Mr. Speaker, I would like to follow up on the comments by my colleague, Ms. Lee, on the actions that came out of Yellowknife residents and the efforts of volunteers across the Northwest Territories, almost 1,000 I understand, who ran for the cause of breast cancer awareness.

In Yellowknife, the event has been going for a number of years and I want to compliment a constituent, Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Terry Chang who is one of the founders and pioneers and great promoters of this event and fitness causes in general.

The money that we raised through this event and I understand it is something in excess of $175 per participant, which is one of the best rates in Canada, Mr. Speaker, goes to benefit a number of projects in the Northwest Territories. One of them is a video that is in wide circulation now on breast cancer awareness. It features a number of self-help bits of information and stories from survivors that I think is especially important in helping people to deal with this devastating disease.

Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to be a part of the Run for the Cure along with 20 Members of this Assembly. There were I think nine MLAs and 11 staff members who were out there. It felt good to be able to do something positive in relation to this.

It is a disease, Mr. Speaker, that affects a number of us every year. I have a personal understanding of this, because my father was first diagnosed with this disease and a few years later he ultimately succumbed to cancer. We all understand the work that goes behind making a difference and we are all pleased to participate in it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Mr. Speaker, January 1st, 2003 is quickly approaching. A date that should be of interest and concern to all Northerners who possess guns, as all guns must be registered by January 1st. To add to the concern, the offices of the Canadian Firearm Centres both in Yellowknife and Hay River have closed. What does this say about the federal government's commitment to ensuring timely access to information and services?

The Canadian Firearm Centre has indicated that it is preparing to send out reminder letters to hundreds of thousands of gun owners who have yet to register their firearms. They are encouraging gun owners to register via the telephone or Internet. Mr. Speaker, not all residents have access to telephones or to the Internet. Not all residents understand what consequences of not registering their guns might be. Not all residents retain English or French as their first language. Not all residents can read or write, and not all residents have access to someone who will assist them with the registration of their guns.

Penalties for not acquiring a licence can result in fines, imprisonment and seizure of guns. Possession of non-registered guns can lead to charges under the Firearms Act or the Criminal Code. Our correctional institutions are already filled. Are we willing to build more jails? Maybe this would serve as an opportunity to argue for more infrastructure dollars from the federal government.

Mr. Speaker, this whole process directly contravenes both Treaty 8 and Treaty 11 where the government promised that ammunition would be distributed annually to the Dene. The Firearms Act itself states that nothing in the Act shall be construed as to abrogate or derogate from any existing aboriginal or treaty rights of the aboriginal people of Canada under Section 35 of the Constitutional Act, 1982. These arguments are important to many of our constituents, yet we allow them to be slowly eroded.

Mr. Speaker, during question period I will ask this government this question -- what action and support is this government willing to provide to those aboriginal people and all the residents of the Northwest Territories to ensure they do not start the New Year as criminals due to failure to register their guns. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak about the critical state of repair of the Hay River Centennial Library. The Hay River library was built in 1967 and serves as the literary centre of our community, along with housing the territorial library services branch providing cataloguing, storing and circulation of territorial books and records.

The government released a technical status evaluation report in September 1998 and again in November 2001. In both of these documents, the building was identified as being in drastic need of repair. There are items identified for maintenance and repair that were rated as unsatisfactory, requiring a priority action with service life of zero years. The priority item I am most concerned with is the roof and the roofing membrane which was reported in 1998 with a zero year's service life.

The summary of the evaluation report indicates that the roof has reached the end of its duty cycle and should be retrofitted in the very near future before leaking begins to deteriorate the structure and finishes. Low levels of insulation and the absence of continuous air and vapour barriers are resulting in poor thermal efficiency and uncomfortable conditions for the building's occupants. In the Minister's response to my recent correspondence he confirms that limited service life was found in the roof system, which urgently requires upgrading and membrane replacement. It is also noted that there have been zero capital dollars spent on this building during the past five years.

I understand that these repairs will be identified in the 2004 capital funding list which I believe will delay these upgrades and repairs until 2005 or 2006. The 1998 technical status evaluation report clearly indicates that the repairs were rated as mandatory at that time. That was over four years ago. My constituents are impatient with the government's lack of action and intention given the condition of the library building and I will be referring to the issue of the aforementioned repairs in my questions to the Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment in question period today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our Territory last year saw economic growth of more than 20 percent. The diamond industry, together with exploration for natural gas, has largely driven this impressive growth. We are now poised to see tremendous economic impact form the development of our petroleum resources, but we must act now.

