Mr. Speaker, there have been a lot of promises made over a number of years for things to be dealt with within the new Wildlife Act, but we are still waiting today. Nothing has been done by this government. Later on this afternoon, Mr. Speaker, I will be questioning the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With our winter season upon us, I wish to speak to the issue of power rates in the NWT. There continues to be great disparity in the rates charged to northerners for electricity. At the extreme, we have some residents paying 22 times the amount other people are asked to pay. That is 2,200 percent more. I would like to think, Mr. Speaker, that any democratically-elected government with a mandate to treat all of its citizens equally would be concerned with addressing such glaring inequalities. However, that does not seem to be the case with this government. I am concerned that this inequality is about to become even worse. Power rates are the highest in those communities that rely on diesel-generated power. Lately, we have seen world oil prices reach an all-time high, exceeding $50 a barrel. Clearly, this will mean an increase in the price of diesel-generated power, which will create an additional economic burden for some residents, but not, Mr. Speaker, for all.

The current rate structure applied by this government penalizes people living in smaller communities. That is to say the way that the government conducts its business is creating a social imbalance. Electricity is an essential service, and yet we have people in smaller communities who must do without many things in life in order to pay their prohibitive electricity costs. I am concerned this imbalance will become critical and that it is going to have serious consequences for all of us.

In 2002, the NWT Power Corporation recommended the establishment of a single power rate across the NWT. This would have been in keeping with the system established by most other Canadian jurisdictions. However, the recommendation was rejected by the Executive Council of the 14th Assembly, and we continue to experience disparity.

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

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Menicoche.

I would like to thank my honourable colleagues for allowing me time to conclude my Member's statement. I would like to remind you all that our current hydro-electric infrastructure was paid for by all the NWT residents with across-the-board rate increases. And yet, now, people in smaller communities who were asked to help people in the larger centres are being told you are on your own. It is too bad. Do we ask people in smaller remote communities to pay more for health care because it costs more to deliver? No, we do not. We understand such things to be a fundamental matter of fairness and equality in a democratic society. This government will claim they are treating people equally and fairly by subsidizing power rates in smaller communities. That is true. There are subsidies up to a certain point, which is to say that this government is willing to treat its citizens equally and fairly up to a certain point, but that is just not good enough. Partial subsidies that partially address the issues are not adequate or acceptable, Mr. Speaker. Social fairness and equality must be a matter of policy and law carried out with intent. It is not a matter of expedience

or convenience applied after the fact. I would like to conclude my statement, Mr. Speaker, by saying that I will be giving notice of a motion in the House later today regarding this issue. Mahsi Cho.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as many Members are aware, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As it has for the last 13 years in Canada, and for the 11th year in Yellowknife, CIBC Run for the Cure was held on October 3rd of this year. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to also advise you that this year CIBC Run for the Cure was held in many of our northern sister communities including Inuvik, Iqaluit, Hay River, Rankin Inlet, Norman Wells, Fort Simpson, and Fort Smith. Once again, Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report to you that Yellowknife has kept up with its reputation for breaking all records in terms of most money raised on a per capita basis. The final tally of money raised this year was almost $200,000, at $199,969 to be exact, and still counting. The students from J.H. Sissons, St. Pat's, and N.J. Macpherson alone raised over $18,000. I know that my own school of Range Lake North raised a lot of money as well, although, due to their small size in numbers of students, they couldn't be in the top three.

Mr. Speaker, for the Women's Challenge Award, which is a category for any women's team consisting of more than 10 women, the team that raised most money again this year, and for many years before, is a team called Girl Power, which is a team made mostly of Grade 6 school girls headed up by Brooke Madsen and Dana Harris. They alone raised over $12,000. Mr. Speaker, they have been winning for a number of years. I know that for two weeks they went out every day knocking on doors asking for money for this. They were raking in about $200 a day. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to make special mention of Great Slave Helicopters and its team captain Trudy Wesnowski whose team won the CIBC Corporate Challenge Award for raising $12,416. In individual categories, Trudy Wesnowski and Patti Olexin-Lang collectively raised over $12,000.

Mr. Speaker, there are so many winners, sponsors, volunteers and many leaders behind this project that I could not name all of the names at this time, but on behalf of everyone in this House, I would like to send genuine and heartfelt thanks to all of those who were involved for another successful event. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to make a statement about the radioactive contaminated soil mound in Tulita. To be more specific, Mr. Speaker, what I will speak to today is the infuriating federal bureaucracy that can't seem to get it together to take action on this issue.

From the 1930s to the 1950s, a 2,200 kilometre water transportation route was being used to move uranium and radium ore from Port Radium mine on the Great Bear, down the Bear River, up the Mackenzie River to Fort McMurray where it was shipped by rail to Ontario. The waterway system was called the northern transportation route.

During the investigation of the route in 1991 to 1993, over 47,000 cubic metres of contaminated soil was found to be located in the Northwest Territories alone. Some 11,000 cubic metres were relocated to temporary storage spots because they were dangerously close to where people were living. In Tulita, uranium contaminated soil was temporarily stored in the mound near the airport and, over 10 years later, the federal government still can't tell us what the plan is or when they will be able to move the contaminated soil.

I received a copy of a letter sent from the federal government to the RWED department. I have been working in the government for some time, Mr. Speaker, so I should be used to it, but when I read this letter I laughed out loud, not because the subject is not serious -- believe me, I take this issue very seriously -- I laughed out loud, Mr. Speaker, because this issue has been bouncing back between agencies, offices and commissions for so long, it makes our people very dizzy. The amount of red tape involved in doing something about this issue is ludicrous.

