Mahsi, Mr. Lafferty. Please be seated. Mr. McLeod, on behalf of the Members of the Legislative Assembly, I would like to extend our condolences on the passing of your father. Our best wishes to the family are extended as well. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would to address concerns raised by some Members of this Assembly about the proposal to return administration of the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program to the federal government. I appreciate that Members are very concerned about the impact of any change in program delivery on the quality of health care services provided to their constituents.

The Non-Insured Health Benefits Program is a national program funded by Health Canada, which provides specific benefits for status Indians and Inuit. Health Canada determines the type and extent of benefits that will be covered. Benefits under this program include specific drugs, dental work, various equipment and supplies required for medical treatment, vision care, eyeglasses, and co-payments for medical travel.

When the responsibility for health was transferred from Canada to the Government of the Northwest Territories, our government agreed to administer this program for the federal government. We provide the services directly to status Indian and Inuit residents and recover the costs from Canada through monthly billings.

This arrangement worked for several years. However, over the past few years, our government has been losing money. Health Canada has been disallowing a number of our claims. In other words, we pay the full costs up front, but when we send the invoice to Canada, they do not always reimburse us for the full amount. This is due to a number of reasons, including changes to the national NIHB policy by Health Canada and differing interpretations of the terms of the agreement.

In addition, our agreement with Health Canada has not provided sufficient funding to cover the administrative burden of delivering this program.

We estimate that our government loses about $1 million each fiscal year through a combination of disallowances and unfunded administrative costs. The department has attempted to resolve these issues through discussions with Health Canada. However, no resolution was reached and we have become increasingly frustrated with the time and resources spent trying to recover our expenditures under the program. For this reason, Cabinet and the Financial Management Board directed that the Department of Health and Social Services should not renew our agreement to administer this program for Health Canada. The department's main estimates have been reduced by $5.5 million to reflect this decision.

Mr. Speaker, let me be absolutely clear about one thing. We are not "giving this program" back to Canada. Authority for the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program was never transferred to this government. All we are proposing to do is to get out of a contractual administrative arrangement that has resulted in our government subsidizing a federal program to the tune of $1 million per year.

Health Canada was advised in October 2000 that our government would cease to administer the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program unless satisfactory arrangements could be made to ensure that our government would not be footing Health Canada's bills. Since then, the two departments have been working closely together to try to resolve the outstanding issues.

Mr. Speaker, over the weekend I received an update from my staff on their most recent discussions with Health Canada. I am pleased to report that Health Canada has agreed to compensate us for $800,000 of disputed billings, and is currently reviewing a further $700,000 worth.

Health Canada has also agreed to consider providing the Government of the Northwest Territories with additional administrative funding. We are still negotiating the details of such an arrangement. However, let me be clear -- we want full compensation for the costs of administering this program.

If we are able to reach a satisfactory arrangement, I will be recommending to Cabinet and the Financial Management Board that we enter into a vote 4-5 arrangement to deliver the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program for one additional year. During this period, we would monitor program administration very closely to ensure that the terms of the agreement and the funding received are sufficient to cover the full cost of administering the program.

Mr. Speaker, I am hopeful of a successful resolution of our discussions with Health Canada, and I will continue to keep Members apprised of our progress. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Groenewegen. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today is Heritage Day in the Northwest Territories and across Canada. Each year, the Heritage Canada Foundation encourages Canadians everywhere to set aside the third Monday in February to celebrate our heritage. The theme this year is Travel Through Time: The Heritage of Transportation.

Transportation has played a significant role in shaping society in the Northwest Territories. Long before Europeans arrived, aboriginal people developed the knowledge and the technology to travel across vast and rugged landscapes. This made life easier and ensured survival in a harsh environment.

The original aboriginal methods of transport -- the dog team, the kayak and the canoe -- were adopted by European explorers, traders, missionaries and police who came to this land. Later, paddle wheelers, cat trains and bush planes helped to make the North more accessible. Today we have an extensive network of all-season and ice roads. Most of our communities have airports. Many northern communities are supplied by barge or sealift.

Mr. Speaker, we in the Northwest Territories welcome the benefits that the evolution of transportation has provided over the years. Our communities are much less isolated than they once were. Technological advances in the transportation industry have opened up many areas to mineral exploration and development. Transportation will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping our future.

