Thank you, Ms. Lee. Please be seated. Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back after a very, very eventful weekend. You will notice that the Canadian flags are decorating the Chamber today. They are here to honour the Canadian athletes who recently competed in the Olympic Games.

-- Applause

The past two weeks of Olympic action in Salt Lake City has indeed united Canadians from coast to coast to coast, and overseas as well, in feelings of pride and of accomplishment. All Canadians are justifiably proud of the efforts of our winter Olympians. It is a pleasure to congratulate and to know that it is more than tragedy that unites Canadians. It can sometimes be feats of skill that bring us together.

As you may be interested to know, the majority of the 17 Canadian medals were won by women.

-- Applause

I know I speak for all Members when I extend our congratulations to the Canadian Olympic team. Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have two statements today that I would like to make.

I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Jim Antoine will be absent from the House today to attend the Joint Energy/Environment Ministers Meeting in Victoria, British Columbia. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, it is also my pleasure to report today on another successful Team Canada trade mission. I would like to take this time to share some highlights of the trade trip with the people of the Northwest Territories.

While en-route to the Team Canada trade mission, I had an opportunity to meet with De Beers and Rio Tinto in London, England. In speaking with De Beers , I restated our position of wanting them to provide rough diamonds to our northern cutting and polishing factories. I remain hopeful that they will

see the premium in our northern diamonds and provide these locally as other companies, such as BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, have done.

Team Canada travelled to Russia and Germany, visiting Moscow, Berlin and Munich. At different stops, several members of the NWT business community joined me. People such as Chris Ghazouly from Canada North Projects Limited, who signed a memorandum of understanding in Russia to provide technology in wood frame construction, and Stephen Simek of Ferguson, Simek, and Clark, whose company has vast experience working in Russia. Chahe Arslanian of Arslanian Cutting Works and Fernando Alverez from Jacques Cartier Clothier Inc, which is a partner of the Inuvialuit Regional Development Corporation, were also able to meet with business counterparts in Munich, Germany.

I had the pleasure of having Kevin Diebold and Kelly Hayden, representing the Northwest Territories Chamber of Commerce, join me for the entire mission. Considering our population and our natural resource base, the level of business interest, especially in Russia, was incredible.

In Berlin we were invited to participate in a time capsule ceremony at the future site of the Canadian Embassy. On behalf of the Northwest Territories, I contributed a bow loom with the porcupine quillwork to the capsule. Ruby Minoza of Fort Providence made this bow loom, representing centuries old techniques that are still being used today in many of our communities. It was a proud moment.

Finally, our presentation of Beneath the Dancing Sky in Munich, Germany, was a fitting end to a successful Canada trade mission for the NWT delegation. This presentation was a celebration of the richness and diversity of the culture of the Northwest Territories. This event, staged last Thursday evening in Munich, showcased Northwest Territories diamonds, furs, designer fashions and accessories, and a variety of arts and crafts to over 250 people. A number of northern businesses involved in the tourism industry were able to share information on their products and promote the Northwest Territories as a world-class tourism destination. The crowd included representatives of the German business community, government dignitaries, members of the German aristocracy and Team Canada trade mission participants, including Premier Ralph Klein, his wife Colleen, and Senator Frank Mahovlich and his wife Marie.

The response to the show and the Northwest Territories was overwhelmingly positive. The event was also an effective tool to raise the profile of the Northwest Territories and promote our tourism products and services at an international level.

In addition to a fashion show of contemporary and traditional aboriginal fashion designs, Beneath the Dancing Sky provided visitors the opportunity to observe our artists and craftspeople demonstrating their unique crafts in the natural setting of a recreated cultural village. I would like to take a moment to thank the cultural ambassadors for all of their assistance: Judy Magrum, Bill Nasogaluak, Karen Wright-Fraser, Antoine Mountain, Francois Thibault, Lucy Barnaby, Berna Beaulieu, Jane Dragon, Jimmy, Kevin and Roberta Memogana, Fred and Linda Kataoyak and Buddy Alikamik.

