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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to clearly state my position on the new Highway Investment Strategy and the highway toll being proposed. Mr. Speaker, if successful, I believe this initiative will prove to be one of the most important legacies that this Assembly will leave behind. I would really like to kick-start a full debate in and out of the House. I believe, Mr. Speaker, any good debate requires a good, strong position to kick-start. For that reason, Mr. Speaker, I would like to state the reasons for my support, as other Members have indicated what is wrong with this proposal of late.

Mr. Speaker, I like this plan because it is a well thought out, comprehensive plan to address the capital needs of our highways in our territories, not just the highway from Yellowknife to Rae.

This is a "what can we do" instead of an "excuse for what we cannot do" plan.

This is a plan to tap into new money in the mining and oil and gas industry, which would otherwise fly right over us.

This is a plan to finish the road from Rae to Yellowknife in four years instead of ten to 11 years as currently planned. In other words, we are looking at 2005 instead of 2015. More simply put, when I am 40 instead of when I am 50.

This is why we do not want to wait until the federal government gives us money for resource revenue or devolution plans.

This is a bold plan to deal with the reality that many of our highways cannot handle the burden of mining and oil and gas development.

This is a courageous plan that accepts and acts on the reality that some parts of our highway are so worn out that it is hazardous to our residents.

This is a plan to deal with the fact that our government's capital budget has been decreasing steadily for the last ten years and that it is our duty and responsibility to find the money now and in a creative way.

Finally, this is a forward-looking plan to invest in our economic development before we lose this rare opportunity.

Most of all, Mr. Speaker, the thing I like most about this one is that this is the first one where Mr. Miltenberger from Thebacha and I are going to be big allies.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a Return to Oral Question 367-14(3) asked by Mr. Roland on February 22nd, 2001, concerning the standards for water and sewer replacement.

The standards for the design of all water and sewer facilities/buildings are contained in the National Building Code of Canada. However, this code does not generally apply to the parts of water and sewer systems that are outside the buildings.

For these systems outside the buildings, the Government of the Northwest Territories and other provinces use guidelines based on good engineering practices. In the Northwest Territories, we use:

• • Water and Sewer Service Connection in Permafrost Areas of the Northwest Territories, published by Public Works & Services in 1987;
• • Cold Regions Utilities Monograph, 3rd edition, published by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1996; and,
• • Standards and Guidelines for Water and Sanitation Systems, published by Public Works & Services in 1995.

The Departments of Public Works and Services and Municipal and Community Affairs will update these guidelines with a completion date scheduled for 2002. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Allen. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, several partnerships have been developed across the Northwest Territories, particularly the communities of Tsiigehtchic and Deline, where we have provided certain building supplies. They provide their own logs. We have partnered with the community and also with Education, Culture and Employment to provide certain training components to the log construction of homes.

The future of the program looks very positive. We are entering a number of discussions with various communities across the Northwest Territories to facilitate this request. As we go along, we will update the Member. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If you recall last February, I submitted to this House a communications strategy that would promote and help people in the communities understand the direction the corporation is taking in terms of home ownership and the various programs we offer the communities. I believe that work has begun. If the Member requires further information, I am willing to provide that. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Allen. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen. It is with regard to the reopening of the surgical ward at Stanton Hospital. She committed to providing an update to this House. My constituents are very concerned about this. I would like to know from the Minister if we are looking at being able to reopen the surgery ward on March 5th, as was earlier indicated. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my most current information is no more updated than what I presented to the members of the standing committee, AOC, when we met with them to discuss this issue of the surgical ward at Stanton.

As I indicated then, the management at Stanton indicated they were seeking nurses to fill some vacant positions, approximately five positions. Once these positions where filled, they would see no other barrier to reopening the surgical ward. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that was weeks ago. Surely, the Minister has an update as to whether we are any closer to getting the number of nurses we need to reopen? My constituents are in the dark here.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I understand that there has been a press release put out by the Stanton Board with respect to this subject, and it was contained in media reports that came out today. Unfortunately, I have not had a chance to be briefed as to the current status of this initiative to reopen the surgical ward. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Media reports seem to indicate that while we have a recruitment effort underway, we are up against several stumbling blocks. A national shortage, I think, is the biggest one. I am wondering, in our recruitment effort, are we just trying to hire surgery nurses or will we take any nurse we can get, Mr. Speaker?