Thank you, Mr. Braden. Good afternoon, colleagues. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Jim Antoine will be absent from the House today to attend the World Diamond Conference in Vancouver. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the Members of this Assembly of recent discussions with the federal government about the important issue of health care funding.

The Premier and I had the opportunity to appear before the Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada at the open public hearing in Yellowknife on May 16. In our presentation to Mr. Romanow we discussed the actions our government is taking to strengthen health and social services, and also some of the key challenges faced in the North.

We presented 11 recommendations to the commission, several of which were specifically related to the federal government's health care financing obligations. We recommended that:

• • the federal government restore CHST funding, at a minimum, to the 1994-1995 levels;
• • a significant investment be made in health promotion and prevention programs by all levels of government, in order to achieve meaningful sustainability;
• • a federal funding formula, which goes beyond a basic per capita allocation, be established for health care programs taking into account northern costs and Canada's fiduciary obligations to services for aboriginal Northerners.

Following our presentation, Mr. Romanow asked us to comment further on our recommendation for the development of health funding formulae that are needs based. We have subsequently corresponded with Mr. Romanow on this matter and I have shared this correspondence with the Standing Committee on Social Programs.

Over the past month, I have also had several opportunities to discuss federal program funding issues with federal Ministers. Most recently, I raised the matter during discussions with the Honourable Ann McLellan, Minister of Health, and the Honourable Jane Stewart, Minister of Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC). I suggested that funding approaches by Canada should not be based on per capita structures alone. Rather, there should be recognition of fixed costs as well as the particular needs of a jurisdiction.

Our position received some support during a recent Ministers of Social Services meeting. There was consensus that negotiation of future agreements for Employment Accessibility for Disabled Persons (EADP) should be based upon principles that ensure the Territories receive a standardized minimum level of funding.

The Government of Canada has a major role in the renewal of the health system. The federal share of health expenditures must reflect not just nationwide cost drivers, but also the unique cost of doing business in the North and, more importantly, the health needs of people living in isolated communities.

Mr. Speaker, funding formula structures are complex, and challenging previous assumptions is difficult. However, I do believe that we are seeing progress. There is an increasing recognition that historical approaches to federal funding of health and social programming must be changed. Thank you.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one thing that we see is a lot of people conducting meetings. We do a lot of travelling and attend a lot of workshops, conferences and committee meetings. Expenditures at a lot of these major events usually take place in our large centres like Inuvik, Yellowknife and Fort Smith.

However, Mr. Speaker, I think it is important that we direct our departments and agencies such as the NWT Development Corporation, the Business Credit Corporation, the Power Corporation and also the departments that host workshops, strategies and get-togethers, that those forms of get-togethers could be hosted in small communities.

I think it is time that we started promoting our small communities to these agencies and departments which represent all communities. I think it is important that we find a mechanism that allows people from the communities to also see the different structures of our government that represent them by making decisions, either through developing policies, procedures or looking at strategies.

We find that in a lot of our small communities, it seems like government comes around maybe once a year, if you are lucky. In most cases, a lot of our communities now have developed hotels and accommodations through bed and breakfast facilities. I think we have to look at that opportunity so that all communities in the Northwest Territories benefit, but also so we promote those communities to agencies of government and the expenditures made by government are shared, not only spent in the larger centres, but spent in our smaller communities.

I think it is important, Mr. Speaker, that we take the time to look at the public awareness of what we do as government and also get the people who represent communities on these agencies and public bodies to really get a feel for what is in our communities, to see exactly what is so unique about our communities, what makes our communities work and exactly who the people are in our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct this government to take it upon themselves to establish a policy or a directive to those departments out there to do everything they can to ensure that small communities have this opportunity to host these different functions.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Minister questions on this matter. Thank you.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During our term as the 14th Assembly of the NWT, we have been blessed with economic prospects that are in great shape. Employment activity, tax revenues and investment in the NWT are at record levels. Through my term as the Member for Great Slave, I have advocated that the cost of living and the cost of doing business in the NWT are among the biggest hurdles we have to realizing our full share of these gifts.

Mr. Speaker, I have focused especially on the three biggest cost drivers: housing, energy and northern air travel. As a result of an announcement last week by Canadian North, I believe we are turning the corner on the air travel issue.

Our northern-based airlines, like those around the world, have been going through some difficult times with increased fuel prices, new security costs and decreased passenger loads in this post September 11th era. These combined impacts have resulted in double digit increases in air travel here in the North and it more than doubled the volume of complaints and demands for innovation and better ways of doing business.

