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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce the latest appointments to the Status of Women Council of the Northwest Territories.

However, before I do that, I would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the board members who have served us during these last four years. These women are:

• • President Viola Beck, Yellowknife;
• • Vice-President Harriet Geddes, Fort Providence;
• • Tessie Gonzales, Hay River;
• • Theresa Etchinelle, Tulita; and
• • Jean Ekpakohak, Holman.

Mr. Speaker, these members were the first to represent the Northwest Territories after the creation of Nunavut. Their challenges have been difficult, yet with dignity and determination they have strategically charted a new path for all northern women. During their time, the Status of Women Council focused a major part of their efforts on the strengthening of women by addressing obstacles such as family violence and by promoting awareness of women in new roles within the work place.

Mr. Speaker, this path has taken us through a period of unprecedented change and growth. I thank all these women, Mr. Speaker, for their work, their sacrifice and their commitment to the people of the Northwest Territories.

Today I have the great pleasure to announce the new Status of Women Council board members who will chart a course that builds on the accomplishments to date and that reflects our commitment to economic, social, cultural and political equality. The new members of the Status of Women Council are:

• • Lorayne Moses, Fort Simpson;
• • Betty Tsetso, Deline;
• • Therese Dolly Lafferty, Fort Resolution; and
• • Geraldine Sharpe-Staples, Inuvik.

Mr. Speaker, I am especially proud to announce for the first time a youth representative, Natasha McCagg, Yellowknife. These new appointees, Mr. Speaker, will join Ms. Lynn Brooks of Yellowknife who continues her term until 2004. Thank you very much.

-- Applause

Mahsi, Mr. Premier. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Antoine. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Handley.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, this afternoon I would like to call the Assembly's attention to the award of a Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal to Mr. Pat Fowler, an employee of the Department of Transportation.

Mr. Fowler is a veteran fire fighter with over 20 years of service at the Yellowknife airport. The Honours Directorate Chancellery of the Office of the Governor General of Canada issues this medal as part of the Canadian Honours system. The Department of Transportation, on behalf of the Office of the Governor General, presented Mr. Fowler with his award at a ceremony earlier this month with his fellow firefighters and colleagues at the Yellowknife airport.

Airport firefighters are the most important element in the department's response capabilities for aircraft fire emergencies. Air passengers can travel confidently in the knowledge that these fire-fighting professionals are dedicated to their safety.

Mr. Speaker, with the Office of the Governor General, I extend my congratulations to Mr. Fowler on receiving his award in recognition of his professional contribution and service to the Yellowknife airport. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Antoine. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of our primary tasks as MLAs is to represent the needs and wants of our constituents. Sometimes we get messages and letters that in their words, do this far more eloquently than we as MLAs do.

In that respect, as my statement today, I would like to read a letter addressed to the Honourable Joe Handley as acting Minister of Education, Culture and Employment from a constituent, Anne Marie Giroux. The subject of the letter is clawbacks to income support:

Dear Mr. Handley,

I am writing to draw your attention to the hardships that result from the clawback policies relating to income support in the Northwest Territories. This is negatively affecting the health and well-being of many children, and action is urgently needed to change current policies.

I will use my situation as an example. I am a single mother of three preschool children. I have chosen to raise my children myself until they are in school full-time. Because of current clawback policies, I am not even able to provide basic nutrition for my family this month.

Under current Northwest Territories income support policies, our family is eligible for $635 a month for food and clothing. From this, the Income Support Program claws back the National Child Benefit Supplement, or NCBS, of $274.16. They also deduct $25 per month for reimbursement of an overpayment made by income support several months ago, their mistake. This is for NCBS not deducted at the outset of applying for income support.

Last month, I received a $230.88 income tax refund for 2001. This is considered unearned income by the IS program and has also been deducted from this month's food and clothing amount.

Finally, I exceeded the $400 earned income limit last month by $4.50, which is also deducted. Note that two-thirds of what I earned went to pay childcare while I was working. However, this was not taken into account under the Income Support Program, which I believe constitutes discrimination based on family status.

The result is that my children and I received an income support amount of $100.46 for the month of June.

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, colleagues. Mr. Speaker,

Under income support, it is a constant struggle to provide the basic standard of living for a family. I would like to be able to provide proper nutrition for my children with basic items such as fresh fruit, which are normally beyond our means for part of each month, and for this month of June it will be out of the question entirely, as will milk, cheese, diapers, training pants, sanitary napkins, et cetera.

Bills which are now on automatic payment will create havoc in my bank account because funds are not there. Phone and transportation are a regular part of income earning families, but we on this very backward income support system are not allowed to live as regular people.

One hundred dollars for a family of four is not acceptable and I consider this to be government abuse of its residents. Why does the government of the NWT talk about investing in children and yet not address the very real poverty of families?

