Merci pour le priere, Mr. Allen. Assez vous, s'il vous plait. Bonjour, mon colleagues. Declarations de ministre. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to announce the following changes to the government's fuel rebate program.

First, provided that their combined income does not exceed $75,000, all households who are responsible for their own fuel costs will be eligible for a rebate of $320, while eligible apartment dwellers will qualify for a rebate of $150.

Second, a fifty percent rebate will now be available to households with a combined income between $75,000 and $85,000. This will provide a rebate of $160 to those living in a house and responsible for their own fuel costs and a rebate of $75 to eligible apartment dwellers. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce these changes in response to recommendations made by my colleagues in this House.

-- Applause

All residents applying for the fuel rebate will be required to file a statutory declaration regarding their income and may be required to provide proof of payment for fuel.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT Housing Corporation will proceed with finalizing the program and providing information to the public. Details on how to apply, eligibility criteria, the relationship of rebate to tax and income support and so on will be made available to the public shortly through a press release and extensive backgrounder.

Mr. Speaker, we hope this one-time fuel rebate will help Northerners offset the high cost of fuel we have experienced this winter. Thank you.

-- Applause

Merci, Minister Handley. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the difficult and emotional issue of child protection.

Mr. Speaker, in October 1998, new legislation was passed to improve the way the child protection services are delivered. The Child and Family Services Act was developed following extensive consultation with a broad range of stakeholders. During these consultations, it was stated quite clearly that this act must place the real interests of the child and the well-being of families at the forefront.

Child protection work is difficult. It is hard to imagine any social worker actively seeking out an opportunity to apprehend a child unless there was a compelling reason to do so. That compelling reason, Mr. Speaker, is the need for society to intervene when children are at risk of abuse or neglect. No child in the NWT should have to live with abuse and neglect. We task social workers with taking action on our behalf when children are being abused or neglected.

As we all know, children who have been the victims of abuse or neglect often require a great deal of help to recover and come to terms with what has happened to them. Removing children from such situations means that the abuse or neglect stops, at least while the child is in protective custody. It means that parents are forced to recognize that their behaviour has consequences for their children, which in turn provides an opportunity to work with the family to try to stabilize the home environment so that the child can then return home. Unfortunately, for some children this cycle in and out of care is repeated, often over a period of years.

Mr. Speaker, no one can deny that it is a terrible thing to have one's children apprehended. Surely no one would suggest that we should tolerate cases of child neglect and abuse in the hopes that the situation would eventually resolve or because other families in the community have similar problems.

Yes, parents have rights. They have the right to make choices about how they are going to parent their children. However, with that wonderful gift and privilege of parenthood comes the responsibility to care for each child and to provide the necessities of life. None of us has the right to abuse or neglect our children, or to expect that society will not intervene if we do so.

Mr. Speaker, children also have rights, even though they cannot advocate for themselves in the manner that their parents can. Our legislation says that children have the right to grow up free from the fear of abuse and neglect. They have the right to be loved and cared for by responsible adults. They have a right to be safe and secure.

Sadly, this is not always the case. In some regions and communities, up to 90 percent of child protection cases involve alcohol abuse. There are cases of young children who are not fed or who are abandoned for hours or days at a time while their parents drink or gamble. Our nurses and doctors are diagnosing and treating children, including babies and toddlers, with sexually transmitted diseases they have contracted from the very people who are supposed to love and care for them. Many of the children in care have special needs due to FAS/FAE that are beyond the capacity of their parents to address.

We should be very concerned about these children, Mr. Speaker.

The choices social workers face when dealing with families where children are being abused or neglected are extremely difficult. In many cases, the choices are also very limited. In every case, Mr. Speaker, the assessment is based on the least harmful alternative available in that community for that child. Mr. Speaker, I absolutely agree that children who must be removed from their homes should remain in their home communities wherever possible. Our child protection practice guidelines emphasize this. It is important that children remain connected to their families and their friends so that the disruption in their lives is kept to an absolute minimum. Children need these vital supports and connections to their community to help them cope.

In a November 2000 snapshot of children receiving some form of child protection services, 80 percent of these children were receiving services in their home communities, 14 percent received services in another NWT community, and six percent required high specialized intervention services that are only available outside of the NWT.

Placement in another community or jurisdiction may be due to a number of reasons:

• • the child is not considered safe in their home community, either because of their own actions or those of others;
• • there are no services available to meet the child's needs in their home community;
• • the child needs specialized services available only at a regional or territorial level or, in some instances, in another jurisdiction.

It is important to note, however, that the majority of placements outside of the home community occur with the full support of the child's family. These families realize that their child's needs come first and they want the best possible care for them.

The same snapshot has also revealed that 49 percent of children receiving protective and/or support services under the Child and Family Services Act are receiving these services through voluntary agreements between the parents and social workers. Mr. Speaker, this is most promising as it demonstrates that our new legislative base for protecting both the interests of the child and the family is indeed working, and that many parents are actively seeking support to deal with family problems.