In this regard, I am encouraged to see that Canadian North has listened, has sharpened their pencil and have introduced a range of improvements. Canadian North has heard the complaints, they have analyzed their business plan and they have taken responsive and responsible action, Mr. Speaker. It is innovative and aggressive and like any business, it also assumes risks.

The new plan lowers airfares throughout the system between 26 and 42 percent, Mr. Speaker. This is a full-time approach, it is not a one-time seat sale. Canadian North has eliminated over 100 different rate scales and the three-tier system it now has will make booking and paying easier for the customer.

We no longer have to deal with advance booking deadlines, Saturday stayovers and those annoying fees that crop up when we have to change bookings. In fact, we can now change plans and even get refunds within an hour or so of a scheduled flight.

Air travel with Canadian North is now more transparent, Mr. Speaker, with fewer complications and greater flexibility. It certainly helps the northern affordability issue that I have been advocating.

While one airline has demonstrated it is ready to take on these cost factors, government can also do its part. We have airport improvement fees, Nav Canada fees, GST fees, security fees, all of which make a difference. Now, as of the announcement from Canadian North, I congratulate the president, the company and Canadian North staff for their innovative approach to airline pricing reform. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you, Mr. Braden, for that good news. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for the Sahtu, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Friday, June 14th, 2002, I attended the opening festivities of the 2002 Norman Wells Reunion. Mr. Speaker, I must say that the community was already buzzing with activities.

This two-week reunion includes a creative roster of activities planned for the entire community. Day one alone included a magician who entertained the school children, a dusk till dawn charity golf tournament, mud football for the risk takers, a teen dance with a live band and an adult dance with Yellowknife's own Tracey Riley. Mr. Speaker, this was only day one and each of the nine days are likewise filled with exciting and fun events. Where else can you win, or get a chance to win, a 1.1 karat Ekati diamond for a $10 ticket, or see a major Canadian band, Blue Rodeo, in such a small venue?

While these activities are bringing people together, the main reason people are gathering, Mr. Speaker, is to reunite all those people who have lived and worked and put time into the community of Norman Wells at some time in the past century, and to celebrate their contribution to over 50 years of community building.

The Royal Canadian Legion, Canol Branch 287 contributed to the celebration by recalling their members for a weekend of activities. Elders like Jim Sexsmith, founding charter member and first president, and Agnes Melynk, founding member of the Ladies' Auxiliary, both returned to see the changes and to eagerly show their memories of the community as it grew in the early days.

They met the new generation who are building the foundation for continued growth in the 21st century. Community members like Frank and Cathy Pope pointed out the scores of history-making moments captured in photographs and proudly displayed in the Legion. 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, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Young children and youth checked out the displays and basked in the comfort of a large and diverse community family coming together to celebrate a good life, then and now. Mr. Speaker, the weekend is over and now the town of Norman Wells' celebrations begin with many more activities which will last until Sunday, the 23rd of June.

I wish to thank the mayor, Kevin Diebold, for his support of the 2002 Reunion Committee. I also wish to acknowledge the Town of Norman Wells and the Norman Wells and District Chamber of Commerce, the Ernie MacDonald Corporation, the private businesses and government sponsors, and all the scores of volunteers for their great contribution and support of this worthy celebration.

Mr. Speaker, this weekend the people of Norman Wells showed everyone, including myself, all the kindness and hospitality that they are known for. We all look forward to returning this week to meet more people and attend the special events and concerts.

I invite you, Mr. Speaker, all the Members of this House and the people of the Northwest Territories to travel outside of your own communities and your own regions to take part in activities such as these. This reunion allows us to reflect and celebrate the enduring legacy of our people's efforts to build communities based on the solid mix of dreams and hard work. Please join me in congratulating this proud community for its many accomplishments and to wish it all the best for the future. Thank you.

--Applause

Mahsi, Mr. Kakfwi. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Mr. Lafferty, your time is up. Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, the honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Lafferty, if you would just go back a paragraph, we missed some of it.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to bring up the important subject of capacity building within our communities. It is a difficult term to define. It has been defined as the ability to shape, control and take responsibility. The components of capacity building include basic literacy, education, life skills and training. These components of capacity building are taken for granted by southern Canada while in the North we continue to struggle and fight for them.

