Good morning, Members. Before I go on, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize and offer my collective thanks to the Pages who have been serving us so well in this House over the past two weeks. They are from Range Lake North School and Ecole St. Joseph School in Yellowknife. Thank you for a job well done and good luck in your studies for the rest of the year.

---Applause

Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to all Members about the Canadian Young Worker Memorial Life Quilt that will be unveiled today at 12:00 noon in the Great Hall.

The memorial life quilt, Mr. Speaker, pays tribute to those young workers involved in a workplace injury.

The quilt was created in 2003 for the Day of Mourning and was sewn together by volunteer quilters from across Canada. The quilt is a lasting memorial to 100 young workers aged 15 to 24, who were killed at work. At the same time, Mr. Speaker, it spreads a powerful message about the importance of accident prevention in the workplace.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT and Nunavut have three panels affixed to the quilt for the young workers that lost their lives while on the job. They are Jason Stewart, Peter Barnabas and Michael Daniska. The families of these young workers will be present during the unveiling of the quilt. I invite all Members to pay their respects to both the families and the memorial life quilt later today.

The memorial life quilt has been brought to the NWT as a prelude to the WCB's "What if You Couldn't" National Young Workers' Safety Conference that also commences today. Mr. Speaker, over 100 young workers and their supervisors representing seven provinces and territories along with six foreign countries will gather this weekend at the first ever North of 60 Youth Safety Conference hosted by the Workers' Compensation Board.

I commend the WCB for taking the initiative and making prevention the focus for our northern young workers to stop the cycle of workplace injuries. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Charles Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, I would like to announce an exciting new pilot program to provide leadership opportunities for young people in the Northwest Territories: the Northwest Territories Youth Abroad Program.

The Honourable Michael McLeod, Minister responsible for Youth and I, as Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, have agreed to jointly contribute start up funding for a pilot project that will operate over the next two years. This NWT pilot project will be operated under the direction of the Nunavut Youth Abroad Society and coordinated by Northwest Territories volunteers to involve young people from across the North.

In 1997, a group of educators in what is now Nunavut envisioned a comprehensive program to encourage young people to gain the experience and skills that would equip them to be future leaders of their territory. Subsequently, the Nunavut Youth Abroad Program was formed. At the time, the GNWT provided start-up funding to support the effort.

Mr. Speaker, the Youth Abroad Program is designed to take young people from smaller communities who haven't travelled much beyond their local area and who show potential as leaders and to assist these youth obtain a variety of academic and life skills they can use in their future. These skills include an emphasis on succeeding in school and the development of a view of life beyond our borders.

After acceptance into the program, each participant must complete career and technology studies courses that are part of the NWT school curriculum. Participants will be matched with a local mentor and participate in skill development sessions. Ultimately, participants will go in groups of two to stay with a family in southern Canada and be placed in a summer job for a period of five weeks with the support of program workers. This support is key to the program's success.

At the end of the first summer, participants return home and continue their academic studies in their home communities with post-placement activities.

In Nunavut, it was demonstrated that this link with the school system helped students to stay in school or, if they had already opted out, drew them back into the system. Of the young people who participated in the Nunavut

program, 96 percent continued on to complete their secondary education and graduate. It's important to note that some of these youth were initially identified as being at-risk, so these results are dramatic, indeed.

Once the NWT pilot program has been completed and assessed, consideration will be given to continuing onwards to the second phase of the NWT Youth Abroad Program.

Mr. Speaker, in phase two, youth who have completed the southern Canadian placement, may go on to international placements.

By the Government of the Northwest Territories making this two-year contribution to the Northwest Territories Youth Abroad Program, we are making an investment in the future leaders of tomorrow. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, the week of October 17th to 23rd is National Foster Family Week. I would like to take a moment to recognize the valuable contribution that foster families make to our communities and our children.

Foster families form an important network of safe, caring homes for children. They have a very challenging and demanding role and provide care for children when parents are unable. There are about 200 foster homes in the NWT that give children a stable, nurturing home environment. It is encouraging to see that so many people in our territory have offered to care for children. Over the past few years we have seen an increase in the number of extended family foster homes.

Mr. Speaker, foster parents are an integral part of our child and family services. Their work goes beyond providing children with food and shelter. They offer children a supportive environment while supporting their interaction with their birth families. They are key members of a team dedicated to helping children and youth work through problems. Foster parents work with the social workers in their communities to meet individual educational, medical and developmental needs.

The children in foster care range in age from infants to teenagers. They include children from every part of our territory. Our foster families have welcomed these children into their homes, and should be admired and congratulated for the services they provide every day.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize the Foster Family Coalition of the NWT. This organization strengthens the network of foster families. They advocate for children, provide a support network and participate in the development and delivery of foster family training all over the NWT. The coalition is an important resource for foster parents, to help them understand that they are not alone and that there are others who can support them through difficult times.

I would like to take this opportunity to call on families throughout our territory to become foster families. I ask the Members of this House to join me in applauding the efforts of those who have taken up this service throughout the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the Status of Women, Mr. Dent.

I am pleased to announce today the latest appointment and reappointments to the Status of Women Council of the NWT.

Patricia Lamouelle of Rae-Edzo has been appointed for a term of three years and Lynn Brooks of Yellowknife, Lorayne Menicoche-Moses of Fort Simpson, and Geraldine Sharpe-Staples of Inuvik have been reappointed for terms of three years.

These women will join Betty Tsetso of Deline and Therese Dolly Lafferty of Fort Resolution. I would also like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of departing board member Natasha McCagg.