Special events have been planned throughout the week to remind us of the importance of our transportation heritage. Earlier today, the City of Yellowknife Heritage Committee presented their annual heritage award to the Yellowknife Seniors' Society Book Committee for their recently published book Yellowknife Tales: Sixty Years of Stories from Yellowknife. The city has also planned a series of other activities that will take place over the course of this week.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment and the Department of Transportation are jointly hosting a public event on Thursday, February 22, at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre about the making of ice roads. I am sure that my colleague, the Honourable Vince Steen, Minister of Transportation, joins me in encouraging everyone to attend. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on February 9th, 2001, a very special event was held in the Great Hall of our Legislative Assembly. For the very first time, our government publicly recognized and honoured physicians who have served the people of the Northwest Territories for five years or longer.

The first annual physician long-service awards were presented to the following 12 physicians with five years of service:

• • Dr. Angela Carruthers
• • Dr. David Cook
• • Dr. Andre Corriveau
• • Dr. Malcolm Goff
• • Dr. Michael Haskins
• • Dr. David King
• • Dr. Marie-Claude Labeau
• • Dr. Eileen Peters
• • Dr. Roger Purnell
• • Dr. John Shillington
• • Dr. David Unger

Nine physicians received awards for ten years of service:

• • Dr. David Butcher
• • Dr. James Corkal
• • Dr. Abraham de Klerk
• • Dr. Ian Gilchrist
• • Dr. John Giovanetto
• • Dr. Theresa Hansen
• • Dr. John Morse
• • Dr. Suzanne Perkins
• • Dr. David Wong

Three physicians received awards for 15 years of service:

• • Dr. Nicole Chatel
• • Dr. Nancy Fraser
• • Dr. Leonard Smith

Three physicians received awards for 20 years of service:

• • Dr. Rita Dahlke
• • Dr. Pierre Lessard
• • Dr. Margaret-Anne Woodside

There were also three physicians recognized for 25 years of service:

• • Dr. Perry Caplan
• • Dr. Peter Kallos
• • Dr. Ross Wheeler

Finally, there are two physicians, Dr. George Gibson and Dr. Earle Covert, who have each given the Northwest Territories 30 years of service.

Mr. Speaker, together these 32 physicians have provided over 390 years of medical services to the people of the Northwest Territories. People in small communities will recognize many of these names as these are the same doctors who have been providing visiting physician services for many years and who attend to medevac patients upon arrival in regional centres. Yellowknife doctors provide inpatient and emergency services at Stanton Regional Hospital, which serves all residents of the Northwest Territories. A stable physician work force results in better, more reliable hospital services for all patients from across the Northwest Territories. Although we still struggle to recruit and retain physicians, it is important to pause to recognize and thank this solid core of over thirty dedicated doctors who have chosen to establish their home and their careers amongst us. They are our neighbours and friends and valued members of our communities.

The Physician Long Service Awards Ceremony also recognized the important contribution made by physicians' families. The patience and support of the physicians' spouse and children is essential to be able to make the personal sacrifices that are required when doctors are on call after long days in clinic, or when they agree to provide much-needed visiting physician services to outlying communities. To the families of physicians, we also extend our thanks.

The ceremony also provided an opportunity to highlight another first: the announcement of two medical school bursaries, named in honour of two long-serving Northwest Territories physicians, Dr. George Gibson and Dr. Earle Covert.

It was a great honour for me to present the Dr. George Gibson Medical Bursary to Mr. Michael Parkins, who is currently enrolled in first-year medicine at the University of Calgary. A graduate of Sir John Franklin High School in Yellowknife, Mr. Parkins has already had an outstanding academic career. He achieved his Masters of Science degree on full scholarship. The medical school bursary awarded to Mr. Parkins has a value of $75,000, which covers four years of medical school and two years of internship. On completion of his medical studies, Mr. Parkins will provide four years of service to the Northwest Territories in return for his bursary assistance. It was especially appropriate that Mr. Parkins would receive the Dr. George Gibson bursary, since Michael was delivered by Dr. Gibson at the old Stanton Hospital.

A second medical bursary, named after Dr. Earle Covert of Hay River, has also been established and will be awarded next year.

We were also honoured to have the president of the Canadian Medical Association, Dr. Peter Barrett, and the acting executive director of the CMA, Ms. Barbara Drew, attend the Long Service Awards. Ms. Sylvia Stard, president-elect of the Northwest Territories Registered Nurses Association, also congratulated the recipients and reiterated the strong commitment of the NWTRNA to continued close collaboration between the two professions.

Mr. Speaker, we have come a long way in stabilizing our complement of physicians from just a year ago. We still have a ways to go in ensuring that the entire Northwest Territories has the same access to physician services. The well-being of all residents depends on good medical services and good teamwork between all health and social services professionals. In the meantime, I believe that it is vitally important to recognize, honour and thank our hard-working, dedicated physicians and I know that all Members join me in saying to Northwest Territories doctors, on behalf of all our constituents -- thank you for your service and commitment. We appreciate your professionalism and your dedication. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Madam Minister. Yes, indeed, congratulations do go to the recipients of those awards. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment has proclaimed today Heritage Day and provided an opportunity for us to reflect on the transportation heritage. In this light, I would like to acknowledge the contribution and the life of a northern pioneer of vision and action, John Denison, and those who worked with him.

