Thank you, Mr. Roland. Good afternoon, colleagues. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Speaker, earlier today I had an opportunity to address a dedicated, focused and energetic group of educators, the principals of the schools of the Northwest Territories.

They will be here in Yellowknife over the next several days in order to advance their knowledge in effective leadership practices during our annual principals' conference. This is the only conference of its kind in Canada where all principals working in one province or territory travel to come together to learn, network and improve their skills. This year's conference theme is "Gaining Momentum: Increasing Student Success".

And increasing student success is just what these professionals do best. It is the principal who is the pivotal role in implementing new programs in schools. They have the responsibility to take the initiatives outlined by the department and educational boards and turn them into reality within the individual schools. The onus is on them to ensure that "it happens".

In the Northwest Territories principals are also educators and community leaders. They have multi-faceted roles: teacher, coach, counsellor, caregiver and career advisor to name a few. We know this can be a challenge. Our educators play a pivotal role in the formation of our youth. In many cases these are the people who will work with our students and their families as they make the critical choices to prepare their child for a productive future.

Now more than ever, the future holds tremendous promise for our young people here in the Northwest Territories. Our educators are working now with the future leaders of tomorrow.

Please join me as I welcome these committed leaders to Yellowknife. By attending this conference they are demonstrating their commitment to lifelong learning. We look forward to the new ideas and knowledge that they will bring back to share in their home communities. Through building knowledge we will build a better tomorrow for our NWT students. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to raise the issue of access to information. We are now in an age where information and access to information is a key to success in education, work place, business and politics. I am very concerned that in our smaller communities we are without relevant access to timely information, which could be the difference between life and death, the difference between acquiring or missing a business opportunity, the difference in being adequately prepared for post-secondary education or not.

Mr. Speaker, at one time this government had a field service clerk program which through a small office in the communities was a conduit with which all types of information was passed and retrieved. The amount of information that passes through this government in itself is enormous, which is why we require staff to digest it and condense it into a form that is meaningful to us. Put yourself in the place of an individual in the community that has limited access to information and when they do receive the information from this government, or anyone else for that matter, what does it mean to them?

It has only been in the last few years that telephone service has been readily available in the smaller communities. The cost of developing such infrastructure is great, thereby eliminating access to the Internet unless people are willing to pay a higher cost than their neighbours in a community such as Yellowknife and Hay River. Residents in my constituency are aware of the business and economic opportunities knocking on their door. However, to capture these and prepare for these opportunities, access to information is vital.

I would encourage this government to assess the information requirements of the smaller communities such as those in my riding to determine what it is that would make access to information easier. A start would be to identify and hire a person in the communities who is proactive, who can work with the seniors and the youth, who knows the communities and knows how to access government departments and move as a conduit for those seeking information.

Mr. Speaker, this may seem trivial to some of the Members sitting here today and may seem trivial to those persons who now enjoy timely access to information, but for those people with limited or no access it is important for their future and for the future of their children that this is something this government should reflect on and take action on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I will be talking about a new society that was formed recently, the NWT Mining Heritage Society. Mr. Speaker, Yellowknife was built on mining. Many people came here, lived here and raised families here because of what lies within our rocky landscape. The great gold mines, Giant and Con, are evidence of that.

Today, especially with the diamond mines, this industry is still an engine that drives our city and the Territories' economy, which is why I am so pleased that on September 25th a formal board of directors was voted in at the first annual general meeting of the NWT Mining Heritage Society. Mr. Speaker, the group had been operating on an ad hoc basis for the last two years and came about partly when Giant Mine was being shut down. At that time a group of interested citizens got together to go to the mine and salvage mining equipment there before it was destroyed. They have stuck with it and from that effort a society has been formed.

The membership of the board includes Walt Humphries, who is the president; Mike Vaydik, vice president; Wayne Bryant, secretary-treasurer; Chuck Arnold, Diane Baldwin, Mike Beauregard, Mike Byrne, Dennis Olmstead and Yana Preston are the directors.

Mr. Speaker, I believe they have taken on a very important job. The society's mandate is to preserve mining heritage in the NWT and promote the development of facilities, sites and exhibits that will further the understanding and appreciation of mining, mineral exploration and geology industries in the NWT, all the while contributing to the tourism and economic potential of the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, although some of them are very well known, they all have diverse backgrounds and share an interest in seeing northern history preserved. In fact, Mr. Speaker, the society's major plan is to develop a mining museum in Yellowknife, an idea that I believe is long overdue. I understand that many tourists come up here and they are disappointed to find that there is no mining or geological museum or a heritage centre.

