Thank you, Mr. Allen. Please be seated. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, your point of order.

Point of Order

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order under Rule 23(m). Mr. Speaker, the Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Ootes, in his Member's statement on Friday, October 26th, made reference to a Supreme Court justice and comments made on the matter of elections by secret vote. Mr. Speaker, without the benefit of the transcript, I had thought Mr. Ootes was referring to a decision of the Supreme Court on election matters. I was concerned that Mr. Ootes might have been breaking our rules with respect to sub-judiciary but I was not aware of any court case dealing with secret ballots before our Supreme Court.

Mr. Speaker, I decided to review the unedited Hansard at the first opportunity when I noted the reference Mr. Ootes was making in respect to the Supreme Court justice. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Ootes' comments concerned me. I would like to quote those comments as contained on page 1079 of the unedited Hansard:

The Supreme Court justice commented to me a while back, Mr. Speaker, his feelings of disgust that we still have leadership elections by secret vote. Poignant words of someone of the stature of a Supreme Court justice.

Mr. Speaker, it is very disturbing to me -- and I expect to the Supreme Court justice -- to hear his comments repeated in the Legislative Assembly on a political issue that could be an issue that could go before the courts. Mr. Speaker, I request your ruling on whether Mr. Ootes has breached our rules by offending the practices and precedents of the House by crossing the lines that separate the legislative branch of government from the judiciary. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Member raises a point of order on a matter that was discussed in the House on Friday. I will allow some debate on the point of order. Do any other honourable Members have anything to add to that? The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do want the transcript of the tapes checked because it is my belief that I said "a Supreme Court justice stated" and I did not identify a Supreme Court justice as being a Supreme Court justice of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you. To the point of order. No other debate? The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty. No? Any other debate on the point of order? I will take this under advisement and reserve judgment on that point of order. Mr. Dent, I will deal with the matter at the earliest convenience.

Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that on Saturday evening, the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association reached a tentative collective agreement.

The two-year tentative deal was achieved with the assistance of a mediator. We have been advised by the NWTTA that their target for completing ratification by the membership is November 7, 2001. The key features of the tentative agreement include:

• • salary increases of 3 percent in the first year and 2.5 percent in the second year;
• • a yearly professional allowance of $750;
• • adjustments to northern allowance rates to account for changes in the cost of living; and
• • parental leave for both natural and adoptive parents increased from six months to up to one year to coincide with changes to the federal Employment Insurance Act.

Mr. Speaker, although the tentative agreement was achieved with the assistance of a mediator, the success of the collective bargaining process always comes down to a sincere desire by the parties to reach an agreement and to do the work it takes to get there. I appreciate the commitment of both the NWTTA and the GNWT bargaining teams and look forward to the results of the ratification vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Antoine. Item 2, Minister's statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, a major recommendation in the Common Ground strategy prepared by the Economic Strategy Panel last year was to streamline access to government lending programs and services. To address this recommendation, I established the Business Program Review Committee last year to look at ways to reduce duplication and simplify application processes. I am pleased to report that substantial progress has been made in meeting these objectives.

The Business Program Review Committee recently completed consultations and has produced a report on consolidating Government of the Northwest Territories business assistance programs. The committee held meetings in all regional centres and surveyed existing clients of the programs under review to encourage input on program delivery and options to improve delivery.

The main recommendation of the committee is to create a new arm's-length corporation to deliver RWED programs and services currently provided by the Business Credit Corporation, the Northwest Territories Development Corporation, Canada-Northwest Territories Business Service Centre and Community Futures organizations.

The report is being distributed to all MLAs and stakeholders and comments on the recommendations are requested by December 15. The Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development will then develop a plan to implement the recommendations. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members of the Business Program Review Committee for their work in developing these recommendations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce today that the Department of Transportation has released a video entitled Community Airport Safety. The video is intended to serve as a tool for use in the communities to improve people's awareness and understanding of airport safety and security matters.

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the video is to show that everyone who lives in a community has a contribution to make in helping to keep their airport a safe place for airplane operations, traveling passengers and local residents. It is our hope that community leaders, educators, workers and the general public will watch this video and recognize how important their cooperation can be in ensuring that their airports operate as safely as possible.

The video is available in all the Northwest Territories' official languages, making it accessible to all Northerners in every community.

I would like to congratulate all the people who contributed to the making of this video, including department staff, our airport contractors, the production team and especially the people in the communities where the video was shot.