John Denison passed away January 6th in Kelowna at the age of 84. While his passing marks the end of an era, his life and spirit of adventure and perseverance opened up tremendous opportunities and roads to resources. He proved that freight could be hauled long distances over ice roads with wheeled vehicles. John Denison helped engineer ice road construction when he began building an ice road to the Great Bear Lake silver mine in the late 1950s. The road was appropriately named Denison's Ice Road and was immortalized in a book by the same name written by noted American author Edith Iglauer. Working with Byer's Transport, the early pioneer of ice road construction, Denison and his crew -- including my father for a short time, Mr. Speaker -- endured bitter cold and darkness in construction of a 500-kilometre road from Yellowknife to Great Bear Lake.

Denison first moved to Yellowknife in 1946 as a member of the RCMP, and he served several years here before moving to Edmonton where he married his wife Hannah. He returned to the North for the winter road construction season and worked on roads to Bear Lake and Tundra and Discovery.

Also key in early ice road construction and development were Dick Robinson and Hughey Arden. Renowned for his knowledge of the countryside, Arden pioneered routes north through Great Bear as he scouted the way forward in the Bombardiers. Dick Robinson, also a major developer in the construction of ice roads and the move from cat trains to wheeled vehicles, his company, RTL Limited, has been a major player in the moving of goods and the development of northern transportation.

These pioneers, Mr. Speaker, were gamblers who knew when to take a chance. As it is today, ice is always the big factor and those involved had to work closely together with trucks, equipment and communications. In those days, they were not what they are today.

Without pioneers of this type and their contributions, we might not be enjoying the benefits of our current development. I wish to acknowledge the significant contribution of pioneer John Denison and other pioneers in our unique northern transportation system. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about a critical issue in a lot of our small communities. There is a high increase in prices in everything from power to land taxes to gasoline. Yet, Mr. Speaker, we are going to be reviewing the 2001 budget shortly. There are areas we have to take into account the cost of living that is associated with accumulated tax increases, increase in fees and different programs like driver's licences.

The big problem in a lot of our small communities is adjusting to our landed price increases in a lot of the small non-tax-based communities. Yet, Mr. Speaker, we have a budget in front of us where we have come out with new initiatives, new ways of doing things, but in the communities I cannot really say how that will affect to improve the conditions a lot of our communities are finding themselves in, with the increased power rates and the fuel adjustment rate rider that is in place now where people's power rates have increased drastically.

For some communities, they are paying over $1.00 a litre for gas. Yet, Mr. Speaker, we continue to see these increases but we do not feel the impacts until you get right down living in these communities where you own your own home. You try to heat and pay for the power to maintain these units in isolated communities and continue to see these increases.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is appropriate that we seriously consider people in the small isolated communities when we review the budgets and business plans in front of us, knowing that there has been impacts on communities, especially in areas related to the Northwest Territories Power Corporation and the fuel adjustment rate rider. There has to be a review to see exactly what can be done to offset the cost of these small communities who are off highways, who are not going to see the benefit in regard to the Highway Strategy, who may not feel the benefit of where the economics are coming from in regard to oil and gas, diamonds, where it seems to serve a lot of the larger centres. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like unanimous consent to conclude.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is important that we take into account those communities who do not have an economic base. We have to find ways to assist them through the troubled times, especially the community that I represent, Aklavik, who lost their fur shop, which is the main employer in the community. I for one feel we have to do more for those communities who do not have economic benefits sitting on their doorsteps like most other jurisdictions. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we all know, mining is a vital component to the northern economy. In December, the Fraser Institute released its annual survey on mining investment opportunities around the world. Overall, the Northwest Territories ranked 14th out of 35 jurisdictions. At first glance, it would appear that the Northwest Territories offers an attractive investment opportunity for mining companies. While looking at the survey's individual components, we see a slightly different story.

In terms of geology and mineral potential, the Northwest Territories ranks a strong 11th. On the policy side of things, however, out of 35 regions we ranked 29th. This ranking should cause us great concern. Companies are increasingly basing their investment decisions on a region's policy climate. The main concern that mining companies have with the Northwest Territories is about the regulatory process and whether it is streamlined enough to accomplish what they need to do in a reasonable period of time.

Mr. Speaker, this may also be a major factor in determining whether a pipeline is built in the Mackenzie Valley. While maintaining strict environmental standards, Mr. Speaker, we must work towards streamlining the regulatory process. I am pleased by the commitments that have been made to date to work towards this.