I would also like to thank the many NWT companies who helped plan this event and the delegation that joined us to help promote the Northwest Territories, and as well, my wife, Marie, who accompanied me on this trip. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Minister Handley.

Mr. Speaker, this afternoon I am pleased to tell the House about several initiatives the Department of Transportation has taken to make critical highway information available to the travelling public. I would like to thank Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development members for suggesting some of these positive initiatives.

The department has erected some 41 emergency information signs. These signs give motorists the name and telephone number of the RCMP detachment responsible for the section of highway they are travelling. The signs are located near where an access road joins a primary highway and where the responsibility for highway patrols passes from one RCMP detachment to another.

If the public wants to know what is happening at the Fort Providence ferry crossing, they can take a look for themselves on the Department of Transportation's web site. The department has installed a video camera on the south side of the ferry crossing that sends a picture every few minutes to their web site. People can actually watch the ferry taking vehicles across the river.

The public can obtain current highway and ferry information from either the department's web site or its toll free telephone service. The service advises of road conditions on the all-weather highway system, seasonal ferry schedules and the status of the winter road system. The service keeps the public informed of highway maintenance and construction activities, interruptions in ferry operations and, for commercial traffic, the load limits in effect on the all-weather and seasonal highways.

To assist those not familiar with the NWT highway system, the department has produced a brochure that provides highway services and safety information, along with other helpful topics about the highway system.

As we know, Mr. Speaker, information is a two-way street. As well as receiving information, the public may sometimes want to comment on highway conditions. Most recently, the Department of Transportation's North Slave regional office has opened a toll free line to listen to what motorists have to say about our highways. The new line should give the department an indication of what the public thinks are the most important factors relating to good road conditions and safe highway travel.

Mr. Speaker, timely and reliable information about our highway system can make all the difference for planning a more convenient, pleasant and safer trip. The highway information services I have mentioned today should help to make travelling our territorial highways a more comfortable and enjoyable experience.

Credit where credit is due. I want to thank all Members who have offered the Department of Transportation their constructive suggestions for safer and better highway transportation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Item 2, Minister's statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Public Works and Services, Mr. Steen.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to talk today about a project that makes it easier for Northerners to locate and phone for government services. The new NorthwesTel directory is being distributed this month and it features a big change in the pages of government phone numbers.

Now if you need information about electrical permits, you do not need to know the branch of government or the department name. You can flip to the blue pages and look under the broad heading of licences and permits. The entry tells you the phone number and also who delivers the program and where it is located.

The blue pages project was coordinated by the Department of Public Works and Services. It is part of a Canada-wide program to improve the blue pages in our telephone directory. Our government worked with First Nations, communities, municipalities and the federal government to make a consolidated list of services offered by all levels of government.

Mr. Speaker, I believe this new way of listing phone information will benefit all residents of the Northwest Territories. I am pleased that my department could contribute to this effort. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Steen. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize and pay tribute to all of the apprentices, journeypersons and employers who are working together to build a strong and self-reliant Northwest Territories.

Earlier this month, communities across the Territories celebrated Apprenticeship Week by recognizing and rewarding the achievements of this year's top graduating apprentices. The awards are given to apprentices who achieved the highest mark over 80 percent in their year of training. Over 35 awards were presented to apprentices in all the regions of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to pass along my congratulations to the Apprentice of the Year, Jason Coakwell, of Kingland Ford, Hay River. Jason earned the title of Apprentice of the Year by obtaining the highest marks of all graduating apprentices.

I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding achievement of another Hay River apprentice, Cameron Locke. Cameron, who is working towards journeyperson status in auto body repair, completed two levels of training in one academic year, achieving top marks at both levels. He also received the Dean's Award from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology for his efforts.

