Thank you. Mr. Bell. Please be seated. Good afternoon.

As the Speaker, and on behalf of all Members, I am pleased to recognize today March 11, 2002, as Commonwealth Day, which has as its theme this year Celebrating Diversity. In a moment, I will read a message from Her Majesty the Queen commemorating this important occasion, but first I would like to take this opportunity to recognize a number of other important anniversaries that came to pass over this past weekend.

Yesterday marked the 27th anniversary of the first fully-elected Assembly of the Northwest Territories.

-- Applause

Prior to the election held on March 10th, 1975, the Northwest Territories was under the direction of the then Commissioner, Mr. Stuart M. Hodgson, with the council consisting of 10 elected Members representing the whole Northwest Territories, three appointed Members and the Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Parker.

The first session of the first fully-elected Legislative Assembly was held on May 1st of that same year and saw the election of the first Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. David H. Searle, the only Member representing Yellowknife. Mr. Searle was the first of my predecessors to take the reins from then Commissioner, Stuart Hodgson, and assume the chair as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

In passing the torch to the 15 newly-elected Members, Mr. Hodgson stated the following:

I am sure none of us are under any illusions that this is going to be clear sailing from here on for the rest of the journey. We have a long way to go with a new ship and like any similar situation a lot of it is trial and error. It will take some time to get used to it, but if all those involved dedicate themselves to the principle and make it work and give full support to the new council structure, then I believe that territorial residents will be assured that this is indeed a forward step along the path to responsible government.

I think Mr. Hodgson's words are as fitting today as they were some 27 years ago as we move our Territory forward into uncharted waters.

In addition to the first fully-elected Assembly being held on March 10th, 1975, March 10th, 1983, also marks the first day of Mr. David Hamilton's distinguished 19-year career as Clerk of the Legislative Assembly.

-- Applause

Congratulations, Mr. Hamilton, for your continued dedication to sound parliamentary procedure and doing your part in keeping our ship sailing smoothly.

I would also like to note that the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association is once again organizing an event for youth in London today. I am happy to announce that the NWT's representative to this year's Commonwealth Day event is Mr. Stephen Dunbar. Mr. Dunbar, as you know, is no stranger to this Assembly as he worked here as a constituency assistant last summer. He is currently studying at a university in England. Today, Mr. Dunbar will attend discussions on the Commonwealth, attend an observance at Westminster Abbey attended by Her Majesty the Queen and tour the United Kingdom Houses of Parliament. I know that Mr. Dunbar will represent our Territory well and will learn a great deal today.

And now, a message from Her Majesty the Queen entitled, Celebrating Diversity.

Over the last 50 years the Commonwealth has undergone a remarkable transformation from an association defined by its history into the modern, multicultural organization we know today. Across those years, it has been the privilege of many of us to witness that evolution; to see at first hand the contributions made by the Commonwealth's leaders, as evident in Australia last week; and to share in the enthusiasm and warmth of its peoples.

Today the Commonwealth is a meeting place for north and south, east and west. It is built on diversity, which is why this year's theme, Celebrating Diversity, goes to the heart of the association.

Politically, the Commonwealth sees its diversity as a strength. That was certainly true of its invaluable contribution to the ending of apartheid in South Africa. The practical assistance it was able to offer in such a crucial area reflects the kaleidoscope of its membership and its expertise. As a result, the Commonwealth was able to work with all the different communities of what is now proudly called, the rainbow nation. Bridging social and political divides has also been a feature of the Commonwealth's continuing work in seeking to encourage democracy, good governance, the rule of law and respect for human rights.

In all this, we recognize that promoting diversity is not just tolerating difference. Living together as neighbours needs more than that. The true celebration of diversity involves reaching out, recognizing and embracing difference, and in so doing enriching our lives. It requires respect for others and a readiness to learn from them; recognizing that we have duties as well as rights; and seeking to leave the world a better place than the one we inherited.

As each of the last 50 years has passed, so too has our appreciation of the contribution made by the Commonwealth, an association of peoples as much as it is of governments, bound together by ideals as well as interests. If the Commonwealth is to remain a force for good, we must ensure that those ideals are carried forward by the millions of young people across the world who are its future, so that they too can celebrate and build on the diversity of this unique organization.

That is signed by Elizabeth R. March 11th, 2002.

