Thank you, Ms. Lee. Good afternoon, colleagues. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Roger Allen will be absent from the House today to attend funeral services for the late Kyle Harry. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, people are an invaluable resource in the North. We need to help people harness their skills, labour and productivity so that they are prepared to take full advantage of the economic opportunities before us. Maximizing Northern Employment is a key government priority that will help ensure that Northerners are positioned to take advantage of these opportunities.

Mr. Speaker, Maximizing Northern Employment is a government-wide, coordinated effort that is building partnerships with aboriginal governments and the private sector. It supports several of the key goals identified by the Legislative Assembly in the vision document Towards A Better Tomorrow. These include:

• • healthy, educated Northerners making responsible personal choices for themselves and their families;
• • a healthy, diversified economy providing employment opportunities for Northerners in all communities; and
• • an effective balance between development of our resources, socio-economic impacts and preservation and protection of our natural environment.

Today I would like to talk about nine initiatives under the Maximizing Northern Employment priority, representing an investment by this government of about $6.5 million.

These are practical initiatives dealing with real life problems, initiatives that will get Northerners working. Some of these initiatives are already in place. Others will be in place shortly.

One of the ways that the GNWT supports northern students is through summer employment opportunities. A number of exciting changes have been made to improve the quality and range of the student employment program such as a student employment web site, career development, an opportunity to enhance employment skills, a Progressive Work Experience Program, student orientation and mentorships. Students will have one point of access to the GNWT system and they will be met and assisted by trained personnel.

In an effort to retain and recruit Northwest Territories residents to the territorial labour force, the Northern Graduate Employment Program offers recent graduates of recognized degree and diploma programs a range of options to return to live and work in the NWT.

There are many occupations into which the government has significant difficulty recruiting Northerners with the necessary education and experience. Accordingly, we have guaranteed employment to all northern graduates of recognized nursing, teaching and social work diploma and degree programs.

In addition, we are offering one-year internships to post-secondary graduates of other programs in a range of additional occupations. This will provide a year of relevant work experience for students wishing to return to the NWT to work.

The private sector is also playing an important role in this initiative. Each private employer who hires a northern graduate will be eligible for a wage subsidy of $15,000 for the first year of employment.

The Employment Support Program is an important initiative to provide employment support to northern communities, enabling its residents to find rewarding careers.

This territory-wide program will foster cooperation between industry, aboriginal governments, community governments and the GNWT to coordinate employment support services at the community level.

This initiative will further develop partnerships with aboriginal governments and the private sector in order to offer training and skill development directly in the field, creating a local pool of skilled employees for local needs. In partnership with aboriginal groups, this fund will provide a series of community-based business development workshops in areas impacted by industrial development. The fund will also undertake work mobility initiatives with employers and communities to ensure that northern employment and development is maximized.

We are expanding the Northern Teacher Education Training Program in order to make the Aurora College Teacher Education Program more accessible to all NWT residents. This will be done by offering the three-year teacher education diploma program at all three campuses of Aurora College. An access year to help some students upgrade before entering the full program will also be offered.

We are making special funding available to allow up to 20 NWT teachers to pursue full-time and part-time studies towards their teaching degree. This will enable NWT teachers to receive a Bachelor of Education, as required by the Education Act and Regulations, without losing their teaching positions.

The Healthy Workplace Program will coordinate the existing worker support program to provide a safe, supportive working environment for all GNWT employees.

In order to ensure our residents are prepared to take advantage of new opportunities in non-renewable resource development, a specific program to enhance training for the oil and gas industry has been developed. This program will help meet the requirements of NWT employers for advanced and specialized skilled trades people.

Student success centres will be established at the three Aurora College campuses in Fort Smith, Yellowknife and Inuvik. These will provide a comprehensive set of support initiatives to help students succeed and complete their studies.

Mr. Speaker, the GNWT is committed to Maximizing Northern Employment in the Northwest Territories. We have supported that commitment by identifying Maximizing Northern Employment as a key priority based on the following criteria.

First, Maximizing Northern Employment initiatives must ensure the government fulfills its role as a proactive employer.

Second, Maximizing Northern Employment initiatives must provide support that encourages NWT residents to be proactive and find employment and training opportunities that help them to realize their personal goals.

Finally, these initiatives must be developed through strategic alliances with business, industry and other governments so that they support employment on a territory-wide basis across all sectors.

Mr. Speaker, Maximizing Northern Employment will help to ensure that the people of the Northwest Territories seize the opportunities before us today and harness their skills and labour to transform them into prosperity and better lives. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, June 1st to 9th marks National Transportation Week across Canada. Canadians are encouraged to take time to consider the important role of transportation in our past, our present and our future.

National Transportation Week is organized and sponsored by Canadian private and public sector transportation organizations.

