceed and proceed in a timely manner to which it has been committed. The clarification here will be very clear, so I will not have to raise this any further.

In light of all of the changes that have happened in my constituency since the forming of the 14th Assembly, I feel I need some clear answers on this project and try to bring some closure to it, and I can watch it develop on the plan of this government and reassure the residents in the region of Inuvik that they will have a new hospital that will stay current with all of the new methods of delivering health care services in the Northwest Territories.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I will be questioning the Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat further. Thank you.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this afternoon I would like to recognize the initiative of the northern manufacturing sector. There is much talk of diamond, oil and gas exploration with capital intensive development and requirements for skilled, or at least a semi-skilled, workforce. In most economies, it is still the small businesses that provide the majority of jobs, Mr. Speaker.

Across the North, the arts and crafts cottage industry participates in the benefits of the tourism industry, and indeed we are making progress in the development of small northern manufacturers.

I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the Northern Manufacturers Association which is promoting products manufactured in the North, made by Northerners, for our climate and conditions. The association also supports training through its involvement with the Skills Canada competition, which saw Northerners compete successfully in local and national competitions.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to acknowledge the success that Energy Wall and Building Products Limited has achieved through the certification of its Northwest Territories designed and manufactured wall panel system. They received this accreditation this week by the National Research Council's Canadian Construction Materials Centre. It is the first such certification for the North, and it means that the product can be used nationally in construction projects financed by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing mortgage insurance system.

There is also involvement, Mr. Speaker, by other northern companies, including Ferguson Simek Clark, who have been leaders in Canadian northern construction in the Soviet Union. I am also pleased to note the technical support of the Department of Public Works and Services and the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. The efforts of my colleague for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent, are also to be acknowledged in furthering this venture.

This is an excellent example, Mr. Speaker, of public and private sector cooperation. I urge the government to further develop this type of support for northern manufacturers.

I should add, Mr. Speaker, that the Minister responsible for Housing for Ontario has authorized the use of such approved building material systems and designs for all of Ontario. I believe there are further ways the government may assist local manufacturers, Mr. Speaker, and I intend to raise questions on this issue later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to bring some emphasis to how important the oil and gas development is to Hay River. Hay River had a taste of the excitement that can be created by oil and gas development. In the early 70's, I was there for about five years, and indeed it was a busy time for Hay River. They had visions, Mr. Speaker, of Hay River growing to approximately 15,000 people. In fact, Hay River took steps to put infrastructure in place to support that population.

We all know what the Berger Inquiry did, and how everything was put on hold. I might add, Mr. Speaker, that Hay River had very little input into what was contained in the Berger Inquiry.

Since that time, Hay River has very little to celebrate. Yes, we have had the Northwest Territories Power Corporation move to Hay River, but the impact of that was reduced considerably by the fact that we lost NorthwesTel as a main centre.

When diamond mines were first introduced to the North, Hay River businesses spent a lot of money in attending meetings and preparing for what they could possibly gain from the diamond industry. A lot of those businesses came away empty handed because of their location.

I hear every day, Mr. Speaker, how well situated Hay River is for oil and gas development, how well it is equipped with infrastructure to support that development. However, Mr. Speaker, that infrastructure was taxed to the limit in the early 70's, some of which was in better shape at that time than what it is today.

When asked about funding for infrastructure in Hay River, the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development stated that they cannot do anything on speculation. I am under the impression, Mr. Speaker, that oil and gas development in the North has gone beyond being speculative.

Speculation did not stop the Government of the Northwest Territories from spending millions of dollars in preparing for the diamond industry. The four advisory positions in the oil and gas sector that are being proposed by the government, one of which is located in headquarters, and one in Fort Simpson, does nothing to assure me that Hay River is being considered as a major point for the oil and gas industry.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Hay River does have infrastructure that is going to be very crucial to the development of oil and gas in the North. I suggest that without the help of this government and some emphasis being put on Hay River, we could just as easily be bypassed. I would like to urge this government to take a proactive role in helping Hay River prepare for this oil and gas development. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to talk today about summer student hiring. The last time we sat in this House in March, my colleagues and I urged the government to do something for the students who were returning home from university and would be looking for jobs.

We suggested that if they did not do something quickly, we might as well meet the students on the tarmac and turn them around and send them down south for jobs.

To his credit, Mr. Kakfwi responded by setting up a phone line and a dedicated person in the Department of the Executive who the students could contact for summer employment. Since that time, Mr. Speaker, students have been reporting back to me and letting me know exactly what they thought of the situation this summer. It appears it is not much different than it was when I was going to university.

Unfortunately, what they are saying is that we simply have a receptacle for resumes in the Department of the Executive, and if you actually wanted a job, you had to go out to the individual departments and meet with managers.

The kids are not naïve, Mr. Speaker, and they know that trying to go to the Department of the Executive for a job was not the answer. Unfortunately, internally, the Executive only needs to know about the student once he or she has been hired, so it is reporting back after the fact. I do not think this situation is acceptable.

When I went to school, it was about who you knew for getting summer student employment. I hope that is changing. I now understand that corporate human resources is setting up a review to look at summer student hiring. I hope that they will include students in this process and I hope it is successful.

I do want to commend the Premier for setting up this review, because obviously he sees the problems that we see with summer student hiring. I hope he will fix it quickly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I also have a concern with the Inuvik Hospital being built and replaced. Hearing that they are going to have to start from ground zero, I have many concerns. There has been a lot of work done on this. We were told in the 13th Assembly that this was to become a P3 project. A request for proposals went out. Money has been spent on feasibility studies and blueprints have been identified.

The federal government has committed to paying 64 percent of the cost of building this hospital. Mr. Speaker, 64 percent is in the area of $16 million that the federal government is committing to pay as their share of the cost. The Government of the Northwest Territories' share is around $8 million.

Yet, Mr. Speaker, this project that was signed through a transfer agreement back in 1988, in the Health Transfer Agreement, it is clearly stated under section 2.8 through 2.16 of the provisions. It boggles my mind as to exactly why it is taking this government so long to develop the infrastructure that is greatly needed for the regions of Beaufort Delta, Mackenzie Delta and Inuvik.

We have a major impact coming forth in the oil and gas industry, but the infrastructure that is in place is old, run-down, and needs to be replaced, yet nothing is being done by this government to ensure that project is being carried out. The comment from the Minister yesterday saying that they are going to have to start at ground zero upsets me very much. This was one of the projects I saw as being beneficial to the region and to the North. There has been a commitment from the federal government on this through the transfer agreement, yet this government is not living up to its obligations in that agreement.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will be asking the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services questions on this transfer. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.