As I have stated previously in this House, our government must continue to pressure the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs to provide adequate funding for the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board. I do not believe, Mr. Speaker, that this board can efficiently review the large number of potential projects without increased financial support from the federal government.

We also, Mr. Speaker, need to insist that DIAND develop guidelines to streamline the regulatory process and to make it clear to all parties how the process works. Companies are ready to make significant capital investments in the Northwest Territories but they need a clear picture as to how long it will take to open a new mine or build a pipeline. We have attractive mining and oil and gas opportunities in the Northwest Territories. In order to see them develop though, we need to clear up the uncertainty in the regulatory process and then let the world know that we are open for business.

Mr. Speaker, as we have often heard the Minister of Finance say, we have the potential to become a "have" territory. Mr. Speaker, we must not sit on our hands. We must move to realize that potential. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Déclarations de députés. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to raise an issue that has been brought to me by a constituent of mine. The issue in part, Mr. Speaker, is the recent recruitment drive conducted jointly by the Department of Education, the Northwest Territories' five divisional education councils and two Yellowknife education authorities.

Mr. Speaker, while I agree that recruitment and retention of teachers is critical to the well-being of our children, the method used currently to attract teachers may not be all that it can be. Mr. Speaker, it has been brought to my attention that we have qualified teachers currently working as special needs assistants in the school systems in the North. It is my understanding that when teachers' jobs become available, these qualified individuals are not even granted an interview. Mr. Speaker, special needs assistants, or SNAs, as they are referred to, are part of the Union of Northern Workers and not the teachers' union, even though some of them hold teaching designations.

Mr. Speaker, I have some concerns about the recruitment drive across Canada at untold expense to the taxpayer when we have qualified teachers right in our backyard. If we were to hire these individuals, who in many cases are long-term Northerners, we would not have the concerns such as housing and moving costs. Mr. Speaker, I would like to see the Department of Education conduct a survey of all staff throughout the Northwest Territories school system that would indicate qualifications, because it appears that some people are being overlooked.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, I would like to see the department undertake a local recruitment drive encompassing the communities of Hay River, Fort Smith, Inuvik and surrounding communities. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will have further questions for the Minister responsible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to comment today on our progress on resource revenue sharing. Specifically, I guess after reading an article today, actually an opinion piece in the local media about how it appears we have fallen back from our position of pressuring the federal government for a resource revenue sharing deal to raising taxes, umpteen initiatives, raising tolls. It seems to me we have taken an approach of trying to get back royalties from mining companies and other industry simply because we have fallen down at this level, at the political level, in being able to get any kind of reasonable deal.

I think constituents of all of ours are asking themselves the question, should we really be punishing residents of the Northwest Territories because we in this House and in conjunction with other aboriginal governments have failed to this date to make any real progress on resource revenue sharing with the federal government? I do not think so, Mr. Speaker.

Others may be asking what is the urgency? I think it has to be clear: there will be no retroactivity. Once the diamonds and gas are gone, they are gone, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Nitah mentioned last week that maybe we have to look at doing something outrageous. We have to find a solution and I would agree. I think in the meantime, there are some things that our government might look at doing. Maybe we need more publicity around the actual dollar amounts of money that are involved, that are flying right over our heads into federal coffers, Mr. Speaker. That certainly might get direction moving.

We have discussed in the past a trust account where these funds might accrue until we can get a deal worked out. It is true that we do not have a deal now but, Mr. Speaker, I think that would light a fire, so to speak, if we could actually see what kind of money we are talking about and how this money is quickly adding up.

So Mr. Speaker, I think it is clear we need a new approach to resource revenue sharing. We have to take a new approach to Ottawa and I am looking forward to hearing what this government is proposing to do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the nine grade 8 and grade 9 students who are working with us this week as pages. Two of the students are from Chief Sunrise School in Hay River; two are from Diamond Jenness School in Hay River; four are from the Kaw Tay Whee School in Detah. They are Louie Bealieu, Becky Plotner, Leon Sangris and Sheena Sangris. One student is from Ecole Allain St. Cyr and that is Elijah Forget Manson. We appreciate the service these young people provide to us and welcome them to the Legislative Assembly and wish them a successful and satisfying week with us. Thank you.