The issue is the responsibility of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission in accordance with the Nuclear Safety and Control Act, but it is managed by the low-level radioactive waste management office on behalf of the Government of Canada. However, the Natural Resource Council sets a policy, but the sitting of the mound took place under previous legislation. So how long a mound can remain is a matter to be discussed by the low-level radioactive waste management office and Natural Resources Canada, and then there is the issue that the mound requires a licence to store nuclear substances. Mr. Speaker, I hope someone is explaining all of this to the mound.

I know this issue is serious and technical, and that it involves careful consideration, but, once and for all, I would like to see the federal government get their act together and stop batting this issue around from agency to agency. I would like to see the problem of the radioactive soil mound in Tulita dealt with immediately.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development...

Mr. Yakeleya, your time for Member's statement has expired.

Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to conclude my Member's statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. I urge the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development to do all that is within his power to push the federal government to clean up the contaminated soil mound in Tulita as well as other contaminated

mounds in the Northwest Territories once and for all and as soon as possible. I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We are fortunate in the Northwest Territories to have an abundance of natural beauty and natural resources. The challenge that we face on a daily basis is how to manage these.

Some 10 years ago, Members of this House had the fortitude and the foresight to see that we must receive a greater benefit from these resources. Specific to that issue, Mr. Speaker, was the diamond resource. Who would have thought that, 10 years ago, Yellowknife would be the diamond capital of North America today with a world-class cutting and polishing industry developed here employing about 160 people and worth an estimated $9 million to our economy? Certainly not the Ottawa bureaucrats or the multi-national companies of the day, Mr. Speaker. It was the leadership of this House that saw these developments take place in the cutting and polishing industry. Surely 10 percent by value of their production was not too much to ask from the companies that were exploiting and profiting from this tremendous resource.

With the unveiling of the National Diamond Strategy, the Northwest Territories is continuing to demonstrate its leadership in this industry. The development of a strategy, of course, must continue to recognize the central position of the Northwest Territories and Yellowknife to the Canadian diamond industry. An example of this, Mr. Speaker, is our own Aurora College, which has established a Diamond Cutting and Polishing Program, recognized with a recent new national award for outstanding innovation and education.

We are beginning, too, Mr. Speaker, to realize the untapped opportunities that the diamond industry offers to tourism. Another added benefit is that aboriginal governments have concluded socioeconomic agreements that bring employment and education as well as economic opportunities to their regions, but these are insignificant benefits, Mr. Speaker, compared with the astonishing profits and royalties that are streaming out of the Northwest Territories.

Is it correct to say that four percent is not enough? Are those royalties to come to the Northwest Territories? Or is it better to say that 96 percent of these royalties and taxes going to the federal government is unfair?

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

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, thank you. Resource development in the Northwest Territories must grow and expand in a sustainable and diversified way. If future generations are to have a legacy from these current developments, then this government and this House must continue to show the fortitude and the foresight to demand a devolution deal that recognizes a rightful share of the value staying here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today because of an event that happened yesterday. The subject that I am going to talk about is certainly no stranger to this House. The sad thing is that it never gets enough air time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to talk today about the unsung heroes of this Legislative Assembly. Their names never get on any plaques. We never really talk about them very much. They never ever get paid. They very rarely get mentioned under any circumstance. Mr. Speaker, they are the backbone of every politician. Mr. Speaker, what I am really talking about is the commitment our families supply to us, supporting us to make sure that we are here to do what we have to do.

Case in point, Mr. Speaker -- and this is kind of why it touches me so much -- is the fact that yesterday morning I got up and drove my wife to work. I then took my son to his grandmother's house to drop him off because she is taking care of him right now. I rushed in to get here for a 9:00 meeting, another meeting at 10:30 and one at lunch. Guess what? We had session at 1:30 and, to no surprise, it went to 5:45, and here is another one, we had another meeting. That meeting went to 8:00. Now, I had a meeting that started at 7:00, so I went to that meeting at 8:00 and went until after 9:00, and it continues, Mr. Speaker. On my way home after 9:00 -- I walked home -- I had to visit a constituent on my way home.

I received some phone calls last night as well. Mr. Speaker, I arrived just in time last night to help my wife finish giving my son a bath, and I just got him dressed and put him to bed. Mr. Speaker, these are really sad things because I hope the day doesn't come that my wife has to card me at the door, but I can only imagine how difficult it must be on the Premier's family, whereas he travels so much. I am certainly glad I have the support that I do. I have to recognize the difficulties that we all go through, especially that our spouses must suffer from.

Mr. Speaker, every start of every Assembly, I bring down a photo of my son here as a reminder of why we are here. I would hold it up, but I have been in trouble before for holding things up, so...

---Laughter

I won't break that rule twice. Mr. Speaker, I am just going to quickly close to say special thanks to people like my mother, who takes care of my son, my mother-in-law, who is always there for us when she takes care of him, and

especially to my wife, who tends to get neglected because they realize the sacrifice and the importance of this job, and that we very rarely find precious time to get together to share the family time. But, Mr. Speaker, it is just important to bring this up, and I think that sometimes we forget about why we are here and how important it is and the support we get. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my Member's statement today, I think that we are hearing more and more now of youth who are troubled and causing all kinds of incidents to occur in the communities in which they reside. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my statement, this is not just a one department or one agency or one community issue. This is a northern issue. I'd like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, what is in place right now for youth who are either needing treatment for addictions or needing treatment for behavioural problems. What options and tools are available for these youth in the Northwest Territories today? Thank you.

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