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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention of this House a problem my constituent has experienced over the last few years in dealing with the government's daycare subsidy program. Mr. Speaker, what we should be aware of is that a licensed day home is a small home-based operation that is just a little bigger than a regular babysitting service, where the operator is allowed to have up to eight children and up to six of them of preschool age.

Mr. Speaker, I've learned that some operators have spent up to $5,000 to start such an operation to meet the various regulatory and safety requirements. While they can apply for a grant from the government, the money has to be put in first which is a burden to many contemplating such a move. What is even more of a concern to me, Mr. Speaker, are the difficulties the operators face once they get started in dealing with the government for their clients who receive a subsidy from the government. Currently, Mr. Speaker, the government subsidizes $28 per child per day, while the going market rate is $35. Once they're billed, the government often takes months and months to pay their bills. In the meantime, these operators are expected to care for these children and carry the costs until they are paid. This is not a fair practice, Mr. Speaker.

Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, I'm advised that these clients on subsidy are cut off for whatever reason without a normal notice of 30 days that would be expected of any other client. The operator is then left out in the cold without the ability to fill the spot to maintain stability in their earnings.

Mr. Speaker, the important point here is that the daycare program is a much-needed service and there is not enough of it. The daycare subsidy program is one small thing the government is doing and it's a good thing, it's just that it should be done right and not create hardship to those who are providing this very important service. If these situations continue, Mr. Speaker, daycare operators will be less and less willing to take in the children who are on the daycare subsidy program, and it's not fair for these children and families who rely on this service, Mr. Speaker. I would urge the Minister responsible for this program to review this situation and improve the way this program is administered. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to draw attention to a very important week being celebrated from June 1st to June 7th, that being Seniors' Week. Mr. Speaker, our seniors are to be honoured not just during Seniors Week, but all year long. I feel strongly that senior citizens' contributions to our communities cannot be measured.

Mr. Speaker, our seniors are a collective force that cannot be ignored or forgotten about by this government. By the year 2018, the seniors' population is projected to at least double in the Northwest Territories. The Hay River Seniors' Society, Mr. Speaker, recently held their election of officers, and I am pleased to recognize the new executive here today. Mr. Speaker, Lloyd Brunes is the president; Allan Eirikson, vice-president; Ross Ullathorne, treasurer; Betty Robinson, secretary; and the directors are Peter Osted, Del Hamilton, Ron Douglas, Alvin Armstrong, Paul Rose, Chris Robinson and Fred Beaulieu.

Mr. Speaker, the Hay River Seniors' Society has been diligently working on seeing their dream of a new seniors' residence completed. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to continuing to work with the Hay River Seniors' Society on this very important project.

I would also like to say, Mr. Speaker, that I've had the pleasure of attending the Respect Our Elders workshop on March 25th and 26th in Hay River, that was put on by the NWT Seniors' Society. It was an excellent workshop and it was very informative.

It is also very encouraging, Mr. Speaker, to see seniors taking a very active role in matters that affect them, such as elder abuse and their role in society. As the president of the National Advisory Council on Aging, Mrs. Rayburn, so rightly put it, we must take care of our future as we are going to spend the rest of our lives there. As our honourable Minister put it, most of us in this House have an interest in how that future is secured, as most of us are fast approaching the age where we will be joining the seniors' ranks.

Mr. Speaker, in recognition of Seniors' Week, I would like to state that I intend to continue to bring up issues in this House that affect our seniors. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I, too, am embarking on the seniors' role, wanted to recognize Seniors' Week in the Northwest Territories. I would like to convey to my respected elders in Inuvik Twin Lakes, that we fondly think of them.

Mr. Speaker, the seniors continually participate in several program activities each month to add to the quality of life in their community. For example, the seniors hold two lunches each at the Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre, they also participate in the baking program, they involve themselves in an exercise program at Aurora College. Mr. Speaker, many of the seniors in Inuvik play an active role in the health of its residents. For example, one elder continually assists in making traditional foods and now it applies to reducing diabetes. Another prominent elder consults on the local culture of different organizations.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot forget how influential our seniors are in the political process, providing me as well as others with guidance, as an example. Also the long-term care ward at the Inuvik Regional Hospital has an excellent seniors' support program. Currently the long-term care ward has a dressing program for elders who need assistance in daily living. Transportation of elders to various functions and activities is provided to these same seniors.

Mr. Speaker, these are just a few examples of how the seniors live an independent, but healthy and active lifestyle in Inuvik and the riding of Inuvik Twin Lakes. So as the MLA for Inuvik Twin Lakes, I will express my gratitude and appreciation to the seniors for their contributions and to those who assist them in the community of Inuvik. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Allen. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about a little project that shows what a small group of people with a bit of creativity, a lot of commitment, a lot of determination and lot of volunteer time can achieve. Last winter, Mr. Speaker, I was invited by Mary Rose Sundberg to come and see her centre that she was working on. Mary Rose is a long-time advocate of aboriginal languages. I went down and I was surprised to see her in a little log cabin no more than about 10 by 12 feet in size, a fire going and the smallest oil space heater I've ever seen, sweeping out the little cabin, putting together some used furniture, and setting up some computers that had been donated from Air Tindi and possibly from others. It was the beginning of the Dettah language centre, and Dettah and N'dilo have long depended on the language centre out of Rae-Edzo.