-- Applause

A good news statement from the Minister. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for the Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, like my honourable colleague from Nahendeh did last week, I would also like to take this time to acknowledge and remember the many elders who have passed away in my region recently. Mr. Speaker, in the past two weeks, we have experienced a high number of deaths in the Deh Cho. In fact, we have witnessed the passing of five people in a relatively short period of time and I would like to offer my condolences to the families of Berna Bonnetrouge; Celine Lafferty, whom I acknowledged here last session on her 100th birthday; Pierre Lacorne; Sarah Helen Bond; and, to the members of my family on the passing of my father, Angus McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, all these people were respected elders from my region. All were bilingual, some were trilingual and with the passing of these people the North has lost a wealth of knowledge, history and culture. I would also like to commend the people who helped out and pitched in during these very difficult times with the preparation of the gravesites, cleaning of the churches, setting up of the churches, for the food preparation and others who came in from the different communities to help us in our time, this very difficult period.

When that many people pass away in a short period of time in the small communities, it causes many problems and compounds problems. There becomes a shortage of priests. We have only one priest in our region. There is also scheduling our churches and the use of other facilities.

In closing, I want to thank Father Joe Daley and Father Piche who came in from Edmonton to help out, the medical staff from Fort Providence and Fort Simpson and the Members of this House, including yourself, Mr. Speaker, who took the time to attend the funerals and to offer support. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today is on the physician recognition ceremonies and, although it may look like it, it was not preorchestrated.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Minister of Health and her department for the work they have done in creating and organizing the first physician recognition ceremony held at the Great Hall on February 9, 2001.

I believe we all see how essential it is to recognize and express appreciation for those who provide important services in our communities, big or small, each day. Recognizing the long-term service of our doctors was very long overdue. Judging by the reaction of some of them in attendance at the ceremony, I believe the goodwill gesture shown by the Minister and the government was very well received.

Mr. Speaker, in this atmosphere of extreme doctor shortages, which is creating a great deal of anxiety in all of our communities in the North, it was comforting for me to learn anew that a great number of doctors we have are very much committed to the North. The Minister has stated the names of all of the recipients, and I would like to take a moment to congratulate all of them and to thank them once again for the years of dedicated service they have given to all of us.

Mr. Speaker, of 32 doctors who were recognized for five years or longer service in the North, 11 of them were recognized for more than 15 years of service. That is more than a full third of the total and certainly should give comfort to us all. Clearly many of our doctors do find the North a good place to practice. Sixteen out of 32, a full half, are specialists, which I think is very significant.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to note that I had an occasion to have a casual conversation with doctors at the Stanton Hospital the other day. I came to appreciate how, over a period of many years, various factors have contributed to build a strong team of doctors and nurses at the hospital, which is serving the North well beyond that which would be reasonably expected for the size of the team and the Territory and how critical it is that we recognize the importance as well as the fragility of it, and how we must work hard to support and maintain the careful dynamics of the team.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would also like to urge the Minister to expand the recognition to include other health care professionals, namely the nurses, who I believe are the glue that holds our health system together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the last weekend in Fort Smith, the Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce held their annual meeting. They have elected a full slate for the executive. The president is Mr. Jim Bassingwaithe; vice-president is Lou Sebert; secretary treasurer is Rick James; the directors are Nick Kaeser, Chief Fred Daniels, Ibe Kristensen, Paul Campbell, Brad Bourke, Clayton Bourke, Michael Salvisberg and Paul Clark.

Mr. Speaker, like every other community, we need a strong business community. We need a thriving economy. We need an economy that is not totally dependent on government. The chamber that has been elected, the executive, has a job ahead of them. They have to work closely with the political leadership of the community and of the Northwest Territories to move ahead on many of the initiatives that are out there before us.

Mr. Speaker, we have on the horizon in our community the potential of hydro development. We have one land claim settlement that has just been signed last year and two more that will hopefully be signed in the coming months and years, which will bring a tremendous pool of capital to our community. We have a tourism market that is just starting to develop with the Japanese tourists, and in the summer with the Europeans.

We have, of course, some capital projects of interest. We have the paving of Highway No. 5. We have the seniors' housing project that is slated to go ahead in the next 18 months or so that will hopefully bring much-needed housing to the community, along with the demolition of the old hospital. There is a relocation of the fire centre which will finally move a GNWT major program out of federally leased office space into owned-in-the-North office space, and also free up office space for the federal government to finally move some other positions to Fort Smith. We are looking at the potential of a new pool in our community.

Mr. Speaker, very clearly, it is very important that we have a strong chamber. I would like to congratulate all of those who put their names forward and all of those who were elected. I look forward to working with the chamber and the rest of the community leadership to realize a lot of the potential projects I just outlined through this House today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this past weekend, an Invitational Atom Hockey Tournament was held here in Yellowknife. I had the good fortune of taking in some of these games, especially since two teams from Inuvik had come down to take part. Twenty-two players in all, 11 per team.