As Members know, the review of child and family services by the Child Welfare League of Canada is evidence of our department's commitment to the well-being of children and families. We have begun to implement many of the recommendations and appreciate your support for the establishment of ten new social worker positions to help alleviate some of the worst workload pressures on our front-line staff and to ensure that more preventative work can be done. New funding will also be invested in training for social workers and foster parents.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank and acknowledge social workers in our communities, who have the very difficult job of acting on our behalf in enforcing our legislation. The well-being of all our children is paramount. I will continue to keep this issue a priority as Minister responsible for these most vulnerable constituents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Merci, Madam Minister. Declarations de ministre. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to let Members know about an exciting event held this past weekend at the Yellowknife Ski Club involving athletes from Tuktoyaktuk, Inuvik, Fort Providence, Hay River, Fort Smith and Yellowknife. Approximately 100 skiers and biathletes enjoyed competing in the Nordic Cup No. 3 and Polar Cup No. 3 races.

Prior to the beginning of the races on Saturday, the Yellowknife Ski Club named its biathlon venue the Mary Beth Miller Biathlon Centre. This was done to honour the memory of Mary Beth Miller, a Yellowknife athlete who was killed last summer during a training session at the Miriam Bedard Biathlon Centre in Val Cartier, Quebec.

Mr. Speaker, it was exciting to witness the athletes competing in last weekend's events. Skiers ranged in age from the four- and five-year-old cradle group to a group of adults working hard to maintain their youth and their health. They were supported by parents and friends, many of whom volunteered to help officiate at the two events. The participation of some members from Canada's military stationed in Yellowknife, including their commanding officer, was an exciting development for the biathlon event.

As you know, the Northwest Territories has a proud history in Nordic skiing events. During the late 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s, several territorial athletes represented Canada in the Olympic Games and in several world championships. Inuvik played host to athletes from as many as ten countries who sent members of their national teams to compete in the annual Top of the World Ski Championships.

There are several skiers and biathletes from the Northwest Territories who are working towards representing their country in upcoming Olympic games and world championships. The Northwest Territories ski division and Northwest Territories Biathlon Association, like many other territorial sports organizations, are to be commended for their efforts to ensure athletes from northern communities get an opportunity to compete and develop their skills, both in northern competitions and in competitions held in the provinces. We need to encourage more of this. I would like to see more people get out to watch these young athletes compete. Their energy and enthusiasm is infectious, a healthy infection.

We need to support those who volunteer their time and skills to coaching these athletes. The investment of time and effort is very cost-effective, leading to life-long healthy living. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Allen. I would just like to remind Ministers that we are translating, so just be a little slower in your speech. Declarations de ministre. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, last week the chairs of the boards and agencies responsible for assessing and regulating energy development projects in the Northwest Territories met in Inuvik. The parties involved included the Inuvialuit and Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Boards, the National Energy Board, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency as well as the various land and water boards in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, we recognize and are working to address the concerns industry has raised about the regulatory regime in the Northwest Territories. The work being done by the regulatory agencies to coordinate the environmental assessment and regulatory review processes is essential for northern gas development.

I understand the meeting last week was very successful and that all parties involved are pleased with the progress made in determining possible approaches for a coordinated review and regulatory process for Northwest Territories gas development and pipeline projects.

A number of cooperative approaches for the review of both a Mackenzie Valley pipeline and a Beaufort offshore route from Alaska have been identified. These approaches are consistent with existing legislation.

A preliminary information package for oil and gas development in the Northwest Territories was also approved. This means proponents will have the opportunity to provide basic information on potential gas development and pipeline projects. This approach is based on the operating guidelines under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency.

This optional step for proponents will help the regulators to clearly identify the project components, their scale, location and potential environmental issues. It will also assist in advancing the discussions on developing an approach for a coordinated review and regulatory process.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased with the progress to date and want to commend all parties involved for their commitment to developing an approach for a coordinated review and regulatory process.

We will continue to encourage and support the efforts of these boards and agencies to develop a fair, predictable and efficient regulatory process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Merci, Mr. Handley. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Declarations de ministre. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Mr. Speaker, we all agree that a strong economy is critical in terms of providing productive choices for Northerners. However, the economic opportunities that lie ahead will do little to improve the quality of life in northern communities unless our people are able to participate fully.

Towards a Better Tomorrow affirms that this government is committed to doing our part to make the North a better place to live for everyone. We are, however, only one player and cannot do it alone. We need to partner with other governments, communities, stakeholders and individuals in realizing our vision.

The Premier indicated in his January address to the people of the Northwest Territories that our government is committed to developing a social agenda and, Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to affirm that work on this important initiative is underway. The agenda will identify concrete actions intended to enhance health and wellness in our communities. It will identify areas where we need to do more or to do things differently to ensure that our social programs are meeting the needs of people and our communities.