In this little building, Mary Rose, along with a group of students and a group of other people, have worked hard in training people in the language, both Dogrib and Chipewyan, in preparing reading material for young children, and more than anything else, preparing a lot of good teaching aids that go with the books. So they develop books with culturally-relevant characters in them and prepare little aids that young children can use as they learn how to read.

I've noticed the last time I was there that they've built little teepees that children can use for reading centres, and those are to be given to the other schools in Yellowknife and possibly in other areas. But this is just such a good example of what people can do if they choose to take it under their control and do it.

I was also pleased last week to go to the centre and see that they had prepared a biography on one of the elders - Michel Paper who I've mentioned before in this House. It's a biography of his life.

It's a tremendous little centre, operating without much of a budget with money they can pull together here and there, but I think a very fine example of what can be done.

Mr. Speaker, in the gallery today we have Mary Rose Sundberg who has been the main drive on this one. We have Berna Martin who has worked along with her, and Betty Harnum. But I think these people are a great example of how little communities can take things in their own hands and achieve a lot on behalf of their people, and particularly the elders and young people. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, reports of standing and special committees. The chair recognizes the honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's with great pleasure that the Special Committee on the Sunset Clause and the Implementation of Self-Government brings to this House its final report entitled, "The Circle of Self-Government."

Mr. Speaker, when the resident territorial government was established in 1967, it came with a federal government promise of greater self-government. However, as the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples has documented, while the system of territorial government in the Northwest Territories has been better than most in Canada in responding to aboriginal peoples' cultures and values, it has not gone far enough. A central purpose of self-government agreements is to ensure that aboriginal peoples gain more control over decision-making on matters that affect them.

We have examined the new systems of government that are emerging from self-government negotiations. It is important that we all understand these agreements so that we have a sense of how things will change for the Legislative Assembly and the Government of the Northwest Territories but, more importantly, so we can have a territory-wide conversation about what all NWT residents can expect in the future.

Mr. Speaker, self-government agreements, and other related documents, are often long and technically complicated. In this report we have tried to avoid technical language so that it will be more accessible to the general reader. However, we acknowledge that discussing self-government in general terms can be problematic sometimes, because the details are important. We have deliberately avoided using the phrases "public government" and "aboriginal self-government." These phrases suggest clear distinctions that will not likely be reflected in practice. In our view, this terminology tends to imply separate realities or watertight compartments. From our work to date, we have concluded that governments in the NWT will not be easily categorized as aboriginal or public.

The governance systems that will be established as a result of self-government agreements will probably not fit neatly into one box or the other.

For example, Mr. Speaker, the territorial government in Nunavut is sometimes called an expression of aboriginal self-government, but in the NWT the territorial government is usually referred to as the public government. The draft Gwich'in and Inuvialuit self-government agreement-in-principle, and the Tlicho agreement are products of self-government negotiations, but will provide mechanisms to deliver programs and services to all residents in many situations. The Deh Cho First Nations framework agreement states that a Deh Cho government will be a public government based upon Deh Cho First Nations laws and customs and other Canadian laws and customs.

In this report, Mr. Speaker, we simply use the phrase "self-government" by itself. We think this describes the type of government all NWT residents want. From this perspective, self-government can be seen as a statement about the capacity of NWT residents to make decisions for themselves, rather than as a reference to a particular model of government that applies to a particular group of people.

Similarly, we use the phrases "community government" and "regional government" to indicate the approximate geographical area in which a particular government will operate, regardless of how they might be established. We are aware that the composition, structure, and powers of community and regional governments might vary considerably from agreement to agreement.

Mr. Speaker self-government has meaning for all of us. We all want to be self-governing. We all want to keep our identities as individuals and groups. However, we must keep in mind that we live closely together and, to one degree or another, are dependent on each other. Together we make up the communities of the NWT and the governments that serve them.

In our view, Mr. Speaker, this is the starting point for understanding the systems of governance that have evolved in the NWT in the past, and for examining what potentially lies ahead as a result of implementing new systems of governance in the Northwest Territories in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I now would like to refer to my colleague, the Honourable Jim Antoine, to continue the presentation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. The chair recognizes the honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Antoine. The chair now recognizes the honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There was a time in the Northwest Territories, and across Canada, when communities were relatively self-sufficient and self-governing. One of the strongest trends in the 20th century was the increasing involvement of many levels of government in virtually every aspect of our daily lives. How did this happen?