Mr. Speaker, team 1 finished second in Pool A. Team 2 finished first in Pool B, and that was the round robin series. On Sunday, the championship games were played. I must say, they were very exciting. The semi-final game went to a shoot-out, which saw the Inuvik Team 2 win. Team 2 went on to play and win the final game with a great come-from-behind victory. It was a weekend to remember for both players and parents from both squads in the Inuvik teams.

There were many players that came along and many parents who helped out the team. As I said, there were 22 players, so I would probably end up forgetting some, but some of the things I will remember from this weekend is the cheering and chants of "Go, Inuvik, Leah and Albert!"

Mr. Speaker, I must mention the parents and coaches who came down with the team and helped throughout the weekend. It was their efforts back home in Inuvik and here in Yellowknife that made memories to last a lifetime.

With that, Mr. Speaker, rarely do I have the opportunity to mention that an Inuvik team came down to the capital city and took the trophy home.

-- Applause

I would like to congratulate the players and their parents. With all of the families watching the children playing made me think of my family back home, so I would like to send greetings back to my wife and children.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The Chair will have to waive the rule about one subject per Member's statement. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to take a moment to congratulate the Yellowknife Seniors Society for producing a wonderful record of Yellowknife's early days. It is a book called Yellowknife Tales. This book is a compilation of life stories and photographs of the people who lived in Yellowknife when this was a much smaller community than it is today. The stories are entertaining, amusing and informative, but more than that, they are a historical record of Yellowknife's roots.

The work of gathering the stories, photos and editing the material was done entirely by a committee of volunteers headed by a well-known resident, Barb Bromley. The other members of the book committee were Esther Braden, Jan Stirling, Mike Vaydik, the late Mike Piro, Erica Tesar, Wendy Stephenson, Terry Foster and Ronne Hemming.

The Seniors Society received financial support for this project from several Yellowknife organizations and businesses and the Government of Canada's Millennium Fund. Mr. Speaker, I hope this House will join me in extending congratulations and a big thank you to the Yellowknife Seniors Society for pulling Yellowknife Tales together and publishing this very worthwhile document, so that we may all have a better understanding of Yellowknife's heritage. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on June 30, 2000, I tabled in this House a petition presented to me by some of my constituents in Nunakput. The petition specifically requested yourself as Speaker to consider allowing for translations of the proceedings to be translated in either Inuvialuktun or Inuinnaqtun, which are the two dialects of the residents of Nunakput.

On behalf of my constituents, I wish to thank you and the Board of Management for the favourable decision on this very important matter. I understand from the response tabled by yourself in this House on Wednesday, February 14, 2001, the residents of Nunakput can expect to hear the proceedings of this House broadcast once a week in one or the other of our dialects.

I believe this decision on the part of the Board of Management serves to recognize the basic rights of all residents of the Northwest Territories to full participation in the proceedings of this House.

It is unfortunate that these translations are not available on a daily basis due to fiscal realities. However, even translations once a week serves to recognize the diversified makeup of aboriginal people of this great Territory, and for that we thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the residents of Nunakput look forward to the day when proceedings of this House are translated into Inuvialuktun on a daily basis. Quyanini, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Quyanini, Mr. Steen. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, although I cannot see from here, I would like to recognize Kazan Dragon, Mayor of Fort Providence, his daughter Patricia, and I believe Victor Constance is also here, and Olga Constance.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The Chair would also like to recognize a former Speaker, Mr. Gargan, and his daughter. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly everyone. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I spoke earlier today about the regulatory process and I would like to direct some questions to the Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. Mr. Speaker, as I understand it, the current funding for the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board will only allow the consideration of three or four major projects. This level of funding could perhaps delay some of those projects that the Minister of Finance is counting on to turn us into a "have" territory.

Last fall, the Minister committed to pushing DIAND to increase their funding and support to the board. I wonder if the Minister of RWED could advise us whether or not that has happened and where we are with that process.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I raised this matter with the Minister of DIAND at a meeting we had with him at the end of January. He advised us that he has seconded a senior person within his department to a full-time review of the Mackenzie Valley Resources Management Act and its boards. That individual is Hiram Beaubier, who was responsible as director for environment and resources, so he is well experienced to be able to do this job. He has undertaken the job with a timeframe of having it completed by May. Thank you

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister advise us whether or not the development of regulations for the administration of the act was also going to be part of Mr. Beaubier's consideration?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, my understanding from my discussions with the Minister of DIAND was that Mr. Beaubier will be doing recommendations on regulations, particularly in the areas of defining the terms and setting some timeframes for the various stages of the different process. Thank you

Thank you, Minister Handley. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Finance with regard to the concerns that the smaller communities, especially the communities that I represent like Aklavik, with respect to the high cost of living. In a lot of these communities, they have seen major increases, especially in the heating fuel costs, gasoline and their power bills. I would like to ask the Minister exactly what this government is doing to ensure that those communities will not see the majority of the benefits flowing from his budget, but will be able to ensure those communities that there is some protection for trying to find ways to bring down those high costs associated with living in those small communities.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, our government's ability to be able to lower the costs is very limited in that the costs for most of our fossil fuel energies are driven by global markets. It is very difficult to impact on the cost of gas or oil. In the short term though, Mr. Speaker, as I advised the House last week in my budget address, we are putting in place a system for fuel rebates as one measure to help offset the increased costs to people in the small communities, in fact, right across the Territories.