Mr. Speaker, Jason and Cameron are only two of the 300 apprentices who are registered in the NWT this year. They exemplify a sense of commitment and enthusiasm for their trade and their studies. Because of this, and support from industry, private business, NWT schools and Aurora College, the apprenticeship program in the Northwest Territories is one of the most successful in Canada.

The demand for skilled trades people remains at an all-time high. The government, by working with its partners, can help to find solutions to this current shortage. Together we can help to ensure the continuation of a successful apprenticeship program, but more than that, we can help to ensure that a qualified, skilled and professional workforce that meets the needs of employers is resident in the NWT. Local people meeting local needs -- the essence of a self-reliant community and economy.

Mr. Speaker, it is important to encourage youth and other employment seekers to consider the trades as a career. With over 40 trades available for certification in the NWT, there is plenty of opportunity to be a part of the tremendous economic growth we are currently experiencing.

A successful, economically viable and self-reliant future lies within the grasp of every resident of the NWT. The time is right for government, education providers and industry to work together in developing the skilled workforce required to achieve this future. Apprenticeship is just one of the tools we have to help ensure that this happens. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, February 21, I asked a question to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment regarding a legal opinion that he received, which has been seen by Cabinet, about the clawback of impact benefit agreements. I quote from Hansard, the Minister stated:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is highly unusual, it is unprecedented to release legal opinions. They are between a lawyer and a government. However, we will do this, provide a summary of the report.

Mr. Speaker, regarding the precedent that has been mentioned, I would just like to remind the Minister that the precedent has been set in this House. There have been legal opinions tabled by my colleague for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty, and also from the Premier. Also from Ms. Lee, Tabled Document 71-14(4), tabled November 5th. Also, Tabled Document 78-14(4), tabled November 6, 2001. With that, I would just like to make the Minister aware that we talk about a consensus government here. We are supposed to represent all of the people and share information and work together as a team. However, when you start holding back information, information that is relevant to the public interest, I for one feel that we have to show that there is openness here, unless somebody made the decision overnight that we are having party politics, with you over there and us over here.

The whole idea of sharing information is so that we can make good decisions. I think it is important that the Minister start sharing that information so we can try to find a solution to this problem, with regard to the clawbacks of impact benefit agreement payments. With that, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Minister questions with regard to Hansard later on this afternoon.

-- Applause

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

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 Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the raven flies, this Assembly is a mere two kilometres from the site of one of Canada's worst mining legacies. I am speaking of the vaults of lethal arsenic trioxide lying underneath the Giant Mine property. This site ranks along with the Nova Scotia tar sands as one of the ten most toxic waste sites in Canada. Mr. Speaker, arsenic is a giant problem.

These underground caverns are sealed with concrete bulkheads a few dozen metres below the surface. They are the seven repositories of almost 40 years of a dark side of a mining industry. They store an estimated 237,000 tons of this toxic by-product. To put this in a bit of perspective, Mr. Speaker, if this stuff is aspirin tablets, two of them could be lethal.

Earlier this month, a consultant assigned by DIAND to the Giant Mine working group said that while a search continues for viable ways of eliminating the problem, the best answer still appears to be to leave it in place, monitor the rates of seepage and discharge and, if needed, artificially freeze the ground around the poison to prevent its escape. This is not the type of thing I expect to hear at this time.

Storage is the answer -- absolutely not. The people of Yellowknife, Detah and N'dilo and everyone on the watershed of the Great Slave Lake deserves better than that from our federal government. The NWT needs a permanent solution to end this problem for good, not a storage site that we simply hand off to our grandchildren in the hopes that they have the will and the way to fix it.

Mr. Speaker, I applaud the efforts of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs to date for the communications that they have initiated to keep the community informed of what is going on. There are rounds of information sessions coming up in Yellowknife, N'dilo and Detah in the next two weeks. I urge citizens and organizations concerned to attend.

We cannot be complacent about this, Mr. Speaker. I am issuing a call for action to anyone who has the care to get in touch with DIAND to attend these information sessions and find out what is going on.