Mr. Speaker, as part of National Transportation Week, I am pleased today to inform the House that Mr. Doug Howard, assistant deputy minister of the Department of Transportation, has received a National Transportation Week Award of Excellence.

-- Applause

The Award of Excellence is presented annually to those men and women who have made outstanding contributions to the betterment of the Canadian transportation industry over several years. Mr. Howard joins a distinguished group of people that have been presented with this award over the past years.

Mr. Howard has had a long career in the North. Mr. Howard was presented the award in recognition of his dedication to ensuring excellent transportation services to the North and for his continued contributions to northern transportation policy and strategy.

On behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories, I would like to extend our congratulations to Mr. Howard in achieving this accomplishment and to thank him for his contributions towards improving northern transportation over the past 33 years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Mr. Speaker, as the Premier mentioned in his Sessional Statement, the North American demand for energy currently favours the development of our abundant energy resources. However, any resource development must result in maximum benefits to the people of the Northwest Territories. This includes ensuring that residents have access to clean, affordable and efficient energy sources. As well, development of our natural resources must be done in a manner that respects our land and environment, and the unique ties we have to it. Our government has taken steps to ensure these principles are respected.

Mr. Speaker, over the past year we have been working to expand the benefits of natural gas development. Our efforts have successfully raised the national and international profile of the Northwest Territories and the need for a Mackenzie Valley pipeline. Indeed, both Prime Minister Chretien and President Bush have acknowledged the need to develop the gas reserves in the Northwest Territories. Now, as Canada sets its energy policy and works with the United States and Mexico on a continental energy framework, we want to see Canada make the timely development of Canadian gas reserves a condition for Canadian participation.

Mr. Speaker, we are confident that we will see an application for a Mackenzie Valley gas pipeline by year end. The major challenges identified by industry have been addressed. By the end of the summer, the Environmental Assessment and Regulatory Agencies Coordinating Group will release a draft framework for a single environmental assessment process for the review of a Mackenzie Valley stand-alone and Beaufort offshore pipeline proposals for public comment. Yesterday, the majority of aboriginal leaders were satisfied with the business plan prepared by the Aboriginal Pipeline Group and Mackenzie Delta Producers to provide aboriginal people with an equity share in a Mackenzie Valley pipeline. This is all good news for our economic future.

Through the Mackenzie Valley Gas Development Project, we are proceeding with implementing training initiatives to increase employment opportunities for residents, assessing options for communities to access natural gas as a clean and cost-effective alternative energy source and working with regional aboriginal groups to build their internal expertise and capacity to deal with oil and gas technical issues, environmental issues, business and human resource development.

We also want to see that the environment is protected. Accordingly, we plan to work with aboriginal governments, industry and the federal government to prepare a funding proposal for a joint method of gathering biophysical and socio-economic data in the Mackenzie Valley, similar to the approach taken by the West Kitikmeot Slave Study which conducted research on impacts from diamond mine development. To maximize socio-economic benefits, we are negotiating an industrial benefits protocol with the Mackenzie Valley Producers Group.

Mr. Speaker, we believe that resource development will lever the investment required to diversify our economy. That is certainly the intent behind our most recent energy initiative -- looking at the immense hydroelectric potential of the Northwest Territories in partnership with aboriginal governments. Our government will continue to make presentations to aboriginal and municipal leaders throughout the summer to inform residents about this clean and efficient energy source.

The major projects reviewed to date indicate that the Northwest Territories has 12,000 megawatts of run-of-river potential, which would be sufficient to satisfy territorial needs and export power to energy-hungry markets down south. The attraction of run-of-river hydro projects is that they use earth-filled dams to direct water to the powerhouse as it flows by. These projects do not lead to contamination of the water and do not have storage dams that create lakes.

The other major benefit of hydro plants relates to climate change, which people of the Northwest Territories are already experiencing. Generating power through hydro plants will reduce the need to generate electricity through the burning of fossil fuels, thereby reducing northern greenhouse gas emissions. This will enable the Northwest Territories to lead by example, as Canada works towards managing causes and impacts of climate change.

Mr. Speaker, I want to emphasize that hydro projects are just being considered. No projects will proceed without partnerships with aboriginal governments and without full consideration of environmental and socio-economic impacts.

Lastly, I would like to speak about alternative energy sources and energy conservation. The Arctic Energy Alliance continues its work to assist residents, businesses and government to identify ways to save energy and reduce energy costs. As well, the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development has committed $50,000 to a new renewable energy technology conversion assistance program to support application by any territorial resident or organization to convert conventional electrical and heat energy systems to solar, wind or other renewable source.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I am confident that partnerships with aboriginal and federal governments, industry and other stakeholders in developing our energy reserves will result in clean, affordable and accessible energy for all NWT residents, employment and socio-economic benefits and a diversified economy. This will make a positive contribution to the energy needs of Canada and our southern neighbours. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Mr. Minister, the time for Ministers' statements has expired.

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