Mr. Speaker, we recognize the merits of involving from the very onset other governments, program clients, community leaders, practitioners and non-government organizations in the development of a social agenda. To this end, we are planning on hosting a social agenda conference in order to continue the dialogue. We will share ideas and collaborate on how we can address our challenges, build on our successes and learn from the past.

Specifically, I am looking for concrete suggestions about how we can work in partnership to:

• • enhance our awareness of the issues and encourage collaboration in working to find the solutions;
• • prepare Northerners for our bright economic future;
• • encourage a greater sense of ownership over personal and community wellness;
• • reaffirm our mutually respectful relationships with other governments, community leaders, service providers and above all, clients;
• • improve the design and delivery of social programs, including better integration and coordination of programs; and
• • collaborate with aboriginal governments in building their capacity to successfully assume much of the decision-making authority for social programming through self-government.

To support our work, I am pleased to announce that the Ministerial Committee on Social Agenda is establishing a Council of Grandmothers. In establishing this council, we are looking for advice and guidance from women who are respected in their communities and regions, passionate about personal and community wellness and interested in working for positive change. Grandmothers are strong matriarchs who have raised their families, who have a history of caring deeply about social issues and who bring the wisdom of their years and experience to all that they do. A Council of Grandmothers will help us ensure that positive social change is practical, workable, based on community realities and more importantly, connected to the people. This council will be involved in the social agenda conference and will hopefully enhance the continuity and momentum of the conference well into the future.

I will be pleased to routinely update this House on the progress made towards developing a social agenda and the conference itself. I look to the invaluable experience and knowledge of all Members to help make this very important initiative a success. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Merci, Madam Minister. Declarations de ministre. Declarations de deputes. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have all seen in the news and are probably aware of the devastating effects forest fires can have in heavily forested parts of the country where there are communities. Mr. Speaker, the constituency I come from is in the middle of the boreal forest on the banks of the Slave River. We are in exactly that predicament.

Mr. Speaker, over the last number of years, we have been trying to pull together a fire abatement program to help thin out the heavy timber and bush that surrounds the community, in fact, that the town is situated in. It has been a difficult process. It has been a difficult project. It is one with tremendous potential. There is almost unlimited supply of firewood in there, lumber that could be harvested if it was done selectively.

Mr. Speaker, just last year on television we saw what happened in the United States when the community of Los Alamos had a backfire that went wrong. The community lost hundreds of houses. I have seen it happen in Alaska and I have heard of it happening in other jurisdictions in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, it always comes down to the issue of money. It would be far better to put money into the front end for prevention, as we talk about in a lot of the social areas, then wait and see what happens when you come to communities like Norman Wells, where you have to evacuate if you are not ready and the community is not prepared for a fire.

Mr. Speaker, the issue is one between the community and the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. Later today, I will be asking the Minister questions about how we can move this process along, how we can look at a long-term program that will put local people to work clearing and harvesting and putting that wood they are going to thin out to good use in the community.

Mr. Speaker, this is a very pressing issue. Spring is once again around the corner. Fire season will soon be here. It would be to our benefit, to the government's benefit, to be ready and not be responding after the fact. Thank you.

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Merci, Mr. Miltenberger. Declarations de deputes. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention of this House a situation I feel is unfair. The community corporation in my hometown of Fort Providence has brought this situation to my attention. I touched upon this issue in committee of the whole on Friday, March 2nd during the review of the main estimates for Municipal and Community Affairs.

Over the last ten years, the community corporation has leased a parcel of land from the territorial government through the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. Each of those ten years, those lease costs were $250. Last September, the lease on this parcel of land expired and because there were no changes to the leasing arrangement, MACA gave a credit of three percent each year for the old lease. Further, MACA also gave a credit for the value of lease payments made over the term of the original lease.

Mr. Speaker, imagine my constituents' surprise when they were informed that despite these deductions made to their lease, there was going to be a major increase in the cost of the lease. The community development corporation was also given the opportunity to choose between two different types of leases, a regular lease and an equity lease. If the regular lease was chosen, then annual lease payments would increase to $2,000 a year for 20 years and be subject to review and adjustment on each five-year anniversary. GST was not included in these figures. If the equity lease was chosen, annual payments of $2,500 would be required for the ten-year term. Again, this excludes GST. For the remaining ten years in the lease, the lessee would pay a dollar a year. The equity lease would result in a lower cash outlay for the 20-year period rather than the regular lease.

Mr. Speaker, should my constituents choose the regular lease option, the cost will increase from $250 a year to $2,000 a year. This is close to eight times the present yearly rate. Should the equity lease be chosen, the cost would go to $2,500 a year, ten times the present rate.