-- Applause

Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, access to safe and clean drinking water is an important issue for all residents of the Northwest Territories. I know it is also an issue that my fellow Members are interested in. Today I would like to update the House on some of the work that the Government of the Northwest Territories is doing in this area.

As Members are aware, responsibility for water is shared among many partners. The GNWT, community governments, water boards and the federal government all play a role in providing good quality water. In the GNWT, the responsibility is shared among three departments.

• • The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs funds training for water treatment plant operators and provides funding for new water and sewer infrastructure. It also works with community governments to identify needs for water and sewer infrastructure.
• • Public Works and Services provides project management services and technical support to MACA and community governments. In some communities, Public Works and Services operates the water system.
• • Health and Social Services regulates and monitors water quality under the Public Health Act.

These three departments work together to address many water-related issues that may come up. The departments recently completed a review of the roles and responsibilities of all agencies to ensure we have a coordinated response to water issues.

One area the GNWT is working on is training for water treatment plant operators. MACA is working with Public Works and Services and community governments to identify training needs in communities. The Northern Territories Water and Waste Association will provide the necessary training. MACA provides community governments with funding to participate in the training, which is done to national standards.

MACA is also proposing to regulate the certification of water treatment plant operators. This may be done through changes to the public water supplies regulations under the Public Health Act. Community governments will be consulted before any changes are made.

Public Works and Services is conducting an operational review of community water treatment facilities. Some reviews have already been completed. The results and recommendations of those reviews are being shared with the communities and their MLAs. Public Works and Services expects to have the reviews completed by the end of 2002-2003.

It will be important to address any deficiencies identified by these reviews. MACA has identified capital funding in its 2002-2005 business plan for necessary upgrades. Funding will also be available through the Canada/NWT Infrastructure Agreement. This agreement will provide cost-shared funding for water and sewer projects to upgrade community infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, helping NWT residents protect and improve their health is a key part of the GNWT's agenda. Work that we are doing to improve water system operation and train operators will help us reach that goal. Investing in new and upgraded infrastructure will also help us make sure that northern residents continue to have access to good water now and in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this session questions were raised in the Legislative Assembly regarding gasoline and propane prices in Yellowknife. There is no question that Yellowknife consumers are paying considerably more for their gasoline and propane purchases than consumers in the south.

The Department of Finance conducts a quarterly survey of gasoline and propane prices in Yellowknife, Hay River and Inuvik. The latest survey was conducted on February 28th, 2002, and found that the price of regular gasoline in Yellowknife ranged from a low of 74.9 cents a litre to a high of 82.4 cents a litre. Some retailers also offer additional discounts or promotions which further lower the price. These prices are considerably higher than the 51.0 to 58.5 cents per litre Edmontonians were paying on March 5th.

I would like to assure Members, Mr. Speaker, that Northwest Territories fuel tax rates are not the cause of this difference. At 10.7 cents per litre, the NWT tax rate is only 1.7 cents higher than Alberta's and is considerably lower than Saskatchewan's tax rate of 15 cents per litre, Ontario's rate of 14.7 cents per litre and Quebec's rate of 18.3 cents per litre, which includes retail sales taxes. The NWT rate has remained unchanged since 1997.

The territorial tax rate comprises only a small fraction of the total price of gasoline. The retail price of gasoline in Yellowknife is composed of the federal excise tax, the goods and services tax, the NWT fuel tax, the Edmonton rack price and retailer's margins. The two principal determinants of the pump price of gas in Yellowknife are the Edmonton rack price and the retailer's margin, neither of which are subject to government control. On February 26th the Edmonton rack price was 26.1 cents per litre. Given a retail price of 82.4 cents per litre, this would make the retailer's margin 30.2 cents. However, the retailer's margin must cover the cost of transporting the gasoline from Edmonton to Yellowknife.

An Edmonton retailer pays the same rack price as Yellowknife retailers, and charging 56.8 cents per litre receives a margin of 8.7 cents per litre. Edmonton retailers can survive on a margin of this size because they sell much larger volumes of gas than Yellowknife retailers. On average, urban stations sell from three to six million litres of gasoline per year, which is approximately 400 to 800 litres of gasoline an hour. This allows them to cover their operating costs with lower margins. In addition, many southern retail outlets make the majority of their profit from their convenience stores, coffee shops and car washes, rather than on low-margin gas. The key determinant of the price at the pump is not taxes, but rather the volume of gasoline sold. Because Yellowknife retailers sell much smaller volumes of gas, they must charge more to cover their fixed and operating costs.