Five jurisdictions in Canada have now stopped clawing back the NCBS and two jurisdictions allow a parent on income support to keep a portion of child maintenance payments. In the Northwest Territories, we have the highest GDP growth rate in Canada and the highest average incomes. Surely it is time to alleviate poverty and assist the poorest families and children by ending the current clawback policies.

Please consider this an urgent issue now.

Signed a very unrespected resident of the Northwest Territories,

Anne Marie Giroux

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as today is probably the last day of our session, I would like to send my warm greetings to everyone who will be celebrating Aboriginal Day. I want to state that I am very proud of the fact that we, the people of the Northwest Territories, are the first to recognize and give honour to the many achievements of the Dene, the Metis and the Inuit people by declaring June 21st an official statutory holiday.

In 1996, the Government of Canada proclaimed June 21st as National Aboriginal Day, a day to celebrate and reflect on the uniqueness of the culture which is prevalent throughout Canada. We the people of the Northwest Territories are distinct by way of our own culture and traditions that are very much alive and still remain the basis of our government, a consensus government, although some of my colleagues might not agree with that statement.

Mr. Speaker, many communities throughout the nation will be celebrating Aboriginal Day with culture and tradition being the key components of the festivities planned. In my riding, the Katl'odeeche First Nation kicked off a week-long celebration yesterday, in recognition of the 100th year of Treaty 8. Due to session, I was not able to join them. I wanted to send my apologies to Chief Pat Martel and the people of the community for not being there.

Some of the activities that are planned for this week on the reserve are talent shows, hand games, and Mr. Don Burnstick will facilitate a youth workshop and a comedy show. In Fort Providence, they will host a three day celebration beginning on Thursday with the official opening of the Leon Sambele Youth Centre, followed by traditional events such as canoe races, drum dances, and a talent show.

The community of Enterprise is combining Aboriginal Day and the Gateway Jamboree by delaying their celebrations to July the 6th, and they are expecting some well-known musicians to attend. Since Kakisa will be hosting the 10th Annual Deh Cho Assembly on June 25th to the 28th, they have planned to celebrate National Aboriginal Day after the assembly, after all the dust has settled and when they are able to focus on their own community.

Mr. Speaker, with this schedule of events, this promises to be a week full of festivities and entertainment for people of all ages. I want to commend all of the organizers for the hard work they have contributed to make these events happen. June 21st has been long celebrated by aboriginal people for generations. It is the longest day of the year...

Mr. McLeod, your time is up. Mr. McLeod.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, June 21st has been long celebrated by aboriginal people. It is the longest day of the year and ends the season of spring and marks the beginning of the summer harvest. Since first contact, non-aboriginals have sought the assistance of aboriginal people for survival and adjustment to an environment that can be unforgiving. With the recognition of aboriginal contributions and achievements, cultural discrimination is on the decline. Aboriginal lifestyles and heritage is on the road to renewal and with the rejuvenation of aboriginal languages, future generations will forever have a culture they can be proud of. We take June 21st as a day to recognize and pay tribute to the traditional ways that are preserved through the richness of our elders. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, the 23rd of June, a very important event will be taking place in Inuvik that will have a long-term political impact for the future of the Inuvialuit in my riding. The Inuvialuit, along with the Gwich'in in the Mackenzie Delta, will be signing an agreement-in-principle pertaining to the establishment of a self-government regime in the Beaufort-Delta region. Many residents in my riding consider this as an important waypoint on their way to self-determination.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate the Inuvialuit leadership for reaching this important goal and compliment them on their determination and perseverance they have demonstrated to date. As MLA for Nunakput, I, along with many others in my riding, look forward to the day when the final agreement applicable to self-government in the Beaufort-Delta is signed and finalized.

I plan to attend the signing ceremonies presently scheduled for Sunday, the 23rd of June in Inuvik, and urge other Members of this House to do so as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday evening in the Great Hall, I attended the ceremony to recognize the achievement of community firefighters in getting their certification as National Fire Protection Association of Professional Firefighters and Fire Service Instructors. Mr. Speaker, this is a three-year process requiring considerable personal time and commitment and requires the support of the government.

Thebacha has the benefit of two of their people being recognized; Mr. Bill Reimer and Mr. Bernie Minute. Mr. Speaker, they are part of the Fort Smith volunteer fire department. This is an organization that allows the people of Fort Smith to sleep easy in their beds at night knowing that, God forbid, should the need arise, they will have some very dedicated, well-trained volunteers who are going to come to their assistance in the event of a fire or the need of the services that the fire department provides.

It is a service that the community, like many communities in the Northwest Territories, would never be able to provide if it was not for the work, dedication and time dedicated by these volunteers. While recognizing the achievement of Mr. Reimer and Mr. Minute, I would also like to recognize that they are part of a large organization that the community is greatly indebted to, and whose services we greatly rely on and greatly enhances the quality of life and the safety of the people in Fort Smith and Thebacha. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

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