In making this video, Mr. Speaker, the Department of Transportation calls attention to the special importance of our airports in the daily life of our communities. The Department of Transportation hopes that with the added awareness and assistance of community residents, we can make the already admirable level of safety and security at our community airports even better yet. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to address my colleagues, my constituents and the people of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, the events of the last week have taken their toll on everyone. I would like to state that I have taken the opportunity to allow the Premier the benefit of the doubt and have spoken directly with the Premier with regard to the problem that I have.

Mr. Speaker, the problem I have is how top officials are dealt with when involved in wrongdoing. In the case of unauthorized taping and of participation of a telephone conversation, I am asking that public action be taken to demonstrate accountability of the government. That public action needs to be immediate to restore the trust of the people of the Northwest Territories.

The Premier has informed me...

Mr. Krutko, I have to interrupt you on your Member's statement. You are dealing with an issue that has been dealt with and debated before the House over the past week and the matter had been concluded. The rules, as you may be aware, do not allow for the continuous and repetitive raising of matters that have been decided during the current session. I am going to have to ask you to refrain from making that statement, Mr. Krutko.

-- Interjection

It is not debatable. Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on the weekend, I had the good fortune to be able to go home for a 36-hour furlough and spend some time in my constituency. Mr. Speaker, I can tell this House that a lot of people in Fort Smith have been riveted to the TV, radio and the newspapers, tracking what has been happening in Yellowknife and in this Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, there is significant concern as to what is happening and how it will all end up. The message I received very clearly from the people is that this issue that is before the House has been on the table a long time. We have been very intensely involved with it over the last week and there is a strong sense that we should be seeking closure, that we should be, as a Legislature, trying to put these matters to rest and close this unfortunate chapter in the life of the 14th Assembly and get back to the business at hand.

Mr. Speaker, I have assured my constituents that they and I share the same view. It is my hope that they will be reassured over the next couple of days that in fact this Legislature will do just that; close this unfortunate chapter and let us get back to the business at hand of governing the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I as well had the opportunity to go home for a night and spend some time with my family. It was an opportunity to get away from what was happening here and to re-evaluate what one is doing and why are we involved in government, as we speak, and what we are trying to do to benefit our constituents.

Mr. Speaker, when I got into the airport in Inuvik and my youngest son ran to me to give me a hug, I was once again reminded of why I initially became involved in government at this level. It was to look forward to what we can offer our constituents and our children.

Mr. Speaker, the last week of business in this House unfortunately has been very negative on the calendar and on the minds of many in the Northwest Territories. When I was at home, I had to ask myself are we doing the right thing here? At the risk of sounding, as some would put it, a little twisted, I have to say that when I looked at why I was here, Mr. Speaker, I still looked at what we are going to leave for our children and for the residents of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, what I think and what I believe I would like to leave is a Legislature, in the minds of those when we are done here, as one that we tried to do our best for our residents, not only in talking about programs and services, but in following what we set before us as rules and as laws for the land and its people.

It has not been an easy task, Mr. Speaker, to stand up and question integrity, question government programs and services, but there is a role, Mr. Speaker, when we do that. That is to make sure that the residents of the Northwest Territories are getting the best out of their legislators, those whom they have sent here to represent them, those who do not have a voice out there who cannot be organized to do things in a manner that is easily done when you have a fax machine or a cell phone.

Mr. Speaker, I stand again reconfirmed with what I came down here to do, and that is to make sure our government is a good government and accountable. Thank you.

-- Applause

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to discuss a matter that is of importance to one of my constituents that has to do with the amount of fee that this constituent receives for administering and issuing a marriage licence. I have learned from talking to him that for every licence he issues he gets $25 and then he has to return $15 back to the government.

He has pursued this issue with the Minister of Health and Social Services and other Ministers of this government and the answer he has been receiving is that because the fee structure is legislated in law, it would require legislative changes and the Minister was not prepared to do that at that time.

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to take this opportunity to advise the Minister of Justice and the new Minister, whoever that may be, of Health and Social Services, to ask them to revisit this issue. I do not think it takes a lot of argument that $15 for something like issuing a licence does not go far enough. My constituent has indicated to me that it does not even cover the ribbon or tape that he needs to print the thing out of the computer. I would like to put the government on notice that I would like to have this done, in the hope that this will make it to the legislative agenda before the end of this term. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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