Mr. Speaker, the delivery of programs for training in the North has problems that must be overcome. Our programs and training initiatives are fragmented and have numerous delivery agencies which have resulted in duplication and overlap. Numerous GNWT departments are providing and undertaking various training and education programs.

In addition to these government initiatives, we have Human Resources Development Canada, Community Mobilization, the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Aurora College, aboriginal governments and the private sector all providing various and similar types of programs and training with no apparent long-term vision of what we are trying to achieve.

Other problems facing capacity building include a lack of long-term focus on job and career opportunities, failing to recognize and meet the needs and expectations of communities, funding that is not adequate within the communities to develop their capacity, formal education that is undervalued or at times not appreciated in our communities, and a lack of basic literacy and education. These all limit access to mainstream employment opportunities.

Mr. Speaker, all is not lost when problems arise. We must look for solutions to overcome these problems. We must look outside the box to meet the unique demands placed upon us. We must plan for future development growth by identifying opportunities as they arise. We must take stock of our human resource capabilities. We need to determine our human resource requirements for the next five, ten and 20 years. It is important that training and education be coordinated for timely, meaningful and effective delivery. Financial and human resources must be made available for training within our communities.

Industry must buy into and actively participate in any capacity-building initiatives. Most importantly, aboriginal culture and its contribution must be recognized as an important component of sustainable development.

Mr. McLeod, your time is up.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, are these programs, the training and capacity-building initiatives, meeting our community needs? I do not believe that this government has the answer to that. However, it is a question that had better be answered soon if we expect to have our communities participate successfully in the development of the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring well deserved praise to a fine group of young people from Hay River. It gives me great pleasure, Mr. Speaker, to take this opportunity to recognize the 2002 graduating class of Diamond Jenness High School.

Mr. Speaker, due to the fact that some of the names that I will mention are constituents of my colleague, Mrs. Groenewegen, this will be, to some extent, a joint statement of recognition. Mr. Speaker, I have consulted with my colleague on this matter.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the following graduates: Candace Balmer, Raymond Benoit, Sharon Bernarde, Jamie Blaibel, Joseph Boden, Misty Bourdages, Teresa Calvin, Candice Cockney, Jennifer Coleman, Heather Cowger, Trenton Daniels, Valerie Desilets, Brandon Froese, Tyler King, Robert Lafleur, Derek Latimer, Kaylan Lee, Richard Leonard, Jennifer Morgan, Jeremy Planidin, Crystal Potter, John Pynten, Melanie Ranger, Chad Stewart, Corey Tybring, Marlee Zebedee, Paul Dube, Stacey Wasylyshun-Flett, Jeremy Studney, Kristie Vyse and Vince Walsh.

Mr. Speaker, this group of fine young people is a perfect example of dedication and commitment. Graduation is truly a cause for celebrating this most important milestone. It is my hope that their well-deserved success will serve them well in all of their future endeavours.

Mr. Speaker, as they begin their journey of independence, I would like to wish them every success in all of their future endeavours. It will be my distinct pleasure and honour to attend the Diamond Jenness Secondary School graduation ceremonies on June 29th in Hay River.

Mr. Speaker, it is my sincere wish that these graduates take the knowledge that they have garnered and apply it well to their future career paths, wherever that may take them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge and recognize the achievements of two constituents from Thebacha. Specifically, I speak of Dixie Penner who was recently awarded the NWT's Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award for her considerable work with the local animal shelter which she has made a growing concern as it deals with the needs of animals in our community. She has also put in extensive time over the years with the Fort Smith Friendship Festival, and by her work has been a tremendous asset to the community and provided a service we cannot afford to pay for.

I would also like to recognize the award of achievement of Ms. Sarah Daitch, who was awarded the 2002 Mary Beth Miller Memorial Award for being the NWT's top Senior Female Athlete of the Year. Mr. Speaker, I also have the privilege of having Ms. Daitch working in my office in Fort Smith as a student this summer. I will be recognizing her in the gallery here in a few minutes. As a cross-country skier, Sarah travels all over the world and North America, and has represented the NWT. In 1999 she represented Canada at the World Junior Championships in Austria, and this year she placed fifth overall at the Senior National Championships and second overall at the Canadian University Championships.