One reason is that collectively we have chosen to organize ourselves in ways to improve the standards and conditions in which we live. Most of us now expect governments to deliver a broad range of important programs and services such as health, social services, education, transportation, housing and so on. If these roles and responsibilities are not carried out, we blame the government.

But who is the government? We are. In the Northwest Territories, with its small population and close-knit communities, the government is potentially every one of us, our friends and our neighbours. We, the residents of the Northwest Territories, make up all northern governments, whether it is the territorial government, the band councils, the aboriginal councils, the land claim institutions, the community governments, or the regional boards and agencies.

How can you help? In delivering this report, we want to encourage an ongoing dialogue or conversation about how we can work together to make the NWT a better home for all residents. Most of us think we would do things differently if we were in charge -- if we were the government. What would you change and what would you want to stay the same?

Imagine you have the opportunity and responsibility to make such choices -- because in fact you do. This is what self-government involves, for all of us. Self-government agreements will place the emphasis back on the communities and the people. The futures of all NWT communities will be linked together even more closely than they are today. The new relationships that will develop among our northern governments will depend on our attitudes, and our relationships with each other.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to hand the continuing report on with Mr. Lafferty. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The chair now recognizes the honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Based on the conclusions we have outlined in our address to the Assembly today, we make the following recommendations:

1. The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures should be given responsibility for monitoring and reporting on the implications which implementation of self-government agreements will have on the powers, structures and procedures of the Legislative Assembly.
2. The GNWT should formally designate a sole point of accountability for developing a comprehensive action plan for implementation. This department, ministry or agency should prepare the GNWT and NWT communities for implementation of self-government agreements and should oversee this transition within the regions and communities.
3. A cooperative, arm's-length research body or think-tank should be created which is dedicated to the study of governance systems and practical operational issues associated with the implementation of self-government agreements in the NWT.

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures, with this new mandate, should carry through with these subsequent actions, Mr. Speaker:

4. Conduct a comprehensive study of the legislative powers of the Assembly, and those set out in self-government agreements and relevant documents, in order to provide a framework for analyzing potential areas where overlap is most likely and where amendment or harmonization can reasonably be anticipated.

5. Examine options for formal or informal structures and procedures for coordinating and harmonizing legislation, policies and practices among northern governments, where no such mechanisms have been identified in a self-government agreement.

6. Review current legislative procedures and processes to identify issues and options respecting:

- consultations among governments on their respective legislative initiatives

- informing the Assembly of ongoing legislative initiatives required to implement self-government agreements

- possible mechanisms relating to consent of an aboriginal party to territorial legislation, where such a requirement is set out in a self-government agreement, and

- the appropriate role of the Assembly in any such consultation and consent processes.

7. Identify current legislation and Assembly rules which are likely to require amendment as a result of implementation of self-government agreements.

8. Consider an appropriate role for the Legislative Assembly in building capacity for legislators at a local or regional level through joint workshops, seminars, research functions, and so on.

9. Prepare an action plan for the development of the Legislative Assembly's internal capacity to monitor and plan for the potential changes arising from implementation of self-government agreements.

10. Institute a regular and systematic approach for reviewing issues associated with implementation of self-government agreements, similar to the review of GNWT structures and functions which is undertaken as a transition measure prior to each general election.

Mr. Speaker, I would now like to pass the balance of the report back over to our co-chair, Ms. Lee, for conclusion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The chair now recognizes the honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. An existing GNWT department, ministry or agency with designated responsibility for taking a coordinated approach to implementation should:

11. Develop an action plan for preparing communities, regions, and individuals for the implementation of self-government, including appropriate mechanisms for effective communications and consultations with these stakeholders. Such an action plan should address the need for interdepartmental and intergovernmental coordination. In addition, consideration should be given to establishing a dedicated policy unit within this department, ministry or agency to deal with transition issues and over-arching implementation issues that might affect the structures and operations of the Government of theNorthwest Territories and Legislative Assembly.

12. Seek to establish forums for ongoing regular dialogue with the federal government, aboriginal governments and NWT community governments on territory-wide coordination of practical implementation matters.

13. Coordinate with aboriginal, federal and community governments to establish a leadership institute or program dedicated to developing skills suited for the governance systems emerging in the NWT.

14. Take the lead in the establishment of the arm's-length research body or think-tank referred to in Recommendation No. 3, and to the extent possible, collaborate with aboriginal, federal and community governments in this initiative.

Mr. Speaker, that concludes our final report, and with it our special committee's work. I would like to take this opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to express the committee's appreciation to the individuals and groups that met with us and made presentations. I would also like to thank all the staff of the committee, especially Mr. Bernie Funston, our researcher; Mr. Andrew Stewart, operations assistant; and Mr. Hamilton, our clerk, for their assistance, guidance and support during the life of the committee.

Mr. Speaker, that concludes the final report of the Special Committee on the Implementation of Self-Government and the Sunset Clause and, therefore, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Committee Report 12-14(6) be received by the Assembly and moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. We have a motion and the motion is in order. To the motion.