We are also putting in place a $500,000 increase for individuals who are dependent on income support in order to help them meet their costs. We are also currently working on a system of an increased northern tax credit, which again would benefit northern wage earners. We are taking on a number of measures to help people in the small communities as well as the large communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we all know, this government derived a lot of taxes, especially from gas and fuel taxes. They have different tax regimes in place where they are looking at an increase, which has an affect on communities, especially with respect to power generation and the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, which is owned by this government.

I would like to ask the Minister, what is he doing to look at ways to bring down the cost of power, especially when it comes to the fuel adjustment rate rider which is presently in place? That seems to be an area which has a major impact on the high cost of power in a lot of our smaller communities.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, we have the power generation review, which was completed in early December and made public for consultation. That review looks at a number of issues concerning the provision of energy, power, to people all across the Northwest Territories. There are a number of recommendations in there. I would hope that as many people as possible will give us their advice on that report and expect that following the release of that report, we will be able to lay out a plan of action. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Another area that has seen a major increase in a lot of the communities is the land pricing policy, especially in Aklavik. This has been an issue in this House. That is another area where it has had a major impact, especially on homeowners. I would like to ask the Minister again, what are they doing in this area?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, the land pricing policy is a responsibility that rests more with the Minister of MACA than it does with me as Minister of Finance. I can advise the Member, though, that the Minister of MACA and his department have been meeting with communities, including the Gwich'in communities, to look at the issue of land prices. They are aware of it and are doing their own assessment of that policy. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the things that we do not seem to do that often, especially in government, is that we have accumulated the impact of all these increases over the last number of years, realizing we had a deficit, realizing that we had to find funds from within. I would like to ask the Minister, has the department done an assessment or review of all the accumulated increases -- regardless of whether it is a fee increase, tax increase, municipal increase -- to see what the affect has been on an individual within the isolated communities?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, both the Department of Finance -- largely through the Bureau of Statistics -- and the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, try to track this kind of information. There is an ongoing assessment of how our cost of living is relative to the south, as well as how it varies from one community to another. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the chairman of the Financial Management Board and it is in reference to a subject that I have questioned the Minister on previously, and it has to do with Arctic A employees. When the responsibility for airports was transferred over to this government, there was a provision in the contract for the employees to retain their VTAs for a five-year bridging agreement.

Into one year of that agreement, this government or the past government did not honour that bridging agreement and they have been trying since then to have that agreement honoured. In fact, it went to arbitration and arbitration was won in part to the employees, but as employees continue to try to get reimbursed or get what was due them, they continue to run up against walls, or as we say -- I got an e-mail from one of the employees -- another hoop to jump through. Mr. Speaker, I would like to know from the Minister of Finance, has his department looked at this issue again and whether they have changed any of their direction in this area? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, the department has not changed direction. The department is following the recommendations and conclusion arrived at by the arbitrator. Essentially, the department's request is that any employees who are affected by this situation submit receipts for travel to show that they actually took the travel, then they will be paid in accordance with those. If they do not have the receipts, then they are certainly welcome to submit a signed affidavit indicating that they have travelled, and the department will consider those. If there are individuals -- and I know there are not a lot of individuals affected by this -- if there are specific individuals, I would be happy to take their names and try to walk this through the Financial Management Board Secretariat to help out these people. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There have been occasions where individuals or employees have tried to meet the criteria set before them and, as I was reminded again in an e-mail, that one of the employees actually gave receipts close to the amount of $2,000, but they were told that it did not qualify because they received an allowance for $1,900 and some dollars or something of that area, which is this northern allowance. Does any other employee in the Government of the Northwest Territories have to account for their northern allowance portion that attributes to vacation travel? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, no, I do not believe any other individual employee would have to account with receipts for their northern allowance. If the Member will give me the name of the individual or individuals, I would be happy to try to walk it through for them to see what the problem is. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That will help on a couple of occasions, but there are a number of other employees who were left out who feel that because an agreement was signed by this government, the Government of the Northwest Territories of the day and the federal government and was agreed to in a bridging agreement, that in fact there are monies due and owing to these employees. With this announcement of this surplus that is coming up, why does this Minister not honour that agreement at this time? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, the Financial Management Board Secretariat believes that it is following the directions set out by the arbitrator. I realize that some employees may have a different opinion of that ruling and we need to take those and walk them through. FMBS is attempting to follow what the arbitrator put in his ruling. As I say, if there is a way that I can help by helping the individual, we would be happy to try to do that, but I believe my department is doing what it is supposed to be doing. Even if we have a surplus, we cannot become careless. We have to follow the guidelines that are set.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Final supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am glad to hear that this government will follow the rules it has put in place for itself. Mr. Speaker, I will take that commitment, but I would like to know when do I meet with him to give him names of individuals? What kind of a timeline will he have for responses and working with these individuals? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I know my department is busy without having talked to them about this matter. I would say we will attempt to have this resolved before the end of this sitting. Thank you.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This sounds like a very unfortunate situation that occurred. I do not know all of the details that Mr. Lafferty referred to on Friday. There was some references to IBA payments and the clawback on that.