I want the people of the NWT to know that the society is up and running and they have a web page www.nwtminingheritage.com. I encourage NWT residents to log on to the web site if they have a chance and see what the society is up to. I will be doing it, and I wish them success in all their efforts and look forward to seeing...

Ms. Lee. your time for Member's statement has ended. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. May I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement please.

You certainly may. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to continue with her Member's statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Ms. Lee, you may continue.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to simply conclude that I want to wish them well and I want to do all I can to help with the society and enjoy their success. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I rose to make mention of the elections in Inuvik and mentioned those who were successful in the elections for Inuvik Town Council as well as the Inuvik District Education Authority. However, I did not mention the fact that the mayor, Mr. Peter Clarkson, was acclaimed to the position of mayor and will be serving his second term as mayor. It is rare in a community that has a lot of political interest that you would see someone get acclaimed to a position, so I think that speaks highly of Mayor Clarkson and his abilities and wish him much success in leading our community honourably. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak about the $50 million country club that is being built where you can go for real top of the line of services with regard to programs and services, compared to what the rest of the Northwest Territories residents receive.

Mr. Speaker, what I am really talking about is the $50 million fiasco that we find ourselves in with regard to the North Slave correction facility. Where this facility was projected to cost $35 million, as of December last year the estimate was $40 million and now we find in August, after cancellation of the BIP process, that a tender was received in which this government, on August 6th, approved a $8.4 million budget increase, taking this mega-project to $50 million.

Mr. Speaker, I find it hard to stand here and tell my constituents, sorry we do not have any money, we cannot deliver programs and services and we cannot help you with regard to the social problems we face in our communities. Yet, Mr. Speaker, knowing the financial restraints we are under as a government, we can find room to approve $8.4 million knowing that we have a major deficit that we have to face and deal with.

Mr. Speaker, I for one feel that we should either submit that the Auditor General to do a thorough review of how this project has been handled and exactly are these expenditures for dollar for value based on the amount that has been spent and the size of this facility and the programs and services that can be accessed elsewhere? At the appropriate time, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Minister of Justice questions on this matter.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to raise the issue of Highway No. 2 in Hay River. Mr. Speaker, just to refresh everyone's memory, Highway No. 2 is a stretch of highway from the bridge in Hay River all the way north to West Channel in my constituency.

Mr. Speaker, I have continued to raise the issue of the condition of Highway No. 2 in this Assembly basically since I got elected. I am sure I have become the nemesis of the department and the Minister of Transportation, but here I go again.

I have continued to raise the issue of Highway No. 2 in this House, Mr. Speaker, because I have not seen any form of progress with it, as it is badly in need of repair. It has been as long as I can remember.

Mr. Speaker, I read with interest a document from the Department of Transportation entitled "Historical Highway Maintenance and Upgrading Expenditures for the Years 1999-2001." Upon reviewing this document, Mr. Speaker, I learned that Highway No. 2 has had the least amount of money spent on it in each year from 1998 to 2001. Highways No. 1, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6, No. 7 and No. 8 have all had more money spent on them every year. This does not add up, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, Highway No. 2 is a very busy highway, but it had the least amount of money spent by the Department of Transportation. That is very disturbing to me. As I stated in the House previously, Mr. Speaker, it appears to me that there are other road projects that were not even on the radar screen when I started bringing up Highway No. 2, and these other projects have had money allocated, and in some instances, had the work done already.

Mr. Speaker, in June of this year, the Minister of Transportation, when I questioned him about the lack of any work being done on Highway No. 2 stated in this House, and I quote: "I realize the condition it is in. I will certainly ask the department to have a look at what we may do in the short term for this summer, but there are major problems with that road and its tendency to settle."

Mr. Speaker, the Minister is in agreement with me that there are major problems with this highway, but here I am again asking for the Department of Transportation to start spending some serious money on it.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, ever since I have been making inquiries about Highway No. 2, I have been told by the Minister to wait until the Department of Transportation creates an engineering study on the highway.

Mr. Speaker, I received a commitment from the Minister in this House in June of this year that the engineering study on Highway No. 2 will be completed this fall.

Mr. Delorey, the time for your Member's statement is up. Mr. Delorey.