Mr. Speaker, both these individuals in their respective fields of endeavour have excelled and have brought credit to our community and to the North, and they have made a difference in the work and the things that they have done. I thank them for all the things they have done and the achievements they have managed to complete. They truly make me proud to be the MLA for Thebacha, and I thank them for all the things that they have done. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to rise today to speak briefly about the value of supporting northern business. I think that in all our discussion about the BIP last week this is something that seemed to get lost. I think that in past statements in the House by myself and other Members we have talked quite a lot about the value of supporting our northern businesses, so much so that I think it seems very obvious to us, and maybe some of these points have almost become cliché, Mr. Speaker, but I think that many of them bear repeating.

Obviously, we know that northern businesses hire Northerners, Mr. Speaker, and that the money spent by these northern businesses enters the circular flow of income in the North. Conversely, money spent on southern contractors and in southern businesses constitutes a withdrawal from that same circular flow of income. Mr. Speaker, northern businesses continue to make money and in-kind donations in our communities. It seems every time we turn around, whether it is golf tournaments, Super Soccer or sponsoring the arts, it is the small northern businesses that are contributing.

Past governments, Mr. Speaker, have recognized this value and have looked to support our northern businesses. The BIP is a perfect example. Yes, it has its flaws, and we understand it is being reworked and we look forward to a new and improved version. I think it would be a serious mistake to throw the baby out with the bath water, as it were, Mr. Speaker, and abandon it now.

Even this government has been quick to point out that we want to be in the capacity-building business in our communities. I guess that is why I find the setting aside of the BIP policy on a singular project to be what I see as short-sighted and a knee-jerk reaction based on little more than speculation. Today in question period, I will have questions for the appropriate Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just want to make a brief statement today about how much I am looking forward to the activities planned for this upcoming week surrounding the True North, Strong and Free National Symposium. I was only 17 years old when I arrived in Hay River 28 years ago and I will never forget the very distinctive feeling I had when the wheels of the jet touched down. It was an overwhelming sense of being home, although I knew very little about the place where I had landed.

Mr. Speaker, I had the very good fortune of becoming involved politically very early on and I do not so much recall all the distinctions of the issues of the day as much as the relationships I began to develop with Northerners. There is no real shortcut to the kind of history that evolves and the friendships that develop over a period of time. I feel very privileged to have known many people who have so positively affected the North as we know it.

Mr. Speaker, we have much to celebrate when looking back at the past 25 years and we also have much to celebrate when we reflect on the unique richness of this Territory.

I recently commented to someone that the Northwest Territories is the best-kept secret in Canada, and maybe even the world, but I am glad that I found it when I did and I probably will not fully discover or experience all that the North has to offer if I live to be very old. Mr. Speaker, I do encourage everyone to celebrate with us and to get involved in the activities that will take place this week. I believe it will be very exciting and remind us once again of the uniqueness and the special Territory in which we live. Thank you.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a season for graduations around the Northwest Territories. I would like to congratulate those who are going through their final stages of formal schooling years. In Inuvik, when I was back home, I had the opportunity to take in three different ceremonies, Mr. Speaker. One of them was the Aurora Campus Certificate and Diploma Programs, where a large number of students had finally come to the completion of their courses and were ready to move on and move into the job market, Mr. Speaker.

As well, I had the opportunity to take part in the graduation ceremonies at the Samuel Hearne Secondary School 2002 class, and again at the Aurora Campus for the adult upgrading, the Nursing Access Program, and the University/College Access Program.

Mr. Speaker, in all of those programs and graduation ceremonies that I attended, I would probably miss a number of the students, but I had an opportunity to speak to them. One thing I stated to them was the importance of their education. That was one of the things that I could look forward to as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, to see some of the work that we do in this forum come to completion, in a sense, that students out there are actually moving through the program and they are graduating and moving on and are being prepared to take on life, so to speak, in the work world and job environment.

Mr. Speaker, it is not done there. They will continue to, as we know, through their life in the Northwest Territories, come back to this government for one program or another, and to depend on our guidance and wisdom as we develop laws and programs in the Northwest Territories. It is important that we continue to work hard in the field of education to ensure that those who are going through our system get the full benefit of the education and the years they put into it.

With that, Mr. Speaker, a quick congratulations to all the students across the North, especially those who come from my community. Thank you.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak today about education issues that have come across my desk lately. The first has to do with the lack of proper financial assistance programs for students with disabilities. Mr. Speaker, like every other member of our society with a disability, students with disabilities have a number of barriers they have to overcome in order to pursue education, especially in post-secondary institutions in the south.