The Minister of DIAND and the federal government must accept and eradicate the environmental liability that lies beneath the surface of Giant Mine. We can accept no less. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time, I would like to raise an issue that impacts every person in the Northwest Territories, the very important issue of water quality. Mr. Speaker, I raise this issue of water quality because of the importance it has on our environment and the traditional lifestyles of the aboriginal people and Northerners.

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories is part of the Mackenzie River Basin and area that encompasses approximately 1.8 million square kilometres, which includes three territories and three provinces. The combination of past and current development activities in the Northwest Territories and the upstream activity, such as mining, oil and gas development, forestry activity and the damming of rivers, has impacted water quality in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, it is important that this government provide assurances to the people of the North that we are actively and effectively managing our water resources. The Northwest Territories is advertised by this government as a place to visit because of its pristine environment, an environment where one imagines dipping a glass in any stream, river or lake and being confident that the water is clean and safe to drink.

However, Mr. Speaker, we in the North are hesitating to dip a glass in these streams, rivers and lakes, or consume the wildlife that was once the mainstay of our diet. For that matter, Mr. Speaker, we are becoming worried of the quality of water being delivered to our homes. As an example, Mr. Speaker, what person here in Yellowknife is not familiar with the term arsenic and the likelihood of its presence in each glass of water we drink?

Another potential negative impact of water quality and the loss of resources was brought to my attention by an elder who was concerned with the dumping of culled fish back into Great Slave Lake. There are numerous examples of past activities resulting in the leaching of hazardous materials into our waterways. One example is Axe point, an old army base left over from the 1940's, downstream from Fort Providence, which requires current clean up due to the leaching of hazardous material.

The negative effects of water quality cannot be attributed to any one industry, company or person. It is the cumulative effect of the past and current development activities, not only in the Northwest Territories but upstream as well. As economic activities take place, it is certain there will be some form of environmental impact for us. We should be concerned and, more importantly, question.

The question then arises, at what level of environmental impact do we become concerned and what are the cumulative impacts and cost?

Mr. McLeod, your time for your Member's statement is over. Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the responsibility for water in the Northwest Territories has been the primary responsibility of DIAND's water resource division. With the finalization of land claim agreements in some regions, provisions are in place to ensure the quality, quantity and rate of water flow through those lands remain unaltered.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, this government has in place environmental legislation and agreements designed to minimize or eliminate risk of environmental damage to our water resources.

Mr. Speaker, it is important for the residents of the Northwest Territories to recognize and understand that we as political representatives are effectively participating in the management of our water resources to ensure the sustainability and integrity for future generations.

Mr. Speaker, with the talk of pipelines, mines, forestry, new highway construction and dams on the Mackenzie River, I urge this government to confirm its commitment to the management of our water resources by providing this Assembly and the residents of the Northwest Territories with information on the level of the contaminants provided through direct participation in allocation of resources for water resource management, research, monitoring, identification of contaminated sites, clean up and enforcement by this government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we expend a lot of words in this Legislature talking about how much we value our public service, those people behind the scenes carrying on the work of this government. They do not get their picture on the front page of the newspaper when the government undertakes a successful initiative. They do not take the credit in any public way when programs and services that Northerners are counting on are consistently delivered in our communities day in and day out, year after year.

When there are statistics indicating success in meeting the needs of our constituents, how often are we quick to recognize the talent and dedication of the people on the ground who make it happen?

Tonight, I hope to go to Hay River to help honour dedicated GNWT employees who will be receiving long service awards. These events and functions are great but they are not a substitute for a philosophy of fair practice, stability and access to opportunity in their workplaces.

Earlier in the life of the 14th Assembly, Regular Members brought forward a proposal for a Public Service Commission. There are pros and cons of the establishment of such an institution. It is reasonable to believe that given the size of our government, it should be possible to keep our eye on the ball, so to speak, in ensuring a high standard of fairness and equity as the norm in our departments and workplaces.

Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the rules of engagement are not very clear. This uncertainty creates a lack of confidence and morale amongst our public service. Some may argue that this lack of clarity allows for flexibility in achieving our goals for things such as a representative workforce. I suggest that in fact, flexibility equals misunderstanding and it creates more problems than it solves.

Because our jurisdiction is so small, it does not take too many unexplained interventions to have people feeling insecure or looking over their shoulder. This in turn causes tension between employees, tension between management and staff and tension between management and their political masters. It is possible for situations to deteriorate to a political milieu, potentially losing all sight of the goal, which is serving the public and the public interest.

Unionized employees have the avenue of grieving issues through their unions. Although this is not a perfect science, it is an opportunity. What about excluded employees? What about people trying to enter the public service? What about employees on probation? What avenues do they have at their disposal if they are on the receiving end of what they consider to be unfair treatment?

This is a government that started off with a stated commitment to fairness, openness and accountability. This has to extend to our public service. Mr. Speaker, we do not have a Department of Personnel any more. We have an Affirmative Action Policy that seems rather subject to individual interpretation.

Maybe we do not need a full Public Service Commission, but judging from the number of personnel issues around hiring and firing that have been raised just lately, I would like to hear a response from this government.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, colleagues, and thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to hear a clear response from this government as to their intentions on how they plan to stabilize uncertainty that arises in our public service. I would like to hear a clear and public response to the recommendations that were contained in the review of the Affirmative Action Policy undertaken in the 13th Assembly.

If a Public Service Commission is not the answer, what is the answer? Our public servants have a right to that answer. Let us set our goals. Let us make sure the rules are in place to reflect those goals, and let us make sure those rules are followed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Mahsi, Mr. Nitah. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to publicly honour Mel Brown, who passed away at Stanton Hospital on January 26 at the age of 84. Mel, a highly respected long-time Northerner and a proud Canadian, made significant contributions to northern life since his arrival here in 1963. Mel was born to farming parents in Hughton, Saskatchewan, in 1917. After finishing high school, he worked on the farm and did some travelling, looking for work until he was conscripted into the army in 1942. He was a pacifist and not at all interested in going to war, but he had no choice and went on to serve in battle with distinction. Mel served with the Royal Edmonton Regiment in both Italy and Holland, participating in many battles and experiencing the horrors of war until he was seriously wounded and released from his duty.

For the rest of his life, he refused to talk much about his experience of war, and although he received several medals, he never wore them. His youngest daughter, Joanne, with whom he lived for the past several years, says that they were never on display and that he explained that war medals were not something to be proud of. He was far prouder of the pins he received from the Dutch people at the reunions held in Holland for Canadian servicemen in 1995 and the 2000 50th D-Day Celebrations. It was these pins that he wore on Remembrance Day.

After his war service, Mel took advantage of the education available to veterans and went to the University of Saskatchewan, where he received a degree in mining engineering. Mel then worked in mining, including managing mines in Elliot Lake and Renabie, Ontario, before he came to the Northwest Territories in 1963 to be the regional mining inspector. He brought with him his wife. Florence, and their five children. Their youngest daughter, Joanne, was born here in Yellowknife.

Mel travelled widely and worked throughout the North in the following years, playing an important role in the development and inspection of mining in the Northwest Territories. In the early 1970s, he was one of the founding members of the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of the Northwest Territories. He was very involved with this professional association and proudly served as its executive director until 1990. Mel was a spiritual man, a staunch supporter of the United Church. He was also involved with the planning and building of Northern United Place and the Aven Court for seniors. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? You may conclude.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. He was also involved with the planning and building of Northern United Place and the Aven Court for seniors. He was very dedicated to the Seniors' Society, advocating for conditions that would allow for seniors to live and die with dignity.

Among his many other interests were the Yellowknife branch of the Canadian Legion, curling, bird watching and reading, especially poetry. His daughter Joanne says that right until the end of his life, her father was able to recite poetry he had memorized as a young child.

