Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Let me join the rest of the Members in congratulating both you and Celine for this memorable occasion. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was not going to wade into this discussion that's been going on in this House by Members about the current predicament we find ourselves in with the specialists in the Northwest Territories but, Mr. Speaker, I feel that it must be said that residents across the Northwest Territories have come to expect a certain level of care. It's taken a long time to get to that level and when it drops, there is much concern raised. But I think we must all, in this arena, think about other communities in the Northwest Territories that do not have the same level as we do in the larger centres, and I must even refer to my community of Inuvik where we have a lot more services than in Tuktoyaktuk or Holman or Sachs Harbour.

Mr. Speaker, with all the information that's going to and fro in this House and outside this House, I think we have to ask ourselves seriously what we're trying to accomplish. Are we trying to ensure that the government keeps its fiscal situation in tact, or are we trying to ensure that we give the best dollar to those potential specialists that would come and work in the Northwest Territories at any cost?

Mr. Speaker, we've already heard that negotiations have broken off. We have heard that the government has laid a certain percentage down to try to ensure that we're competitive across the country. We've heard or been presented information from the doctors' side that they would like to ensure that they are among the best remunerated across the country. But, Mr. Speaker, those discussions are no longer happening. The timing couldn't be better, and in our life, Mr. Speaker, timing is everything. That the break of negotiation happens just when this session gets underway, and resumption could potentially begin three days before we lose the specialists as it has been identified.

But, Mr. Speaker, we have to ask ourselves, has everything possible been done? Well, I think if both parties can't agree, as we found out throughout the world in a democratic society, governments have put into a place a process of arbitration. If parties cannot agree, then go to arbitration. So, Mr. Speaker, I would suggest, as has been suggested, that both parties go to binding arbitration as soon as possible and put the people back first where they belong, not behind closed doors. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Kakfwi.

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Lafferty on March 11, 2003, regarding the Bathurst port and road project environmental review process.

The Department of RWED is funding this review and shares your concern regarding the impact on the people of the Northwest Territories, and most specifically to those in the Akaitcho, Tlicho and Yellowknife areas.

On March 12, 2003, at the 6th Session of the Legislative Assembly, Minister Antoine referred to a letter he had sent on March 6, 2003, to the Honourable Robert Nault, Minister of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. The letter asked him once again to review the Bathurst port and road project under the broader part 6 of section 12 of the Nunavut land claim agreement. This letter was a follow up to his initial letter sent to Minister Nault on August 19, 2002. A copy of this initial letter was also sent to the Nunavut Impact Review Board to be placed on the public registry.

Both letters stated similar concerns to those that you have expressed and also noted that our people depend on the wildlife of the area, especially the Bathurst caribou herd, and that many residents of the Northwest Territories, and other parts of Canada, benefit from business opportunities in the area. The notion of marine shipping in the Arctic has been raised as well, and is of particular concern to coastal communities such as Holman.

In mid-April 2003, the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development referred the proposal back to the Nunavut Impact Review Board to request a new project proposal so that the department could make its decision based on current information. The Minister of the department cited various reasons for doing so, including transboundary issues such as marine transportation, the Bathurst caribou herd, and the established economics of the Western Arctic. In turn, the board referred the letter back to the proponent suggesting that a new project proposal be submitted by May 12th. The proponent was unable to do so.

When a new project description is received by the board, it will be referred again to the Minister of DIAND. In the interim, RWED staff have contacted the Nunavut Impact Review Board and requested to be listed as an interested party and receive regular updates. RWED staff have also shared caribou data with the Canadian Arctic Resources Committee to investigate the number of route crossings that might occur in the vicinity of the proposed road. RWED can also provide similar technical assistance to other organizations that are reviewing impacts of the project.

RWED will continue to monitor this project and take action as required. In the meantime, I welcome comments from Members of the Assembly. As with all environmental assessment processes, our residents and agencies are encouraged to participate directly. Thank you.

Thank you. 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, today I would like to recognize representatives from the Council of Persons with Disabilities who are in the gallery today: Ms. Cecily Hewitt and Michelle Peltier.

---Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize the author of my Members' statement today, again the Youth Parliament Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Matthew Harvey.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize Mr. Matthew Harvey. He has been around here so much that either he's going to become an MLA or a speech writer pretty soon. Mr. Speaker, he was Member for Frame Lake for Youth Parliament, but he's my constituent. He lives around the corner from me and I would like to welcome him to the gallery. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. I would like to say welcome to everyone who is here that has come to see the Legislative Assembly. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in keeping with my Member's statement today, I would like to address my questions to the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. Mr. Speaker, in the Northwest Territories now there are fewer fish being caught, fewer trees being cut, if any, fewer furs being harvested, there's less agricultural activity now than there has been in years gone by. I would like to know to what the Minister attributes this decline and diminishing non-renewable resource sector. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The Minister of RWED, Mr. Antoine.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, does the Minister concur that there is still a tremendous amount of potential in these various sectors that he's spoke to and that I have questioned him about? Does he think there is a greater potential than is being realized today? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. It may be an opinion, but a professional opinion. The Minister of RWED, Mr. Antoine.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given that we are not realizing the potential that is in these various renewable resource sector businesses, I would like to ask the Minister if he and his department, even on a prorated basis... You know, down scale it versus what they spend on promoting diamonds and oil and gas, even on a lesser scale. Does he and his department pay enough attention to this potential which is not being maximized at this time?

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The Minister of RWED, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.