Mahsi, Mr. Antoine. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on the eve of Canada's birthday, I would like to take this opportunity to celebrate and pay tribute to the best country in the world for the eighth time, according to the United Nations.

Mr. Speaker, as a proud immigrant, I consider myself a special person because I can celebrate two birthdays a year. The one I am most grateful for is the day my family and I began a new life in Canada here in Yellowknife some 22 years ago.

For me, this new life has been one full of vast opportunities and one I consider an absolute privilege. I value everything Canada is, because this is a country not only rich in resources, and the most beautiful landscapes from one corner of the country to another, but one that is rich in people whose values I share and cherish deeply.

This is a country where its citizens fundamentally believe in their basic rights as an individual and understand their neighbours are entitled to the same, where we appreciate and protect equality and fairness in the workplace as well as in social settings, where we provide basic health care and educational programs to all, so each and every one of us can have a chance at becoming the best manifestation of her or himself. Where we have a social security net for the poor, the old and otherwise disadvantaged.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that not all of us feel as privileged as I do, not all the time, anyway, and there are some who feel downright left behind. On this very special day, I must express my gratitude to all those who placed their trust in me by giving me a place in this honourable House, so I can work to make a difference for those in need.

May I add, Mr. Speaker, I look forward to this Canada Day weekend for many celebrations I can share with my constituents, and some rest as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 3, Members' statements. The Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I swore today as well to clearly state that my name is Michael, and I am Canadian.

-- Laughter

I am very, very proud to be standing here in this House, in this land, and in this country of Canada, and that tomorrow is a tremendously special day, one of the best birthdays in the world. We do have a lot to be grateful for and I would like to take this time to acknowledge all the tremendous amount of hard work that people across the Northwest Territories and Canada have done who have been working on the celebrations that we are all going to take part in, tomorrow.

I would like to recognize, of course, the labours of the people in Fort Smith, where they are planning a full slate of activities, as we do take time, as a community, to celebrate a unique opportunity to reflect and to enjoy the many good things we have as Canadians.

Like my colleague, Ms. Lee, it is a privilege to be here and I hope people will take time to recognize that we are the best country in the world, we have much to be grateful for, and I am very, very happy as a Canadian to stand here today. Thank you.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise here today to recognize the fine students from St. Pat's and Sir John High Schools in Yellowknife who graduated this spring. I was lucky enough to be able to attend both ceremonies and both were tremendous. I left the ceremonies feeling that we are certainly faced with a beautiful picture for the future, one that I do not think we have seen the likes of in recent memory.

Certainly, Mr. Speaker, I graduated from Sir John Franklin ten years ago. It was a proud moment for me, but I do not remember feeling the same kind of optimism that we see around us here now, at least economically, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to congratulate all the kids who have completed their studies in grades K-11, and are now out for summer break. As well, Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the teachers, who worked so hard this year, and did such a fine job and are now, after spending the last couple of weeks working on report cards, I am sure are working on cleaning up their classrooms. We would like to thank them for all the work they have done this year.

So to kids and teachers, we would like to say enjoy your summer. You have done good work and we will see you in the fall. Thank you.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, along with some of my colleagues here, I would like to speak a little bit about what tomorrow will mean to my family and I.

Mr. Speaker, I reflect back on growing up at home and my father, sitting down after a special meal, would remind us that we had so much bounty in front of us. That we were full and still had leftovers and he would point out that in other countries, in this world, there are people starving.

He would always do that to keep us mindful that we are truly blessed in this land. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is not just another day off, and I think Canadians need to remember that. They tend to take things for granted in the country that we live in, when things are so easy to access.

We need to reflect on the opportunities we have on the richness of our heritage and our culture. It is a time to remind our children of what we truly own as people and as Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be an Inuvialuit, Canadian and proud to have my children raised in this land. I like to think that, being from the Northwest Territories, not only puts me higher on the map, but puts me in a special land because of the freedom we have, the clean air and my ability to jump into a boat and go out and live more freely, as one would say.

As Members, we should all remind our constituents and our families of the blessings we have, that we have more than any other place in this world. With that, Mr. Speaker, I would just like to send a message back to my family and tell them, I will be there to share this special day, Canada Day, with them in my home. Thank you.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my statement today concerns difficulties being faced by businesses situated on the Hay River Dene Reserve.

Mr. Speaker, the Hay River Dene Reserve is a separate community from the town of Hay River. However, when it comes to the application of the Business Incentive Policy, with respect to the Government of the Northwest Territories tendering practices, it would appear that they are the same community.

Specifically, this means that the Hay River Dene Reserve businesses do not benefit from local preference or Government of the NWT contracts bid out for services on the reserve. However, Mr. Speaker, the town of Hay River itself recognizes that the reserve is a separate community. It requires those businesses based on the reserve to have a non-resident business license when they do business in the town of Hay River.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the NWT should be encouraging businesses to grow and prosper on the reserve by applying a local preference policy to resident reserve business when they issue public tenders. In such a matter, they will create business opportunity, employment growth, and investment on the Hay River Dene Reserve.

