Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Members, at this time I would like to draw your attention to a former Member of this House in the gallery, Roy Erasmus, a Member of the 13th Legislative Assembly for Weledeh.

---Applause

I'd also like to draw your attention to Susan Legler, acting executive secretary to our Commissioner, the Honourable Glenna Hansen. Welcome to the gallery Ms. Legler.

---Applause

Also a frequent visitor Major Karen Hoeft, and everyone else in the gallery. Welcome.

---Applause

At this time we have quite a number of people waiting in the gallery for the Premier's Awards of Excellence. So I think we will call a short break at this time, a 15-minute break to deal with the awards.

---SHORT RECESS

I'll call the House back to order. Orders of the day. Item 7, written questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have five written questions. My questions today are for the Premier, the Honourable Joseph Handley.

1. What is the direction of this government in providing support for survivors of residential schools?
2. Where can survivors of residential schools go to receive specific treatment for issues that are a result of the residential schools?
3. How is this government working with the office of Indian residential schools established by the federal government?
4. Would the Premier provide this House with clear direction as to where survivors can receive assistance in respect to residential school court support?
5. Is historical information available on how many children in the NWT attended residential schools, mission schools and boarding schools over the years? If this information is available could a regional breakdown of this information be provided?

Mr. Speaker, my second written question is to the Minister of Transportation, the Honourable Michael McLeod, on the closure of the Fort Good Hope Bridge. Will the Minister provide responses to the following questions?

1. When will the report of the recent bridge closure in Fort Good Hope be released?
2. How many of these types of bridges are in use in other places in the Northwest Territories?
3. Will the report look at the department's procedures in constructing and putting such bridges into place?
4. Will the Minister also release a new action plan to address similar situations should they ever arise in other places in the North?

Mr. Speaker, my third written question is to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, the Honourable Michael McLeod, on the Tulita water treatment facility. Would the Minister provide the following responses for the following questions?

1. What are the plans to finally resolve the concerns regarding the water treatment facility in Tulita?
2. What steps will the Minister take to ensure that the people of Tulita will enjoy a safe and secure water treatment facility?
3. What are the timelines for resolving the water treatment facility concerns that are being expressed by the people of Tulita?

Mr. Speaker, my fourth written question is to the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation on housing data and programs in the Sahtu region. Can the Minister provide responses to the following questions?

1. How many people in the Sahtu region reside in public housing?
2. How many elders over 60 years of age have their own homes?
3. How many adults between the ages of 20 and 40 years reside in public housing?
4. What is the policy regarding seasonal workers who are living in public housing in respect to the rental scale?
5. Where will the new mobile homes be located in communities, specifically in the Sahtu region?
6. How does the NWT Housing Corporation plan to address the high number of homes requiring urgent renovations in the Sahtu region?

Mr. Speaker, my last question is to the honourable Minister Michael McLeod and these are for Municipal and Community Affairs regarding local business opportunities to perform municipal and community affairs services. Would the Minister provide responses to the following questions?

1. What are the policies the department operates under when awarding contracts or supporting local businesses as it relates to work performed on behalf of the department?
2. When will local businesses be provided an opportunity to negotiate with the department to perform work on their behalf?
3. Will the Minister ensure that all regions are advised of any changes in procedures related to supporting local businesses?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 7, written questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have two written questions. I have a long one and a short one. I'll start with the short one. Mr. Speaker, my first question goes to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, the Honourable Charles Dent.

Mr. Speaker, would the Minister, the Honourable Charles Dent, agree to take a personal challenge with me by living without a phone service and personal transportation for one single day to recognize for even a brief increment as to how exhausting the struggle must be living on income support?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Ruled Out of Order

Mr. Speaker, I would now like to read my second written question and it's the long one.

Mr. Speaker, I've recently been made aware that recipients of loans under the Business Credit Corporation are free from any public scrutiny unless they are written off as bad debts. Mr. Speaker, however, the Business Development Fund, accountable to the same Minister, has its own report solely for the purpose of recording the names on the loans and how much has been given out on each loan. Mr. Speaker, that is truly accountability. The public has no idea how much public money is being lent and they are not privy to whom it is lent to because section 15 under the BCC Act protects the borrower and not the lender, which is, in this case, the public.

Mr. Speaker, I would encourage the Minister not to take steps but to rather take leaps in addressing public accountability and to help remove the stigma that the BCC is the bank for the well connected.

Mr. Speaker, would the Minister responsible for the BCC Act, using his directive ability, correct this flaw and report back to Members a list of whom the BCC has lent money to and how much they have lent in that last 10 years?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. I'd just like to remind Members that the purpose of written questions is to seek technical, detailed information that is not readily available to the Minister, and there is usually no preamble to written questions, so specific to the question. 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. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As required by section 32.1(2) of the Financial Administration Act, I wish to table the following document entitled List of Interactivity Transfers for the Period April 1, 2004 to May 26, 2004. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 13, tabling of documents. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled NWT Health and Social Services Action Plan, Status Report, October 2003 to March 2004. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 13, tabling of documents.

Pursuant to section 35(b) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, I wish to table the annual report respecting capital accommodation expenses for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004.

Pursuant to section 35(a) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, I wish to table the annual report respecting Members' indemnities and allowances for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004.

Pursuant to section 35(c) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, I wish to table the annual report respecting Members' constituency expenses for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004.

Pursuant to section 21 of the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act, I wish to table the financial statements for the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowance Fund for the year ending March 31, 2004.

Pursuant to section 23 of the Official Languages Act, I wish to table the 2003-2004 annual report of the Office of the Northwest Territories Languages Commissioner.

Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, June 4th, 2004 I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that the Legislative Assembly approves the appointment of the Member for North Slave, Mr. Zoe, to the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight, to the Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development, and to the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Item 14, notices of motion. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, June 4th, 2004, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Frame Lake, that notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on Wednesday, June 2nd, 2004, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, October 13, 2004; and further, that any time prior to October 13th, 2004, if the Speaker is satisfied after consultations with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time than adjourned to, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at a time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as it has been duly adjourned to that time.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will seek unanimous consent to deal with this motion today.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.