One would think, Mr. Speaker, that the government would encourage and support the students who forge ahead, despite the difficulties. Instead, Mr. Speaker, I was dismayed to learn that the department policy is written in such a way as to exclude students from the student financial assistance for those who are going to schools geared towards helping students with disabilities advance and prepare for jobs in society. I urge the Minister to review and correct this injustice, Mr. Speaker.

The second issue I would like to speak about today is the fact that I am inundated with concerns from my constituents who have answered the government's call for more northern-trained nurses. Those with the qualifications and the desire to enter the field of nursing to serve are routinely being turned down due to the lack of space, or for a slew of other reasons not understandable nor sensible to those who are being rejected.

They rightly ask, Mr. Speaker, why is it that the government keeps saying they need more northern nurses and spends thousands of dollars recruiting nurses down south, yet the government shows no foresight to accept with open arms those candidates who live in the North and want to be a nurse? Why is it that so many of them have to fight every inch of the way to get into the program?

Mr. Speaker, I must ask the same questions. I urge the Minister and Cabinet to review this situation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Item 3, Members' statements. I just want to remind Members that Members' statements should only consist of one topic at a time. I have been lenient today, however... Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, last week I attended meetings in Ottawa with federal Cabinet Ministers along with the Premier, Mr. Krutko, and NWT Chamber of Commerce president, Kelly Hayden. I would like to thank the Premier for inviting me to attend these meetings with him.

I was happy to help in the pitch to the feds for a share of the $2.2 billion strategic infrastructure fund. I was pleased with the reception we have received -- pleased to hear that the fund has not yet been committed and that we are still in the running for some of the money.

Our pitch was well-received. It was gratifying to see the Ministers we met move from wariness, almost saying, "Now what do these guys want?" to what appeared to be genuine interest when we outlined the economic benefits that accrue across Canada from non-renewable resource development in the Northwest Territories.

As Members here know all too well, almost all of the taxes and royalties from oil and gas and mining development flow directly to federal coffers. Alluding to that, Mr. Hayden had a particularly catchy line for the Ministers he met when he answered the question of why we were looking for money for roads and bridges. His response was, "We want to make it easier for trucks to get to northern resources so they can come back full of money for the federal government." Mr. Speaker, that garnered some interest, I can assure you.

Mr. Speaker, we did not come back with a signed cheque, but I was pleased that we had at least one Minister who explicitly said he would support our application for funding, and others expressed support. I guess only time will tell, but I certainly hope that the federal government really does see the value of getting those trucks north so they can help fill our new Finance Minister's coffers for the benefit of all Canadians. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 3, Members' statements. Are there any further Members' statements? Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Sarah Daitch, university student studying political science, but also a top-ranked Canadian athlete who has just been honoured with the Mary Beth Miller Memorial Award. I would like to welcome her from Fort Smith. She is here to see how the Legislative Assembly works and how all you fine legislators do your jobs. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Mr. Whit Fraser and our cameraman Mark and the latest interviewer in the media field, Rebecca Wong of Yellowknife. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. I will take this opportunity to recognize a long-time Northerner, a fisherman from Hay River, Mr. Alex Morin. Also, I want to use a little bit of Speaker's license here to say hello to my mother who is watching me today in Fort Smith, Thebacha.

-- Applause

Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Premier regarding my Member's statement. I think it is important to ensure we have some respect for our small communities, through the presence of government institutions, boards, agencies and departments when they host events, workshops or have a strategy session, that they make every attempt to go into our communities.

I would like to ask the Premier, if there is no policy or procedure in place to allow for these workshops and strategies to take place in small communities, will the government implement such a policy so that these agencies will be conducting their meetings in small communities?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe the Member is making a good suggestion. There may be other ways in which to arrive at the suggestion he is making. We will take that under consideration and advise the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Premier, how soon can he get such a strategy in place and when can we see that strategy as Members of the House?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it has been a hectic few weeks. We are in session, there is the Living History project that is in full swing this week and a number of events going on. There is the signing of the Salt River First Nation, the Beaufort-Delta Self-Government Agreement, the oil and gas symposium in Inuvik, just to mention a few, as well as National Aboriginal Day festivities across the North.

I do not know. Probably the last two weeks of June we will try to have a preliminary discussion with Ministers about the suggestion he is making and then I think we are going into holidays and travelling. I will see what we can do with it in the month of July. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I too think it is important that we do have such a strategy, but I want to ensure the strategy is not limited to the boards and agencies but all levels of the government, so that those people within the government try to reach out to small communities and get a better feel for what the Northwest Territories is made of.