Mr. Speaker, I applaud Premier Kakfwi and Mr. Handley's continued efforts to convince the federal government that our need for infrastructure funding of the full $133 million is critical to our viability and unquestionably beneficial to the whole of Canada's economic well-being. The Corridors for Canada proposal that the Premier presented to the federal government showed the Northwest Territories could contribute an estimated $65 billion to the national gross domestic product. The federal government, on top of that, would also retain most of the $17 billion that would accrue from royalties and taxes.

Mr. Speaker, the federal government has clearly failed to recognize the critical juncture the Northwest Territories is at.

By doing so, they are dooming us to fewer jobs for Northerners and are dealing self-reliance for the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, I also applaud the Premier and Minister Antoine's efforts, first in continuing to put pressure on the federal government to support pipeline development in the Northwest Territories and, second, for their efforts in Washington opposing the Energy Bill. We need a level playing field. We need security for the partners and for producers. It was good news indeed to hear that the bill that would have subsidized Alaskan gas has failed for now.

However, Mr. Speaker, we still have some serious challenges. The Intergovernmental Forum has not progressed as quickly as we had originally expected, and now we hear that the federal negotiator has no mandate to negotiate fiscal issues.

Mr. Speaker, the Aboriginal Pipeline Group has told producers that they are in danger of rescinding support for the pipeline if they cannot get the loan guarantees. We cannot hope for further progress by these groups unless there is security in their plan. The Government of Canada must come forward with the loan guarantees they so critically need. Everything that can be done on our part, on the part of the partners and producers, is in place. It is up to the Government of Canada to do their part.

Mr. Speaker, I support the government's position that the future of development in the Northwest Territories rests with our success in funding our infrastructure and offering security to producers and partners in the pipeline process. We must maintain our position and continue to pressure the federal government to respond. Our economic future depends on it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like today to join my colleagues, Ms. Lee and Mr. Braden, in recognizing the efforts of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. I refer specifically to the October 6th Eleventh Annual CIBC Run for the Cure this year, Mr. Speaker -- good weather, great turn out. As Mr. Braden indicated. I think all of the local MLAs were in attendance and also present were the Premier, Minister Allen and a lot of staff from the building. Eight hundred and fifty participants in Yellowknife, Mr. Speaker, and an additional 200 in Hay River, Fort Smith, Fort Simpson, Norman Wells and Inuvik, as well as Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet.

Mr. Speaker, indeed breast cancer affects all of our lives because it affects our mothers, our sisters, our daughters and our friends. An estimated 20,500 women in Canada will develop breast cancer in 2002, Mr. Speaker, and that is a seriously staggering number.

I would like to take this time, Mr. Speaker, to recognize the top fundraisers for this year's Run for the Cure. In the team challenge the Ecole St. Joseph School Huskies raised well over $7,000. In the women's challenge the Girl Power team raised over $6,000. In the community challenge the NWT Reps 2002 Team raised over $3,000 and we should be especially proud of the corporate team challenge, the GNWT Department of Health and Social Services, Mr. Speaker, raised over $11,000. We will have to make sure that the Assembly gives them a run for their money next year. The top two individual fundraisers in Yellowknife were Dale Sooley who raised $10,550 -- an amazing amount of money -- and Kathy Wind who raised $4,816.

Mr. Speaker, when you compare us to other jurisdictions and other cities of similar size, it really is amazing per capital the amount of money we raised. I think Ms. Lee said that the total is coming in near $200,000. That compares to cities like Regina that were under $200,000 or Kelowna in and around the same amount of money and that is really great to see, Mr. Speaker.

I think that because of the number of participants in this event, the number of volunteers and indeed the entire amount of money raised we can tell that this is a very important issue to all Northerners, so I would like to ask my colleagues to join me in thanking the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and all of the participants and volunteers who took part in this year's Run for the Cure. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon. Today I wish to mention in this Assembly the names of the other students from Mangilaluk School in Tuktoyaktuk who took part in the literacy contest last spring by writing letters to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth. All of these students were in the grade 4 to 6 categories. Mr. Speaker, third place went to Ryland Anderson, and Nolan Felix qualified for an honourable mention as well. Other students who had their stories featured were Kristen Lucas, Samantha Adam, John Taylor, Travis Anderson, and Chantell Nogasak.

Mr. Speaker, it is important that we continue to promote literacy in the NWT schools, and I wish to commend those students who took part in this contest. I also wish to pass on my sincere thanks to the teachers and staff of Mangilaluk School in Tuktoyaktuk, and especially the parents for their support in making this project a success. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize Melanie Simba, who is here as a chaperone for our two pages from Kakisa. I would like to thank her and welcome her to the House.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to recognize my constituency assistant, Sherry Landry-Braun, and I would like to welcome her aboard.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Ruby Trudell, who I hope is still up there. I saw her earlier. She is the coordinator of the Breast Health/Breast Cancer Action Group in Yellowknife, and also my neighbour. Thank you.

-- Applause