I want to take this time to thank all of these individuals and the staff of the council for the good work they have done to advance women's equality issues in the Northwest Territories. Under the excellent leadership of these individuals, we have seen increased education and awareness in a number of areas including prevention of family violence, ongoing improvements to the resource library and research projects such as the social and environmental impacts of resource development on women. Of particular note is the Women's Voices in Leadership project. This project provided women from across the NWT with training and support as they consider careers in political leadership. This is an important initiative as it encourages women to enter into politics. I hope to see many more women running, and winning seats, in the next territorial election.

Mr. Speaker, the Status of Women Council has been the impetus for many major developments such as Family Violence Awareness Week. They have actively supported the newly-established NWT Human Rights Commission, the work now underway for the implementation of the Protection Against Family Violence Act, and, most recently, the release of The Government Of the Northwest Territories Response to the NWT Action Plan on Family Violence, 2003-2008: A Framework for Action.

Much has been accomplished and still much needs to be done. I look forward to continuing my collaboration with the council to improve women's economic, social and political equality. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in this House to speak of some people in my riding. First, I would like to send my condolences to the families of an elderly woman, Mrs. Mona Wolki of Paulatuk who passed away peacefully earlier this week. I understand the funeral will be held this afternoon. My prayers are with the families of the late Mona Wolki.

I would also like to send birthday greetings to Mrs. Persis Gruben of Tuktoyaktuk who turned 86 years young on October 20, 2004.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to send a very special birthday greeting to my son, Darren John, who turned 17 years young today. Happy birthday, son, and listen to mom. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the National Youth Safety Conference hosted by the Workers' Compensation Board of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. The conference will be held in Yellowknife on October 22nd, today, the 23rd and 24th. Over 110 young people from across the country between the ages of 16 and 24 will be arriving in Yellowknife to sharpen their safety skills in the workplace.

This will be the first National Youth Safety Conference hosted North of 60. The conference is called "What if You Couldn't." It's aimed at instructing young workers about the tragic, long-term effects of on-the-job injuries and how to increase workplace safety so that injuries do not occur.

Over the course of the three days, participants will gain skills and knowledge about workplace safety that they will be able to share with co-workers once they return to the worksites. I was pleased to hear that Yellowknife has the honour of hosting a national conference of this value.

Given that industry in the Northwest Territories is booming, I find it appropriate that a conference on workplace safety is happening in the Northwest Territories at this time. As we rush ahead with these heady days of development, it is important that we, as leaders, work with industry to ensure that the safety of workers remains a top priority.

I took a look at the schedule of events for this conference, Mr. Speaker, and I was pleased to see a number of local industry reps who will be participating in this conference: Diavik Diamond Mines will host one evening; Beaver Enterprises, together with the community of Fort Liard have collaborated for an afternoon session. Both of these sessions are called "Walking the Safety Talk."

In addition, presentations will be made by nationally-renowned leaders in safety, and young workers who have had the experience of being injured on the job. Employers will participate in the National Youth Safety Conference, as well, Mr. Speaker, gaining insight into the specific needs of young workers and their responsibility to meet those needs. I have no doubt that this conference will serve as an important learning tool for both young workers and their supervisors alike. I would like to welcome the participants to Yellowknife. I hope they have an informative and enjoyable time, and are to take their new safety skills back to their communities, when the conference is over, for the safety of everyone. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about our style of government. We take pride in our unique style of consensus government, and I agree that there are many advantages to the way in which we conduct the business of this government when one observes the gridlock and adversarial energy often expended in governments with a party system. Incidentally, I think many of our legislators in the House of Commons are gaining a whole new appreciation for consensus government since they convened after the last federal election.

Another major component of our work is that of the committees which we sit on. I believe I can say that our required participation through membership on the various standing committees in the government is where we spend the most of our duty time, apart from the work in our constituencies. We have been in session for about the past week and a half. Sometimes we attend in Yellowknife when session is not on for committees, but we also meet and have at least one committee meeting a day while we're here while session is on. Mr. Speaker, as the Members know, it's not uncommon to meet at 9:00, 10:30, noon, 1:30, and then at adjournment. I have a problem with this on a number of fronts, Mr. Speaker. I fundamentally believe that too much of our work is conducted in committee behind closed doors.

I object to this, because firstly it takes too much of our time. I represent a very busy riding, and when session is on I must apologize to my constituents in that on days when we meet for 12 hours, I often don't even get a chance to return their phone calls.

I'm not complaining about hard work, but I do resent redundant work. For example, we often go through things like supplementary appropriations or bills in painstaking, line-by-line detail in committee, just before it comes to the House to go into Committee of the Whole, where we could theoretically ask exactly the same questions. Unfortunately, the questions -- often very good questions -- don't get asked again in the House, and I don't have much appetite for asking the same question twice. If I'm satisfied with the answer, I'm not likely to ask it again for

the House performance. The public is then deprived of having access to these questions and the answers on the public record, and they will only be contained in the official transcript of the committee. Oh, yes, that's another issue. The deliberations in committee are also all recorded and painstakingly transcribed as is Hansard in the House. 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? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, there are matters of discussion which need to be in camera, things which other councils of elected persons discuss in camera related to personnel and legal matters, or where there is information of a proprietary nature. There may be some argument to be made for discussing things like business plans of departments in camera, simply because Ministers and departments share this information with Members in confidence to secure their input; a privilege not normally enjoyed in other styles of government. But apart from that, I don't know of anything that could not be handled in the public.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I am all for efficiency, and apart from making our government more transparent, doing more business in public would avoid the duplication of effort on the part of our busy Members, including me. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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