Will the Premier commit to not limiting the strategy, but to try to have a broad strategy affecting all aspects of government?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will consider what the Member is recommending and respond to him by letter before the end of July. Thank you.

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A strategy is just a strategy with a slogan and I want to make sure there are some teeth in this strategy. I would like to ask the Premier, would this strategy be put in place through a policy or directive which will be binding on this government? Will it come forward as a directive or policy change?

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to follow up on some questions I was asking the Minister for Public Works and Services on Friday. On Friday the Minister responded to a question I had asked by stating that he had been told as much as $33 million a year could be going to pay the increased cost for the Business Incentive Policy.

Could the Minister please advise me whether or not the $33 million was referring to the last fiscal year, or any year in particular?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister responsible for Public Works and Services, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the reference I made to $33 million is probably the only figure that I have that relates to the estimated costs of BIP through this government. The figure is not a recent figure by any nature. The figure was given to the committee that was reviewing BIP and I believe it was in the last government. I am not even sure if the figure applied to government as it existed in the time of one territory or whether it was in fact the new territory. I cannot recall the exact time, but as a committee member we received this information.

That was the estimated figure we were given by the consultants as to what it could cost this government in a year. It depended on the amount of contracting the government did and the nature of capital and O and M expenditures for the year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It makes a big difference what year we are talking about. If they had a capital budget of $300 million, then $33 million is a 10 percent figure, but if as we had last year, a capital budget of $132 million, $33 million of that would indicate that we had a 50 percent premium that we were paying for the Business Incentive Policy. I think that caught a lot of Members by surprise on Friday.

Will the Minister commit to find out what year that $33 million figure referred to and report back to the House tomorrow?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister responsible for Public Works and Services, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will commit to try and find out that information, but like I said, it is old information that I had as a committee member and I am not sure where that information is sitting now. I will commit to try and find it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to be clear then that the Minister makes it sound like the department which had prepared the decision paper to go to Cabinet to waive the BIP on this project did not have any current figures as to the impact of whether or not BIP costs any extra money directly. Is that the case?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister responsible for Public Works and Services, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that is correct. The department did not have the exact figures of what BIP would cost on this particular project, because half of the project in phase two is still going to tender. The portion that applied to phase one is still in the process of being worked out as well.

What we did have were figures we used for comparison. The city project, for instance, the twin-pad arena, has no BIP applied to it. The city was receiving bids from southern tenders that were 10 percent less than northern tenders. There was no BIP applied. I believe it was either 10 percent or 9 percent less than what was received from northern tenders. We were using those types of things as examples of where we might gain. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since the Minister did confirm that there was no direct knowledge of what the expected savings would be, has the department ever done a comparison or an examination of the spin-off benefits of the BIP, the other jobs created in the North and then taking a look at what that means to us in terms of the grant from Canada and what we make in terms of corporate income tax? Has there been a macro-economic look at the performance of the BIP?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Public Works and Services, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Public Works and Services has never done that, as far as I know. The people who have been reviewing BIP may have done it, and they may have that information. Thank you.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will refer the question to the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Handley.

