Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A little earlier, the Minister responsible for Youth spoke about the CYAID Conference here in Yellowknife. It is upcoming and today I would like to acknowledge some of its members in the gallery, the Yellowknife Students Against Drinking and Driving.

They are working very hard to change some shocking statistics here in the Northwest Territories. These statistics come from the chief coroner's office. They show that we in the Northwest Territories have two-and-a-half times as much impaired driving as the national average, and that 52 percent of all accidental deaths in the Northwest Territories involve alcohol.

The Students Against Impaired Driving group started at St. Patrick's School in 1994 with fewer than 20 members. Since then, they have changed their name to SADD, or Students Against Drinking and Driving. The students at both high schools and Weledeh School have formed chapters.

In all, there are now 140 members of SADD in the Northwest Territories. Of course, it is difficult to know what circumstances and activities cause statistics to change, but it is interesting to note that between 1989 and 1994, there were on average 27 impaired drivers involved in collisions per year in Yellowknife. Between 1994 and 1999, there were on average 17 impaired drivers per year involved in collisions in Yellowknife. That indicates a substantial drop.

The 11th Annual Canadian Youth Against Impaired Driving Conference will be held in Yellowknife at St. Patrick's and Sir John Franklin High School from March 22nd to 25th. This will be the first time ever that there will be representation from every province and territory in the country in a conference of this nature. The organizers are expecting approximately 300 youth delegates and adult advisors to attend.

The hope for an improved society in the future depends on our young people. It is certainly admirable what these young people are doing about our problems with drinking and driving. I want to thank them for their efforts and congratulate them for what they have achieved. I want to wish them, and I am sure that all of us wish them, a very successful conference. I want to thank them for being in the gallery today, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause