Colleagues, I know that you join me in expressing great sadness over the recent passing of Mrs. Elaine Whitford.

Elaine was a wonderful ambassador who gracefully represented the Speaker's office, the Legislative Assembly and the NWT.

During their travels, both Elaine and Tony Whitford have made a deep and lasting impression on those who they have met.

Expressions of sympathy are being received from across the North, Canada and other parts of the Commonwealth. Our thoughts and prayers are with Tony and his family at this time.

Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Jim Antoine will be late arriving in the House today. Thank you.

Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise my colleagues that February 24th to March 2nd is Education Week in the Northwest Territories.

This year's theme, "Choose to Move...Move for Health!" highlights a holistic approach to education and is a joint effort between the departments of Education, Culture and Employment, Health and Social Services, Municipal and Community Affairs, Sport North and the NWT Recreation and Parks Association.

Mr. Speaker, with almost 35 percent of our population under the age of 19 years, and the growing prevalence of obesity among children, this year's Education Week theme reflects the reality that we must emphasize an active lifestyle. Physical activity improves our health, our capacity for learning and enhances our experiences within families and communities.

Studies show that daily physical activity improves student performance in the areas of memory, problem solving, decision-making, reading and mathematical skills. There is also a proven increase in attention and productivity.

To help support schools and communities in their planning of Education Week, comprehensive resource packages were developed and distributed to all territorial educational institutions, recreation offices and health centres. In keeping with our continuing support of our official languages, the posters promoting the theme of Education Week were developed in English, French and seven aboriginal languages. Each of you in the House today will have received copies of these posters and packages for your use.

Schools have been encouraged to develop fitness trails as part of their Education Week activities this year. Today, as we launch Education Week, guests will be visiting the trail developed by the students of K'alemi Dene School in Ndilo. I invite each of you to take the opportunity to visit a school and actively demonstrate your support of physical activity by trying their fitness trail.

Our annual celebration of education is an excellent opportunity for each of us to reflect on the ways in which we can enhance not only our own well-being, but the well-being of our families, our schools and our communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I listened with interest to Minister Allen last week as he made a statement on family violence legislation. I was impressed as he, early in his statement, clearly outlined the social benefits of such legislation. He correctly noted that such legislation gives people at risk of violence another legal tool they can use to protect themselves and their families. But then, Mr. Speaker, I was astounded to hear the Minister say: "We need to have public consultation on whether or not our residents want this legislation." This, Mr. Speaker, after groups ranging from seniors to members of the Social Agenda Working Group have said that we should have this type of legislation on the books.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister said we couldn't proceed with the legislation because people need to be trained to use it. Mr. Speaker, that would be a good approach, but it's not the one we take most often. Usually we pass legislation, and then set

up the administrative procedures to implement it. That's what we should do with family violence prevention legislation.

Mr. Speaker, let's put some teeth in our declaration of November 3, 2000. In that declaration, Members of this House unanimously said:

The Members of the 14th Legislative Assembly declare their intent to address the issue of family violence through their personal commitments to help stop family violence through their own actions in leadership and further support the collective commitment of the 14th Legislative Assembly to work in partnership with communities and their leaders to help lift the silence surrounding family violence and create caring supports for people experiencing violence.

Mr. Speaker, I checked with Alison MacAteer House, one of the women's shelters in the Northwest Territories. Last year, they had 404 admission inquiries; 153 women were turned away because they were full; 152 women were admitted. When you add in the number of kids who were admitted, that number comes up to 344. Mr. Speaker, it is time to act now. Later today, I will present a motion, seconded by my colleague for Hay River South directing the Minister of Justice to introduce a Family Violence Protection Act in June. Not just table it, as he has offered in his statement, but present it for first and second reading. Mr. Speaker, let's get serious about family violence protection. Thank you.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' statements. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to address the issue of the need of family violence legislation for the Northwest Territories. Other Canadian jurisdictions have realized the merit of this type of legislation. It is time that we further demonstrated our commitment as an Assembly to the elimination of family violence by enacting legislation as well.

We've been talking about this for long enough. I do not believe that there are any credible arguments to be made for deferring or delaying the passage of this legislation during the life of the 14th Assembly. I am not deluded in thinking that this legislation in and of itself is the answer to all our problems with family violence in the Northwest Territories. However, I do believe that it could be a very significant piece of what needs to be a comprehensive approach to not just family violence, but to many of the underlying root causes which manifest themselves as violence. Things such as substance abuse, mental illness, frustration and societal indifference. One of the most important things that family violence legislation would accomplish, is to provide a tool which could expedite the process by which victims, mostly women and children, could be distanced from the immediate harm of the offender without involving lengthy channels normally used in dealing with criminal offences. This would enable law enforcers to assess the situation, seek timely approvals and remove the offender from the home. An intervention could occur before an incident would potentially escalate to bring irreparable harm to the victim or children in the home, an intervention which would be logistically and emotionally less disruptive to the family. What would happen next is as variable as the circumstances and dynamics of the relationship. It might depend on how prepared the parties are to deal with the situation, how long it has gone on or what supports and remedies are available to assist.

I would liken it to a medical intervention. When someone is injured, remove the patient from the immediate threat of further harm, assess the situation and stabilize the patient. Hopefully removing the offending party would at least temporarily stabilize the situation long enough to assess potential options. With effective help, maybe a relationship could be saved; maybe the integrity of a family could be preserved. Everyone in the family loses when family violence goes unresolved. Mr. Speaker, violence of any type, especially family violence is a very complex matter. Situations get out of control and what ensues can be a very traumatic and debilitating force, both in terms of the obvious physical trauma, but also the more difficult to quantify psychological effect for both victims and even witnesses, often children.

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

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? You have unanimous consent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you colleagues. I suggest to you that a means of timely intervention would most importantly provide assistance to the victims, but it would ultimately benefit perpetrators of violence as well, as most later regret what they have done to a loved one in the heat of anger or under the influence of alcohol.

---Applause

I was given to believe that family violence legislation would be passed during the life of this government and I would be the seconder to a notice of motion today to accomplish that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' statements. The Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The pervasive plague that is family violence is an enormous yet sadly under-recognized crisis in our society. In fiscal year 2001, 621 women and children were forced to use safe shelters in the NWT. Collectively, they spent more than 8,300 nights away from their homes. That's the equivalent to more than 13 years in hiding. They were fleeing the 424 spousal assaults reported to the RCMP that year. These are horrific numbers. Indeed our rate of demand for safe shelters is eight times, Mr. Speaker, the national average. These are only the cases reported to authorities. When one understands that far more assaults, beatings and other forms of abuse go unreported, we begin to grasp just how broad and far reaching this is. We have an epidemic raging. It's been described as a tragic and destructive problem of grave proportions. What are we doing about it?

In 1994, the Legislative Assembly of the NWT made a declaration on family violence and this Assembly renewed it in November of 2000. In 1998, the Status of Women Council of the NWT held an interdisciplinary conference and from this was formed the Coalition on Family Violence. Sixteen agencies plus three departments of this government have pooled their collective strength to seek answers. Under the leadership of the Status of Women Council, they produced late last year a research project and survey called Family Violence in the NWT. Its 42 recommendations are based on extensive research and 104 interview surveys across the NWT. A protocol agreement is being circulated across the territory to gain support for this document and the development of an action plan on family violence that will flow from it. We will need to bring many skills together of many levels to really make a difference.

Mr. Speaker, if there is anything encouraging on the face of this devastating issue, it is that so many leaders in government, community and aboriginal circles are focusing on family violence. I want to sharpen this focus and, along with my colleagues, I want to see this Assembly take a stand on one part of the problem and that is to introduce and pass new legislation which, in simple terms, will reverse the process that we use today, which will cause the abusers, not the victims, to deal with the consequences of violent behaviour. I urge the Minister of Justice to proceed without delay in bringing this new bill before the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the fact that Hay River mothers have to travel to Yellowknife to give birth has been allowed to continue since the spring of 2000 and it's time for this to end. As my colleague, Mrs. Groenewegen, indicated last week, Mr. Speaker, Hay River has a relatively simple solution to this situation. That is to hire two more doctors, so that expectant mothers and other residents of Hay River can be properly served by this government. With the addition of a GP anesthesiologist and a GP surgeon in Hay River, Mr. Speaker, the Hay River hospital will be able to commence birthing again and they can once again provide a wide range of services, including minor surgical procedures, to the South Slave region that have been traditionally performed in Hay River for many, many years. Mr. Speaker, the population that the Hay River Community Health Board currently services is approximately 6,000 and with deliveries, that population is sure to rise to 9,000. You cannot afford to ignore these numbers, Mr. Speaker. If Hay River was to acquire these additional doctors, this would enable Hay River's expectant mothers to stay at home when they give birth, close to their loved ones and you cannot put a dollar value on this.

I might remind everyone, Mr. Speaker, that Hay River is a tax-based community and this government is funded by tax dollars. Hay River residents have every right to expect that they can access primary health services such as obstetrics in their home community. Mr. Speaker, I have brought this issue up many times in this House and I will continue to do so until I find a solution to this matter.

Mr. Speaker, there is another service the Hay River hospital currently offers that is in jeopardy of being discontinued if we are not able to secure these two doctors, and that is dental surgery. The Hay River hospital provides dental surgery services for just about the entire NWT. Mr. Speaker, the dental clinic in Hay River has indicated that they could perform dental surgeries at the Hay River hospital for one week out of every month if we could secure these two doctors. Obviously, Mr. Speaker, there is a demonstrated need.

Mr. Speaker, whenever I rise in this House for more doctors for Hay River, I always receive the answer we are looking into it, we are aware of it, we are studying it, we've hired more consultants, and the list goes on, Mr. Speaker.

The time has come to do something about it. I remember well the name of the final report of the Minister's Forum on Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member for Hay River is seeking unanimous consent. Do I hear any nays? There are no nays, you have unanimous consent to continue on.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I remember well the name of the final report of the Minister's Forum on Health and Social Services from January 2000 entitled "Our Communities, Our Decisions, Let's Get on With It." Well, Mr. Speaker, it is now 2003 and I say let's get on with it, too, and allow the Hay River residents the quality of health care they so deserve. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this being the budget session, we have really been into talking about numbers. I don't have budget numbers of my own to deliver, but I do have numbers of visits to my Web site that I would like to report to the House. Mr. Speaker, since it was started almost three years ago, I have found my Web site to be a very effective communications tool. By updating it weekly and then daily during sessions, I can keep my constituents informed of what I say and do in and out of the House. It's also great to receive immediate feedback from my constituents on a number of issues, some of them more controversial than others. Mr. Speaker, I am always happy to hear when my constituents say they have my site bookmarked and visit it regularly and by going by the numbers, many others are visiting as well.

Mr. Speaker, my stats are based on the last 12 months from March 2002 to February 20, 2003. The total hits to the site were 238,867. Last month, I received 22,069 hits and this month thus far, the hits are at 17,450. The most hits I received in a month was during the October session where I received 23,261 hits in one month. The numbers do come down during the summer months or when we are not in session. The month of April had the lowest hits at 15,234 followed by August at 16,722. Taking this month of February as the most recent example, I can report to you that the maximum hits recorded in one day this month was February 14th at 1,501 hits. The average daily hits this month has been about 727 per day. The maximum hits I received in one hour this month was 864, but the average per hour spreads out to about 30. The maximum hits I received in one day was also during the October session where it reached 1,730 in one day. I also find it interesting that the most traffic occurred on my site between 8:00 and 9:00 in the morning, then 2:00 and 3:00 in the afternoon. The last thing I would like to report is the fact that while most of the servers who visit my site are from the North, as indicated by the names of servers, there are others such as AOL and Google being the main search engines. I have had lots of visits from the rest of Canada and around the world as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 3, Members' statements. The member Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to congratulate one constituent from the Inuvik Twin Lakes riding who is competing in the sport of badminton at the Canada Winter Games. Mr. Speaker, this young person is James Elias, the youngest son of Albert and Shirley Elias who are previously from Holman. From what I have been told, James only started playing badminton 4 years ago at the Sir Alexander Mackenzie School evening sports program. This is quite an accomplishment for one individual which now takes him to a major event in New Brunswick.

Mr. Speaker, I was also told that young James was to have participated in the annual IRC hockey tournament scheduled this coming weekend, but he elected to attend the Canada Winter Games instead. I believe this is a wise choice as he will gain tremendous exposure competing at the national level.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, it gives me a great sense of pride when a young student can examine both sport and academic studies. James is known to be a hard-working student and also a dedicated student while attending Samuel Hearne Secondary School in Inuvik.

I want to extend my congratulations to this fine young individual and encourage him, as well as other young athletes like him, to pursue excellence in both sport and Canadian academic studies. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Allen. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's just recently come to my attention that we have our first medal in the Canada Winter Games and it goes to a Yellowknifer, Mike Argue, who won a silver medal...

---Applause

...I understand, and he came second out of 50 participants with a silver medal in the 10 kilometre classic cross country skiing race. That's just tremendous to see and hopefully that is just the tip of the iceberg. I hope all my colleagues will join me in congratulating Mike. Thanks.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.

At this time, I would like to recognize Warren and Ian Whitford, sons of Elaine and Tony Whitford.

---Applause

Welcome to the House. I would also like to recognize a former Member of this House from 1976 to 1979, Mr. Richard Whitford, who is also here with his wife Betty. Welcome to the House.

---Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Culture and Employment and it's about capital standards and criteria for facility planning, specifically when it relates to new schools. There's been a lot of discussion in the community about the need for a new high school facility. I think the most recent enrollment statistics indicate that St. Patrick's High is at 132 percent utilization and Sir John Franklin is as well very high, also close to 90 percent, Mr. Speaker. I am wondering what utilization numbers have to come in before the department starts to plan for a new capital facility. Thank you.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the decisions with respect to additional school facilities to be built are based upon the enrolments overall in a community. In Yellowknife, while some of the schools may be at high capacity, other schools may be at much lower capacity and the capacity overall in schools in Yellowknife today is at approximately 80 percent, Mr. Speaker. So that would indicate that there is capacity in other schools to absorb some of the overload in certain other schools. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just so I am clear then, is the Minister suggesting that what we should do when we have 132 percent utilization at a high school is to move some of those high school students into a primary school? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd have to double check the capacity and enrolment of all schools that the Member has brought up. There are issues, for instance, that the William MacDonald School is not at full capacity. Can some of that be utilized for capacity that is over in other schools, for example? Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you. I'd like to get the specific percentage of utilization that the department requires in the community then. Is it 80 percent, 85 percent and do we take a proactive approach, let's say for instance, look at the number of children in Grade 6 or Grade 8 currently to try to determine what the high school need will be? Can the Minister give me the percent? Thank you.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Normally planning discussions start to take place at 80 percent. Mr. Speaker, I just was looking for some of my capacity figures and utilization figures and perhaps, you know, Mr. Bell and I could meet on this because my figures are a little different than perhaps Mr. Bell's. My figures indicate Sir John Franklin High School at 89 percent and the St. Patrick High School at 100 percent, Mr. Speaker, but it indicates to me that there is some capacity in between other schools. As I said, the William MacDonald School is at 59 percent. We need to take that into consideration when we do planning for other schools and overall, yes the question is, at 80 percent, do we start looking at possibilities for additional schools and the answer to that is yes, we do. Thank you.

Your final supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do have slightly different information, however, the information that I have in front of me here was supplied on request from the Minister's department to me and it has St. Pat's at 132 percent and Sir John at 89 percent. At any event, it looks like we are at least over the 80 percent mark as a community so I am hoping this will trigger the necessary planning for this upcoming budget cycle. Is that the case? Thank you.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Well, Mr. Speaker, yes, I did address this issue in terms of notifying the department that we should proceed with the capital needs assessment process and that was passed on to the appropriate officials in FMBS and so forth. So it is not as though we are not aware of the need, Mr. Speaker, nor are we ignoring the fact that it needs to be put in the capital needs assessment. It all comes down to a question of availability of funding at this point, and at what point in time do we need an additional school in Yellowknife. Is that two

years from now or is that five years from now? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. The Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

The Minister for Transportation, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, let me clarify, first of all, the ice road to Dettah is a piece of the public highway system that was identified as such when we did the transfer from the federal government to the territorial government a number of years ago. In terms of an ice road from Edzo to Rae, I understand the hamlet has constructed a road over the past years. I will assume they will continue with that. If they want financial assistance to do that, then they are certainly eligible to apply under our community access road program. So they could apply for some more. We do that kind of support in a number of communities. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Minister of Transportation.

Mr. Speaker, like I said, the hamlet, if they want, can simply apply for funding and community access road funding doesn't have to be just for permanent all year round roads. It can be used to help with winter roads if that's what the community chooses to do. So, all they have to do is ask. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Minister of Transportation.

Mr. Speaker, we have money in the budget to cover these kinds of projects, so the money is there. If the community wants an alternative to using the highway route and they want to go across Marion Lake, sure, they can apply for support for that road. The money is there. Thank you.

Final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Colleagues, at this time I would like to direct your attention to the presence in the visitors' gallery of Mr. Doron Bard, Consul at the U.S. Consulate General office in Calgary. He is here visiting Yellowknife and Inuvik. At this time, I would like to welcome you to the Northwest Territories. Welcome.

---Applause

Oral questions, Minister of Transportation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have money in the Department of Transportation to cover these kinds of requests. I have no difficulty with doing it. I would have to talk to our staff in Rae-Edzo to see if they want to do it with their regular equipment. Most likely the preference would be to have the hamlet continue to build an ice road, as they have in the past, and if they want financial support from my department, let us know. Thank you.

Oral questions, Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated in my Member's statement, Hay River is desperately in need of two more doctors, namely a GP anesthesiologist and GP surgeon. This will alleviate the hearts of expecting mothers having to travel to Yellowknife a month ahead of their due date to give birth. Many of these mothers are having to pay that infamous co-payment as well I might add, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, these ladies have to uproot themselves from their families and their support systems and stay in Yellowknife until they give birth. In this day and age, I can't see how we can allow this to happen. Would the Minister please advise if he is aware of exactly how much it costs to fly a pregnant mother from Hay River to Yellowknife and keep them here until they give birth including the flights, accommodations, meal costs and all the other costs that go with it? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't have that specific dollar figure, but I would estimate that it's in the thousands of dollars. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister for that answer, but I would encourage the Minister to try to get a cost on that. I am told it's somewhere in the neighourhood of $4,000 for a mother to have to come to Yellowknife to give birth. Mr. Speaker, the Minister stated that there is $8.3 million currently assigned for 10 general practitioners. I assume this is extraordinary funding. Would the Minister please provide this House with a breakdown of how these 10 doctors will be distributed in terms of what communities these doctors will be serving in. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are three additional specialists going to Yellowknife. There are two for the Sahtu, two for the Dogrib, one for Deh Cho and the remainder we are devoting to Yellowknife. Thank you.

Final supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I didn't get the last one that he said, but it didn't seem to me that I heard Hay River in there. Would the Minister indicate why, of these 10 doctors, there are none slated for Hay River, the second largest community in the Territories with a demonstrated need for more doctors? Why would there be none for Hay River? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a result of the recently concluded negotiations with the general practitioners, there is going to be as well an additional sum of doctors over and above the existing complement that is going to be allocated across the territory and Hay River will be factored in there. Thank you.

Your final supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in view of the demonstrated need in Hay River for two additional doctors, which would allow expectant mothers to give birth in Hay River, as well as the need for dental surgeries to continue in Hay River, will the Minister commit to providing the funding so that Hay River can acquire these two positions? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the focus right now in the communities outside of Yellowknife and Inuvik has been on making sure we have adequate general practitioners and that is still the focus. We do commit to ensuring that Hay River, like Fort Smith, Yellowknife, Inuvik and Fort Simpson and the Deh Cho and the Dogrib have adequate doctor services. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to opening address. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. Mr. Clerk.

Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, February 26, 2003, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South that the Government of the Northwest Territories undertake the necessary work to draft and introduce a Family Violence Protection Act in the Legislative Assembly by June 2003 for consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motions for first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that the Speaker be authorized to set such sitting hours as the Speaker, after consultation, deems fit to assist with the business before the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called. All those in favor? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Motion 3-14(6), Mr. McLeod. Motion 3-14(6) will stay on the order paper until tomorrow. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. Item 19, consideration of Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 3, Bill 6, Bill 7, Bill 8 and committee reports 3-14(6), 4-14(6), 5-14(6) and 6-14(6) with Mr. Delorey in the chair.

I call the committee to order. We have a number of items to discuss in Committee of the Whole. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to recommend that the committee continue consideration of Bill 3 and committee reports 3-14(6), 4-14(6) and 5-14(6) concurrently to first finish up the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs and then move into the Department of Transportation.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The Chair is going to call a short break. We will come back with the Department of MACA.

---SHORT RECESS

I would like to call the committee back to order. We will continue with Municipal and Community Affairs. Does the Minister wish to bring any witnesses, Mr. Steen?

Yes, I do, Mr. Chairman.

Does the committee agree? Sergeant-at-Arms, escort the witnesses in, please. Mr. Minister, for the record, could you introduce your witnesses, please?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, on my right is Debbie DeLancey, deputy minister of Municipal and Community Affairs and on my left is Sheila Bassi-Kellett, director of corporate affairs.

Thank you, Minister Steen. Committee members will notice there has been an information item circled. That information was requested last week on sports and recreation and community allocation. I understand, Mr. Minister, you have some further clarification under capital, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, on Friday when we left off under this underlined item activity, there were questions raised by Mr. Bell as to capital figures for the Rae water treatment plant and he was questioning the final figure, which showed the final figure of $1.775 million for the water treatment plant in Rae as a total, but in fact that figure should be $2.375 million and the reason for that, Mr. Chairman, I passed out a sheet explaining where the mistake was made. It comes under the Rae water treatment plant for prior years cost. It shows $325,000 when, in fact, that figure should be $925,000. That would then require us to have a carry over in June of $600,000, which is not spent yet but then that brings the final figure in the end to $2.375 million. Mr. Chairman, while I am on the subject, there is also the same type of mistake in the solid waste disposal site for Rae Lakes, which is on the same page and shows a figure of $208,000. In fact that figure should be $308,000 because there is a carry over of $100,000 as well. We couldn't complete the permitting because we couldn't get the permit from Indian Affairs to do the job, due to land claims negotiations with the Dogrib. So, the final figure on that line would be $863,000 rather than $763,000. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you Minister Steen. You left off Friday on the Municipal and Community Affairs, cap 6, total regional operations, $5.235 million.

Total department, $8.53 million.

Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, if I understand the question is related to water and sewer agreements with Public Works. Is that correct?

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Minister Steen.

Mr. Chairman, we can't change the agreements from Public Works to MACA because MACA is funding the community to do the work. It is up to them at that time whether they want to sign an agreement with Public Works or whether they want to do the job themselves or whether they want to contract it out privately. It's entirely up to them. It's that type of arrangement that they have. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Steen.