Thank you. The honourable Premier is referring the question to the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The reason that route was chosen is our proposal, called Corridors for Canada, looks at two corridors, one into the mining area and one into the oil and gas area. The only current route into the mining area is through Highway No. 4, Tibbitt Lake and up into the area. There is no road through the Dogrib area. There is not any agreement that I have right now from the chiefs to even build a road through that area, although we did take some steps to set up a steering committee to begin looking at it. We could not include that as an alternate route when there was no agreement to have one. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi. I have to direct it to you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Transportation has indicated, we have to expect that the federal government is not going to be that receptive to totally financing new roads, especially into areas where there is already existing infrastructure. In our case, the Ingraham Trail is there, it is being used by industry and it is an existing road. What we have indicated is we want to rebuild and make sure it continues to have the proper maintenance for access into the mining area that requires this service. We believe that is something that is perfectly rational and can be substantiated to the federal government. This is what our proposal had indicated. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we have indicated, the Dogrib chiefs had been invited to work through a committee to look at the issues of building infrastructure within their region. This committee has not been active. In fact, I do not know that it has even been activated. In the meantime, time was of the essence. When the federal government indicated they were interested in seeing us put a proposal forward in very short order, we took literally about two weeks and built on what we think is a well-substantiated, rational argument for getting infrastructure dollars to enhance, maintain and improve our existing infrastructure. In large part, this is the proposal that we put forward. As Members who have travelled with us to Ottawa have indicated, it is being well received. It is seen as a well-substantiated proposal. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Handley, is the lead Minister responsible for transportation infrastructure. He developed a draft proposal that was brought to Cabinet and Cabinet had since endorsed this. We believe by and large that it is supported by the general public and we will continue to use it as a basis for trying to lever some money out of Ottawa to ensure that we get some help to fix the roads, to improve on them and to enhance the present condition of these roads. We believe that once Ottawa makes a decision, hopefully they will allocate all the money to us that we are requesting. It would be unfortunate if they give us just a portion of it. Of course, we will expect to be consulting with the Members of the Legislature about the final allocation of these dollars. 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, my questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. The Hay River Community Health and Social Services Board finds itself in a unique situation at this time. Hay River was, for many years, somewhat of an anomaly with health services being delivered under contract, most recently with the Town of Hay River. That contract no longer exists. Every other health board consists of members appointed by the Minister on the advice and recommendation of the MLAs, local governments, aboriginal governments, et cetera.

Today, there is an opening on the health board in Hay River. I want to know, who is going to have a say in the appointment to that vacancy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that there was an ad placed in the paper for the public to submit names. The Member is right, the board in Hay River is an anomaly. It is from the Societies Act. At this point, we are in a state of transition as we move to a standard nomination process for the health authorities across the Northwest Territories.

It would be my hope that people with the common interest of having the best service possible and the best people on the board, there would be consultation with the board, the mayor, and the MLAs so they can get a full look at the names being submitted and the best name chosen. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, how long will Hay River be in this state of transition? Mr. Speaker, we have some really serious concerns about the delivery of health and social services in Hay River right now, so it is very, very important who is on that board and who chairs that board.

Although I could refer to what the Minister said about taking a collective approach to this, I would like something more definitive from the Minister. How long is Hay River going to be in this state of transition? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have, on our legislative list, amendments to the legislation that will allow us to clarify some of these issues to put in legislation, issues like the one we are discussing before this House, and to deal with other issues as well.

It is in the works. I am hoping that by the fall session we will have some information ready to bring forward and I ask for the patience of the Member. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister, does he not have some avenue at his disposal whereby he could invoke some interim measure to deal with this situation in Hay River? I know it takes a while to change the legislation, but surely there is something he can do short of an overhaul of the legislation to address this specific issue.

I believe he may have at his disposal a ministerial directive regarding those boards that are not covered by the standard approach and I would ask, will he consider doing that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to consider the possibility of a ministerial directive. I would also be interested in and possibly suggest that it may be of benefit for the leadership of Hay River to sit down with me to possibly come to an agreement on an interim arrangement so it is something that is done through consensus and in a collaborative manner, as opposed to a ministerial directive to the community instructing them on how they are going to choose their representatives pending the resolution through legislation.

I will do that. I will check into that. I also ask the Member to consider getting the leadership together and I would be happy to come down and work through that process with them. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Minister for that offer. We look forward to working on this issue with him. With respect to this vacancy that exists today and the appointment that will be made very, very quickly here, I believe that it may inadvertently involve whoever is going to take the chair of the health board.

I would like to ask the Minister, would he intervene and ask the CEO, because there is no chairman at this time, to take this collaborative approach with the appointment of this specific vacancy? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will do as the Member suggests. I will pass on the concerns and ask in fact if the board, under the Societies Act, should have and should be given the full information and that it should be the board that should be making the selection of the appropriate member and electing the chairperson.

The role of the CEO, as far as I am aware, is a staff person. It is a support role. It is to bring the information together to the board. The board representing the community should be making those decisions. I will talk to the CEO and encourage that approach to be taken. I will also assume that the board members who are currently sitting would also be expecting that approach to be taken. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pose my question to Mr. Joe Handley as Minister of FMBS regarding the Lady Evelyn Campground expansion project with respect to the handling of it and how it falls under the Financial Administration Act.

Mr. Speaker, the current protocol requires that if there are any changes to the scope or budget of a project, written notification is made to Members as well as the appropriate standing committee. I would like to ask the Minister, can he confirm whether that means an official letter to the Member and the committee or is a presentation of the main estimates adequate? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for FMB, Mr. Handley.