Mel Brown was a fine human being and we were privileged to have him in our midst, Mr. Speaker. I ask this House to join me in sending our condolences to his family, many friends and colleagues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Indeed, Mel was a true friend to the North. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Colleagues, it is a rare occasion when I have the opportunity to recognize two of my brothers at one time in the gallery. Richard Whitford was a former Member of this Legislative Assembly, representing the North Slave.

-- Applause

A retired businessman. Also, my younger brother Norman. Norman lives in Fort Smith.

-- Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I asked a question to the Minister last week regarding the clawback of impact benefit agreements and income support payments. In Hansard, the Minister made a comment. I will read page 143 of unedited Hansard, where it states: "Mr. Speaker, it is highly unusual. It is unprecedented to release legal opinions."

I would like to ask the Minister, in my statement, I mentioned three legal opinions, along with Mr. Lafferty's, that were tabled in this House. I would like to ask the Minister, is it still his view that it is unprecedented to release legal opinions in this House?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the documents that the honourable Member is referring to were provided to them as individuals. They made the decision to release those particular documents, Mr. Speaker, in the case of those released on behalf of two employees and in the case of the Premier. They were sought personally, Mr. Speaker.

The document that I have was provided by the Department of Justice and it does have a restriction on it, Mr. Speaker. These documents where they provide legal advice usually do have restrictions. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in questions last week to the Minister, he stated that he was going to get a summary report to the Members. I would like to ask the Minister where that summary report is and how soon can we receive it?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we will be providing that, Mr. Speaker. We will be providing that as soon as possible, certainly well before the end of this session. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, regarding the Minister not releasing the legal opinion, can the Minister state exactly what is the concern from Cabinet? What will happen if you release this report? Will it bring down the government? What exactly is the threat to the government?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe that question may be hypothetical. The fact that there is a restriction on this, I am not in a position to release this particular document by instruction on the document. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, has the Minister spoken with the Premier and his Cabinet colleagues about releasing this legal opinion, so he can share the information with the Members of this House in the style of consensus government, where we are here to represent all of the people and we should work cooperatively on this?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Premier has been away for the past week, as you know, on the Team Canada tour. I did reference this in a Cabinet strategy meeting. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to meet with the Member this morning on this unfortunate situation in Wha Ti. I made him aware that we already had this project moved up for this year. However, it is before the Financial Management Board and I believe it is approved by the Financial Management Board, but all we can accomplish, according to Public Works and Services, for this year is the planning and have the materials on the road for next year. It is just not possible to have all the equipment and materials on the road for this year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Public Works has been working on this. If it is at all possible, we will do it this year. We will move the materials in this year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, we will be working with the Member and with the community on how we can assist them in the meantime, as to how to get the community hall as quickly as possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question this afternoon is for the Premier in his capacity as the Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs with respect to the Kyoto agreement. Mr. Speaker, within the last couple of weeks at the First Ministers' Conference, there was some confusion about the difference between Canada's position on the Kyoto accord for the environment and that of the provinces. Would the Premier advise whether the position of Canada is different from the position of the Government of the Northwest Territories on the Kyoto accord? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories has been fairly consistent in the last few years in supporting the proposed Kyoto agreement, the protocol that has been on the table for the last number of years. We continue to support the ratification of the agreement. However, the negotiations are still ongoing. Canada is still seeking to gain some concessions and amendments to the proposed agreement.