We are, as I mentioned on Friday, looking at the IBA payments. I should state also that our income support policy is one of providing rent and support for fuel costs and rent costs when an individual is on income support.

With respect to the question about coordination with Health and Social Services, certainly on a ministerial level, we are always coordinating and meeting and we are doing so more frequently. I do not know what occurs at the operational level, Mr. Speaker. It is something I would have to check into.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, that is a subject we would have to look into. We would have to coordinate with the Department of Health and Social Services to see what areas of support the department provides. They may provide special programs in instances such as this. Therefore, I would have to state that we would look at the situation but would have to coordinate that with the Department of Health and Social Services. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I stated on Friday that I have the department looking at the impact benefit agreements and how they will be treated in the income support area. We do provide, as I stated earlier, housing support and fuel support through the income support program. We would have to look at seeing what areas we need to coordinate and what areas have responsibility in the Department of Health and Social Services. Thank you.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I stated on Friday, we are keenly interested in looking at areas that perhaps have to be addressed in the income support area. The impact benefit agreements is one area that I mentioned. I also stated, upon a question from the honourable Member for Great Slave, that I would provide the information to Members so that there could be some understanding and input into this area with regard to impact benefit agreements and perhaps other issues that may arise with regard to income support. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my Member's statement, I want to recognize the recruitment drive that the Department of Education has undertaken across Canada to recruit teachers for our education system. It has been brought to my attention in light of that recruitment drive, that we do have some teachers working as SNAs in our education system right now who are actually qualified teachers but are experiencing some difficulty when it comes to applying on jobs. In some cases, they do not even get an interview.

I was wondering if the Minster could inform the House if he is aware of how many teachers we have in this position who are working as SNAs yet are designated teachers? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not familiar with the number of individuals who are student needs assistants who are qualified as teachers. Certainly the issue is one I will do some work on and find out exactly, if I can get the names of the individuals, exactly what the issue and concern is with regard to these particular individuals and as well, do some research on those particular positions throughout the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, apparently, SNAs that work in our education system right now belong to the Union of Northern Workers and not to the teachers union. I was wondering if the Minister could tell us why that is?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the members of the NWTTA instructional staff are members of the teachers union, and only those members.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, another area that has been brought to my attention is the hiring policy for teachers in the North. It appears that if a teacher comes to the North and works in the community in the teaching system for one year, they get bumped up in the priority hiring as...I cannot remember the name of it or the exact number, but they actually go ahead of some long-term Northerners we have living in the North who are qualified teachers. I was wondering why that policy is in place, that after one year, they jump ahead of some long time Northerners who we have working as teachers? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again, I would have to know the specifics of cases in order to address that particular question. I just do not have a ready answer for that. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Final supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is apparent that come this fall, we are going to need some teachers. I know in Hay River there is talk of a number of positions being vacant. I was wondering if the Minister could inform the House as to how the recruitment drive went across Canada, and how it looks for the fall for teachers? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our priority is to hire Northerners. There was coordination between the department and the DECs throughout the Territories, as well as the Yellowknife DEAs. They did a number of locations to do a recruitment drive. I believe there were seven in total.

From my understanding, there was a general good response to the recruitment drive. A number of applications have already been received. It was generally felt from those who were on the recruitment drive that this was a very successful approach to have combined. It was the first time that the various DECs and Yellowknife DEAs combined together to do one recruitment drive rather than individual approaches. I believe from the perspective of the individuals who have gone on to it, there was a good satisfaction with that approach.

Additionally, they have spoken with the Aurora College instructors and individuals. Thank you.