In order to determine whether the retailer's margin at 30.2 cents a litre on a pump price of 82.4 cents is excessively high, one would have to analyze the local retailers' fixed and operating costs and compare their costs to the industry standard. However, we do not have this information. Based on a survey from March 2000, we have some indication that retail margins are higher than they were a year ago. On the other hand, retailers have to cope with increasing wage rates, transportation charges and other costs.

With respect to propane, prices in Yellowknife have dropped from their March 2001 historical high of 63.9 cents a litre. As of March 5th, 2002, the price for auto propane in Yellowknife was 56.8 cents a litre. This is considerably higher than the auto propane price of 29.9 cents a litre Edmonton consumers currently enjoy. The discrepancy in price between Yellowknife and Edmonton is not due to fuel taxes, as this government does not levy fuel tax on propane. The difference is strictly the result of retailer margins, including transportation costs which are not subject to government control.

Mr. Speaker, I share Members' concerns about the high gasoline and propane prices in the NWT. However, I do not believe that the tax rate is the cause, nor will lowering taxes make a substantial difference in prices. In the long term, we must work towards lowering the cost of living in the North by reducing transportation costs and ensuring a competitive retail environment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in April the Northwest Territories will welcome 300 delegates and chaperones from across Canada to the Interchange on Canadian Studies/Echange sur les etudes canadiennes conference. The interchange is an annual conference that gives high school students a chance to meet, listen to prominent speakers and share ideas and experiences significant to Canada and Canadians.

The delegates are grade 11 students who will be learning about our homes, the NWT, and how our lives and our lands are changed by major events like industrial development and the evolution of aboriginal self-government. Changing Land Changing Peoples/Monde en changement is the theme of the conference.

Mr. Speaker, the conference is being hosted by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and Nunavut's Department of Education, with support from the Dogrib Community Services Board, Yellowknife Education District No. 1 and Yellowknife Catholic schools.

Students from outside Yellowknife will be billeted with local families. This particular interchange is unique because some Yellowknife families will be hosting both a northern and a southern student. The students who stay together share in the week-long academic and social activities. Next summer the student who hosted a Yellowknife visitor will complete the exchange by travelling to the visitor's home for a one-week stay.

Mr. Speaker, the list of speakers confirmed for the interchange conference is impressive. Dr. David Suzuki will deliver the keynote address to open the conference. Dr. Suzuki and speakers from northern and southern Canada will work with workshop leaders to help delegates understand and learn to question some of the big picture issues we deal with daily. Issues up for discussion include promoting and protecting language and culture, the importance of the environment, strengthening the economy, globalization and upholding the rights of indigenous people.

Our Premier, Stephen Kakfwi, will join Nunavut Premier Paul Okalik in the conference's closing address.

Mr. Speaker, the interchange is a unique opportunity for students from the North to connect with their peers from southern Canada and promote an understanding of and appreciation for the regions and people of Canada. I am certain delegates will leave the NWT with a deeper understanding and greater appreciation of the NWT and Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this past weekend, thousands of Canadians across Canada participated in the Kids Help Phone Bowlathon. This marked the 11th such annual event and it was, as always, a tremendous success. More than $52,000 was raised towards the phone service in Yellowknife. This figure includes a generous donation of $15,000 from the Yellowknife Elk's Lodge No. 314.

Mr. Speaker, the Kids Help Phone is a 1-800 national anonymous service available to children all across Canada. It gives them a chance to call toll-free anytime and talk with specially trained counsellors. It is estimated that one out of every eight Canadian children suffers from some form of abuse, whether physical, sexual or emotional. The Kids Help Phone offers them a safe way to get help without the pressure of face-to-face meetings.

Each day, Mr. Speaker, more than 1,200 calls are answered from children between the ages of five and 19. It costs the callers nothing and it should not. A happy childhood should be free to all children.

However, Mr. Speaker, keeping up with the demand for service is an extremely difficult task, and that is why, each year, Canadians are asked to step forward to help. I would like to thank my colleagues who did just that. Mr. Handley and Mr. Bell, MLA for Yellowknife South, bowled with me on the Yellowknife MLA team. I would also like to thank my colleagues in this House, many of whom donated very generously. In fact, most of whom donated very generously.