We have Minister Antoine today meeting with Ministers Anderson and Dhaliwal to carry on those discussions and to make clear the position of the Government of the Northwest Territories. We would expect that later this spring there will be some meetings held between our government and the federal Ministers to look at the steps that we would want taken before there is ratification, should negotiations be successful by Canada. That is, we would want stakeholders here in the Northwest Territories to be involved in a consultation process before ratification is achieved. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to inquire into the communication on this kind of issue. Mr. Klein, in a rather famous little piece of television, kind of hijacked some of the agenda from the Prime Minister. I will get to my question, Mr. Speaker. Will the Premier make the government's position regarding Kyoto clearly known to the Prime Minister and to the other provinces of Canada? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We had indicated two things to the staff of the Prime Minister's office in the travels in Russia and Germany. Contrary to what was indicated by the letter that was read by Premier Klein, the Government of the Northwest Territories has consistently taken the position that we will support the Kyoto agreement and support Canada in seeking further changes that would make the agreement even more attractive and supportable. There were two points made with the PMO and we are prepared to send a letter to that effect once we have concluded the meetings in Victoria. Once I have had a chance to meet with Minister Antoine, we will indicate our support for the Kyoto Protocol, the agreement.

Secondly, we will state our views regarding the manner in which the letter was brought to the attention of the Prime Minister, which we took some exception to. It was all a surprise to us and we felt, given that we were on a foreign trade mission and we were in another country, that this was not the way to do business. Certainly not the way to lend dignity and respect to the office of the Prime Minister of Canada. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to hear that the Premier has made that position known. I too was not impressed as a Canadian watching that kind of shenanigan going on overseas, so I support that position. I would like to further ask, the concern has been expressed from industry that Kyoto is going to impair or deteriorate Canada's industrial position. Does the Premier have any information or evidence that may indeed be the case in the Northwest Territories, especially with the significant scale of development we are anticipating? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is true that there will be some impact on the Northwest Territories if we are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions within a certain time frame. Going into production at the BHP mines, for instance, dramatically increased the amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the Northwest Territories.

Having said that, we also recognize that continued pollution of the environment in Canada and globally has a profound impact on the Arctic and on the northern climate. Here in the Northwest Territories, we find airborne pollutants and contaminants continually coming to reside in our part of the world. We have to take a positive approach to ensuring that Canada takes a strong and positive approach to challenging other countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions and to find collaborative ways to work together on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and finding less damaging ways of consuming energy. We know there will be cost. Minister Antoine will be providing more information to the House when he returns to the Legislature later this week. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe my questions today are for the Minister responsible for the Public Service, but I may be incorrect in that. Mr. Speaker, in my statement, I spoke about some of the uncertainty that surrounds issues around hiring and disciplining within the public service, also around this government's policy for affirmative action.

I hope that the government agrees that this does not create a healthy environment for our employees. Mr. Speaker, I was wondering if I could ask the Minister if he believes that there is a need for an Affirmative Action Policy in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The Chair is having some difficulty in assigning the question. However, I shall take the liberty of assigning it to the Premier, who can further reassign that issue. The honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We believe that there are policies that are necessary in the hiring, recruitment and retention of staff by this government. Certain policies are wanted and should be in place to enhance the presence of aboriginal people, women, the disabled, as well as other sectors of our population that are not, in our view, adequately represented in the government workforce. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the 13th Assembly, a report was compiled. It was called the Report of the Working Group on Affirmative Action and Human Resource Management, and it contains several good recommendations regarding the specifics of our Affirmative Action Policy. To date, I do not believe these recommendations have been responded to.

What is the status of our Affirmative Action Policy in terms of revisions or modifications at this time? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will take that question as notice. Thank you.

The question has been taken as notice. Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister in charge of the Liquor Commission. I am looking at this year's budget and when I look at Liquor Commission net revenues, it appears that if we compare the 2001-2002 mains to this year's, we are looking at a jump from $15 million to just over $17.5 million in Liquor Commission net revenues. I am wondering if the Minister can explain this blip? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Two reasons for the change. First of all, we as a department took a look at our projected revenues over the next few years. Given the amount of activity, the number of people in the Territories, the income and so on, we are projecting that liquor sales will continue to rise at two percent, which is higher than we had projected before.

Second, the cost for administration of the Liquor Commission has remained fairly stable. In fact, have actually dropped slightly from last year's cost, just through good, efficient management.