Mr. Speaker, residents and business owners on the Hay River Reserve also find it difficult to access funds available through the Business Development Fund and the Business Credit Corporation. The town of Hay River is the second largest community in the North. They enjoy the luxury of many types of businesses and services.

Mr. Speaker, the criteria to access business development funding does not allow for market disruption, but what this interprets to is that the reserve cannot start up any businesses that compete with any business that exists in the town of Hay River.

Mr. Speaker, the lack of banking services on the reserve when the difficulties that the banking sector has with providing funding to on-reserve businesses make it especially important that the Government of the NWT provide financial alternatives.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development should play a major supporting role regarding development on the reserve. It should start by listening to the concerns of the residents and the leaders of the community, and translate what it hears into a committed plan of action that will foster and sustain economic development for the Hay River Dene Reserve. Thank you.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as my colleagues have noted, tomorrow is Canada Day, an important day in the life of our country. A day to celebrate the birthday of our country, and also a day to celebrate citizenship.

In fact, Mr. Speaker, a special part of tomorrow's celebration here in Yellowknife, will be the ceremony that confers Canadian citizenship on a number of people. Mr. Speaker, this morning I would like to salute a young woman, from my constituency, who demonstrates the finest qualities of citizenship through volunteering.

Melissa Fletcher has been living in Yellowknife for 12 years, and has just completed her second year of study at the University of Lethbridge. Melissa, who joins us today in the gallery, was recently selected as one of three youth in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut to participate in the Canada World Youth International Exchange Program.

Melissa's exchange will begin in August, when she joins ten other young people from Canada and Sri Lanka, in Fernie, B.C. For three and a half months they will live with local families and be involved as volunteers in community based programs in Fernie. Then, Mr. Speaker, the ten youth will travel to Sri Lanka, for a similar three and a half month period to continue their volunteer work.

Mr. Speaker, exchange programs like these allow our youth to increase their awareness of local and global issues, strengthen their sense of responsibility and to become future leaders in our community.

I have met with Melissa and I know that she will be a wonderful ambassador for Yellowknife, the Northwest Territories, and for Canada. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate Melissa and wish her all the best in her exchange. Thank you.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my name is David and I am Canadian, and proud of it.

-- Applause

Canada Day is a day for us to celebrate the uniqueness of being Canadians. This day gives us the opportunity to see how lucky we are to live in a land so rich and so vast compared to other areas in the world. However, we have to realize that as Canadians, we must not lose sight of what we sometimes take for granted.

I feel, we, as Canadians, have to do more to bring the life expectancy of our First Nations people in-line with other Canadians, and we also have to deal with the problem in Canada of homelessness, people living in poverty, children having the right and security of having a safe home and a safe lifestyle.

We as a government and as Canadians, have to ensure that we have the best place in the world. We also realize that we have to bring the line between the rich and the poor more to the centre, so we can feel as one and we do not have a discrepancy between the rich and the poor.

So with that, I wish everybody a happy Canada Day. Take care, and all the best.

-- Applause

Mahsi, Mr. Krutko. Discours des deputes. Item 3, Members' statements. The Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On the eve of this national holiday, Canada Day, I am pleased to make note of the work that we are all doing to address a serious problem in this country, that of impaired driving.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving, or MADD, as they are known, recently published a report on provincial and territorial vehicle legislation across Canada, to champion their cause of deterring impaired driving.

A failing grade of F on the MADD report card was assigned to the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker, of 22 percent, the lowest in Canada. The highest, by comparison, was Ontario, at 51 percent. The full report is easily pulled up on the internet site at their MADD Canada address.

Mr. Speaker, I was encouraged earlier this week to hear the Minister of Transportation outline his department's efforts to develop a strategy to reduce impaired driving, as a comprehensive approach to the problem of drinking and driving.

I was also impressed, Mr. Speaker, with the input of partnerships the department is building with other groups in the Northwest Territories to deal with this very serious issue. Included in the approach are a legislation enforcement, public education and rehabilitation.

During the last session, this Assembly learned about the Canadian Youth Against Drinking and Driving Conference in March, 2001, being organized by the Yellowknife students of that organization. Members of this House, including the Premier and Cabinet, met personally with the students to hear about their preparation and fundraising in support of the 11th annual CYAID meeting. It is a conference, Mr. Speaker, that could see as many as 500 students and young people coming to Yellowknife, and it could be one of the largest conferences ever in the Northwest Territories.

I am aware that Students Against Drinking and Driving have undertaken an extensive fundraising campaign and recently made a presentation to the Ministers of Transportation and Youth. At this particular time, major fundraisers are being sought, and the organization has been very successful. So far, Mr. Speaker. they have raised over $70,000.

The Minister of Youth and this government have been very supportive of the SADD program. I wish to compliment the Ministers on their initiatives in this portfolio. There is still much work to be done with regard to financing and arrangements for the conference, and I intend to raise this issue with the Minister later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Mahsi, Mr. Lafferty. Item 3, Members' statements. The Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

Merci, Mr. Nitah. Item 3, Members' statements, the honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.