Mr. Speaker, our team raised the most money at the three o'clock time slot on Saturday. I know that senior staff were under an awful lot of pressure over the last couple of weeks as Minister Handley single-handedly raised more than $600 towards the cause, tying with one other person for the top amount pledged.

-- Applause

Mr. Speaker, we did well at raising money. However, I have to tell you that our bowling prowess left much to be desired. We were definitely not in the running for any awards for our bowling. In fact, there were some who said the safest place to stand in the bowling alley was among the pins when we were bowling.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to congratulate the Northwest Territories 5 Pin Bowlers Association. Both the Yellowknife zone of the 5 Pin Association and the adult league, as well as the Youth Bowling Council rallied more than 130 bowlers. There were also 200 individuals who came out or offered their time and raised money for the Help Phone.

In particular, I would like to congratulate Lynell Broadbent and the volunteers who coordinated this much needed and very successful event. A job well done.

Mr. Speaker, the Kids Help Phone number is 1-800-668-6868. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. You may not have been the best bowlers, but you had fun. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

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

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

Mahsi. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my statement today is regarding the housing problems that we see in the Northwest Territories, especially in our small communities. Mr. Speaker, in this day and age we have overcrowding and people living in poor social conditions, lacking clean drinking water. Mr. Speaker, regarding social requirements in our communities, there was a year 2000 housing study done, a needs survey. It found that in the community of Aklavik, 33 percent of all households were in core need. In the case of Fort McPherson, it was 36 percent.

The most remarkable statistic was from the community of Tsiigehtchic, which has 62 percent of its households described as being in core need. Mr. Speaker, 62 percent is alarming. I think as a government, we have a responsibility, especially in the NWT Housing Corporation, to provide social housing in our communities.

Mr. Speaker, with 62 percent and the problems that have come out of Tsiigehtchic, the band council has made this an issue. It has raised the issue with the department. It has identified the problem because it has affected the ability of the community to provide housing to its residents. The band has gone out of its way to purchase two trailers to try to deal with some of this problem, but the problem is not going to go away.

I think this government has to take a better look at where we are going. This government seems to be striving for something else with harmonization and other areas. I think we should concentrate on the problems at hand without generating more problems that we are not sure of.

I think that as a government, we have a responsibility for small communities such as Tsiigehtchic, to ensure the health and well-being of the community is looked at when it comes to overcrowding and the lack of houses in our communities. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation on this matter later. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, as you indicated in your remarks at the beginning of today's session, 27 years ago, this House, this Assembly assumed full elected responsibility for the business of the NWT. I would like to remark on an aspect of that, and that is confidence in our affairs and in our business. Confidence, Mr. Speaker, in the consensus system of government that we are fortunate to have, I believe, and one that so many other parts of Canada and I think the Commonwealth are fascinated by.

Mr. Speaker, as we go about our business from day to day, issue by issue, the decisions we make I think are, in small or large part, a gauge of the confidence level that we have in ourselves as MLAs and in our consensus system.

Once in a while, we are also inclined, Mr. Speaker, to challenge individuals on their capacities, especially on leadership. Challenges of this nature should not be dismissed. They should not be taken lightly. Mr. Speaker, neither should the singular opinion, or even that of a small group here in the Legislative Assembly be elevated or interpreted as any more than that.

I am a defender and I think we all are defenders of the right of each of us to speak our minds as, when and how we wish. That is democracy and it is part of our consensus system.

However, I believe it is also one of the weaknesses of our system, that we can so easily be diverted and distracted from the bigger issues of the day and of our times by this singular and very powerful individual ability that we have to speak our minds.

However, it is also a strength of the consensus system that we do not have to deal with the complications and the rancour or the filters that are imposed as we go about our business if we had a partisan system of government, Mr. Speaker.

I am an advocate of a consensus system, but we all have to work at it, Mr. Speaker, to avoid the threats to our unity, our effectiveness and the promises that we made as an Assembly at our start just over two years ago. Mr. Speaker, I request 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. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we go about our business, we do have to work at maintaining the integrity of this consensus system, as fragile as it is in some places and as strong as it is. I want to state that I have confidence in our system and, for the record, I want to state that I have confidence in the Cabinet and in the Premier that I helped to elect just over two years ago here in this House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

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