Overall, Mr. Speaker, the increased economic activity is leading to a situation where we expect liquor sales to continue to rise. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am wondering if he could further clarify if that means that people have more disposable income or we have, in his view, more people in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I believe it is likely both. There are more people here, whether they are staying here full-time or just on work assignments. Second is clearly, with our increased employment rates, people do have more disposable income. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we know, Mr. Speaker, Stats Canada has recently not been as optimistic as the Minister. Given the increased tax revenues that we are seeing, I am wondering if the Minister would go back to his Cabinet colleagues and raise the issue of possibly earmarking some of those funds for research, treatment and prevention of FAS? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As you know, we are putting more money in our budget this year into some of the areas, such as FAS/FAE. I mentioned those in my budget address. Exactly where the money comes from is probably one we could debate, but clearly this government is going to put more money, and we have made that commitment in this budget, into areas such as FAS/FAE. We will continue that.

The amount of money that we spend on alcohol treatment and on public education on issues like FAS/FAE is greater than the amount that we take in as revenue. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Final supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the good initiatives that the Minister speaks of, I believe, are the health warning labels on liquor. I think we have been doing that since about 1991, Mr. Speaker. I am wondering if we ever surveyed the population to determine the effectiveness.

For instance, I would wonder how many women believe it is still acceptable to have a few drinks at a sitting during a pregnancy. I am wondering if the Minister could tell us, has he conducted a survey to determine the effectiveness of this labelling? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Handley. I am not sure if that is a proper question for Finance, but I will allow the Minister to answer.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To my knowledge, there has not been a recent survey of the effectiveness of some of our public information campaigns, such as the messages on the bottles, on the bags. I think the Member's suggestion is a good one and one that I will certainly take back to my department and discuss it with the Minister of Health as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions this afternoon are for the Premier. I know I was very pleased last week to hear in the media, and again in his statement today, that the Premier and this government are pushing to have more diamonds made available for polishing in the Northwest Territories. I just wanted to get a little information on what we are trying for here. Could the Minister tell me what percentage of their production BHP Billiton now provides to diamond polishing firms in the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not have that percentage with me here. I will have to take it as notice. I would say that, for the Member's information, BHP does allocate a certain amount of diamonds in a month.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. The question has been taken as notice. I just want to remind Members that if a question is taken as notice, that is exactly what it is. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for the Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Several months ago, we had the opportunity to have the Minister visit the Hay River Reserve to the Chief Sunrise Education Centre and talk to the staff and the teachers there, and also the councillors in the community.

We talked about the overcrowding problem that exists there. At the time, he indicated he would be getting back to us with some answers. I would like to ask him if he can give us the status of what the situation is for the Hay River Reserve? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We had a tour of the school and met with some of the officials, including the band council and the DEA members. There was no question, Mr. Speaker, that there were some concerns in the school about occupancy. What we did to follow up was have our Public Works individuals go through the school to see how changes can be made. We are proceeding with that.

I understand there was a teleconference or a meeting with the principal, who in turn is consulting with some of the staff and other officials about the potential changes we are proposing to make within the school. Additionally, there was a concern, Mr. Speaker, about the location of Aboriginal Head Start and the Adult Education Program in the school. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am very pleased to hear that the Minister has made considerable headway regarding this problem. I would like to ask if the Minister could tell me at what point would he be able to go to the community to have a meeting to discuss the final details regarding this issue?

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I suspect that our Public Works individuals are waiting for a reply back from the principal on the proposed changes. The moment that has taken place, Mr. Speaker, then we are in a position to be able to go to the community to discuss final plans. Additionally, Mr. Speaker, if I may, the Aboriginal Head Start Program and the Adult Education Program were of concern to me that we try and address those needs as well. As the Member had pointed out to me at the time of our visit, it is resulting in a crowding situation in school, and we are working on that. Thank you.