Mr. Speaker, these increases are not reasonable. I am concerned that the impact of major land lease increases like these on my constituents and other residents of the Northwest Territories will have dramatic effects. I will be posing questions later to the Minister. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Declarations de deputes. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We all acknowledge the importance of education to the development of our society. Equally important are the friendships, associations and events that we have experienced through our years at school. On June 30th and July 1st of this year, there will be another historic gathering in Yellowknife, one which we hope will see hundreds of participants. The event I am referring to, Mr. Speaker, is the reunion for Akaitcho Hall students and staff.

Mr. Speaker, since its opening in 1958, Sir John Franklin School and Akaitcho Hall, as the companion residential facility, provided very high academic and vocational standards. Education made a positive difference in the lives of thousands of students who passed through those doors and hallways.

Students from 37 communities have attended Sir John and many Members of this Assembly, Mr. Speaker, have been residents of Akaitcho Hall. With the proposed demolition of the residence in the very near future to make room for new development, now is a fitting time to have a reunion.

There is a small organizing committee putting the plans in place for this reunion. Some of the activities include a dinner and dance on June 30th, combined barbecue on Canada Day, along with other festivities. The committee, which includes yourself, Mr. Speaker, is putting promotional plans in place and looking for sponsors.

The committee is also working on 37 years for a commemorative gazette covering those decades of operation. Contributors and researchers and a variety of production staff are now being put together from existing students at Sir John Franklin School. We will need volunteers to help make this happen. I hope former residents of Akaitcho Hall and Sir John Franklin School will join me and others in marking this reunion at the end of June and on Canada Day. I look forward to renewing friendships from my younger days when I went there and exchanging views on how we shall all continue to successfully meet the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Braden. Declarations de deputes. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the day of the toothless smile in the Northwest Territories is gone, or is it, Mr. Speaker? Mr. Speaker, I say this and I ask this for one reason. I have been made aware that the NIHB, non-insured health benefits, relating to the dental program for status Indian and Inuit in the Northwest Territories has been taken over by Ottawa. Mr. Speaker, since they have taken over this program, trying to get dental treatment in the Northwest Territories has been difficult. In fact, when dentists send for approvals, Ottawa sends back a question asking if there is another alternative instead of the treatment plan that has been provided.

I have been given some numbers, Mr. Speaker, that show that in fact across Canada, based on 1999 statistics, the only other jurisdiction that has a lower cost per client is in Saskatchewan, where they average $317 per client. Here in the Northwest Territories, the average cost for clients is $351. When you look at Alberta, they have a $424 average cost per client.

Mr. Speaker, even when we look at the cost of per item of treatment that a dentist goes through, they are more expensive here in the Northwest Territories than most other jurisdictions. The fact is we are still getting less dollars per client in the Northwest Territories since Ottawa has taken over.

I wonder what they are pushing for when they ask for other alternatives. Instead of repairing teeth, are they back in the days when they came North to pull teeth? Mr. Speaker, that is a very serious concern to residents. It is an issue I have dealt with on behalf of a number of constituents. Again, I think it is an area we need to focus on. During question period, I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Declarations de deputes. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, early in the life of the 14th Legislative Assembly, we released our vision for attaining a better future for our residents. This vision was included in our document Towards a Better Tomorrow. Mr. Speaker, in the document we stated that we should promote self-reliant, healthy, well-educated individuals, families and communities doing their part to improve the quality of life for themselves. Mr. Speaker, in this same document, we go on to say that we should have a motivated young generation prepared to take advantage of the opportunities the North has to offer.

Mr. Speaker, I wanted to commend this government for the positive steps they have taken towards this vision. Maximizing northern employment should have far-reaching, positive benefits and improve on our track record in attracting our educated youth back to the Northwest Territories. I see this as accomplishing more than just filling jobs.

Mr. Speaker, many of our young people who go on to post-secondary education have been raised in the North and have many ties to the North, not the least of which are their families. We have a growing population of parents whose well-educated children have remained in the south to retain adequate employment.

Mr. Speaker, we need those young people here so that their parents may be more inclined to remain here during their retirement years. Many of these retiring parents have been contributing to our well-being for many years and will continue to do so if we give them reason to. This, Mr. Speaker, will include grandfathers. I would like to put a proposal forward to form a Council of Grandfathers...

...and I hope we have as much money as the Minister does for grandmothers, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, small- to medium-sized businesses will play a large role in the economic development of the North. We must do more to help them remain competitive so they can do their part in putting our people to work. This will be a tall order, Mr. Speaker, in light of the fact that practically every province in Canada is struggling with a shortage of a qualified labour force in just about every sector. Mr. Speaker, the reality is we will never put all of our people to work nor will we succeed in keeping them all in the North, but we must do all we can towards that goal. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Let us hope there is not a shortage of qualified grandfathers. I would like to volunteer. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.