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.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. I will just conclude and state that safety is considered foremost in our minds as we deal with this especially tense time. Thank you very much.

---Applause

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

Mr. Speaker, Dennis Waitley once said, "The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence." Mr. Speaker, the youth are crying out for help, telling us to listen, telling us that we, as adults, are not paying attention to them. We are still hoping that the youth issues will go away and we will continue on with life, and that it is their problem and blame it on them. We, as parents, who elect officials, have a huge responsibility to guide our youth into independence. Why is it that only when the youth get media attention for crimes committed, vandalism, or take part in any anti-social behaviour, we begin to discuss youth issues? Yet, I read in newspapers that our youth in larger centres are entering into national and international events and sports that youth in the smaller communities can only dream of unless we can bring back the test program that was once truly successful in Inuvik in the 1960s that combined the schools in after-school activities.

Mr. Speaker, we have a huge population of youth in the North. Mr. Speaker, in the Sahtu region, we have a high percentage of youth in our communities. We, as leaders and members in positions of authority, have to provide basic tools and skills to give our youth the responsibilities for their choices in life. Mr. Speaker, research shows us that there are far-reaching negative effects of leaving children and teens unsupervised after school, and that children exposed to inadequate care are more susceptible to peer pressure and negative influence than those who receive structured and supervised care. It is obvious that there is a need for youth after-school programs in all of our communities in the Northwest Territories. However, the need is more apparent in smaller communities because of lack of facilities, resources and NGOs involved in providing after-school extracurricular programming.

Mr. Speaker, it shocks me to hear that this government is considering building a brand-new building along some nice walking trails for WCB. Mr. Speaker, how can this take place? The needs of our residents will be better met by providing adequate facilities and resources for after-school programs. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I urge this government to take a serious look at where its priorities lie and, more importantly, where they should be. We must provide opportunities for those children that are in desperate need of our attention. Mahsi.

---Applause

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We now have even more proof that the old considered plan to relocate the Territorial Treatment Centre was purely politically motivated. Shame on this government, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The revelation about the TTC issue given to this House today by Mr. Ramsay is striking proof of nothing short of betrayal by this government; in fact, a series of betrayals, Mr. Speaker.

First of all, and most damning, is that this is a betrayal of the children, their families, the staff of the Territorial Treatment Centre, and many others across the community of Yellowknife. The department, the Minister, indeed the whole Cabinet, betrayed these people's trust in us to continue delivering the program they need so much in a community that has worked so hard for so long to make it available. Mr. Speaker, the evidence is overwhelming. The integrity and sustainability of the care of these kids with deep emotional and behavioural problems would be badly impaired, perhaps irreversibly, by this move.

Secondly, Mr. Speaker, this is a betrayal of a trust we MLAs must have in our Ministers and our Cabinet. We are trying to represent our communities, and our constituents, to the best of our ability every day. How can we do that when Ministers and Cabinet so blatantly and arrogantly disabuse the trust and the process conventions we must rely on?

Thirdly, it is a betrayal of what we stand for in this Legislative Assembly consensus. Over a year ago, through our regular process of consensus, we reached an agreement to fund $2.4 million for a much needed renovation to the TTC here in Yellowknife. Then, behind

our backs, this government deferred that project; decided to relocate it to another community; added another million dollars to the cost; and threw the work of 15 years of community cooperation and dedication out the window. A betrayal all for political reasons. But unlike the reputation of this government at this point, Mr. Speaker, this project can be salvaged. It requires the immediate reversal of the decision to relocate, and the immediate re-instatement of the renovations to the TTC. That is all. It is simple. That must be the next step, and it must be immediate. Enough politicizing the welfare of the children. For the children, Mr. Speaker...

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

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, enough politicizing the welfare of the children. For the children, Mr. Speaker, let's get back to caring and trustworthiness in this government. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Item 3, Member's statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik, Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to speak about decisions that are made by this government. Some decisions, Mr. Speaker, that are made seem to be purely political, and don't make much sense even to a newcomer to this Assembly like myself. Decisions, Mr. Speaker, like putting a pipeline office in a community that...

---Laughter

...putting a pipeline office in Hay River when all the anchor fields and everything are up in the Beaufort-Delta, and without these anchor fields, there would be no need for a pipeline office or a pipeline. Decisions, Mr. Speaker, like closing down Dene K'onia and the remand centre in Hay River, because they built a fancy, new jail here in Yellowknife and they have to justify building it. Decisions, Mr. Speaker, like moving the TTC out of Yellowknife, where most of the support services are needed.

I am all for decentralization, Mr. Speaker, but some services, I agree, need to stay. There are decisions like entering into negotiated contracts, and sole sourcing, while contractors that don't have anybody to lobby on their behalf are left out in the cold. Mr. Speaker, if the government wants to make some good quality business decisions, then move the offices for student financial services to the regions where they best help the people that they serve.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise with my colleagues with a statement in regards to the relocation of the Territorial Treatment Centre. Finally my colleague has put it on the record that this is truly a political issue, so it is finally on the table. The clouds that have been bothering the facts are out, and now it is clear and as plain as day. The garbage has been moved, and the stinky decision has finally revealed itself. This is only a political shuffle, Mr. Speaker, so let's rise above cloudy principles and cloudy ethics. I say to the honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, do the right thing by leaving the TTC here in Yellowknife where it is working just fine.

Mr. Speaker, we all know that I support decentralization where it makes sense. I support that when we look at establishing new offices, new plans and whatnot, but not to rip out something that is the heart of the community, that has roots and flourished for many years. This is nothing but political two-stepping by this Minister, and it has to end. It is Cabinet putting Yellowknife against the communities, and Yellowknife against Hay River. Let's not fool ourselves. It is Cabinet that is driving this wedge here today, not the Yellowknife Members, Mr. Speaker. Again, let's not confuse the issue on this relocation. We know why it is happening, so I call this decision today obtuse. As a reminder to those who are wondering what that means, it truly means it is insensitive. So I call the Minister obtuse to this issue, obtuse to the communities, and I think it is time that we realize what is happening and we stop it. It is not based on principles of sound budget management. It is truly based on the principles of "Let's fill Dene K'onia." Why fool ourselves?

Mr. Speaker, in closing, we all know that the WCB is looking for a home. So while maybe we can offer WCB something, a fortified department, the walls of the former jail, rather than a family oriented centre that helps kids. If you are motivated to fill that centre, fill it with WCB. As I said, they are looking for a new office to work out of; there you go. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have good people in the gallery and in the community who would like us to do the right thing by the Territorial Treatment Centre, Mr. Speaker, if is not for anything else but for one important reason, that being the well-being of the children who are being treated there, and for the well-being of the very fragile program being delivered at the TTC.

Mr. Speaker, it is the only intensive residential program for children with great emotional and behavioural problems in the NWT. Instead of building on the strength that we have at the TTC, the government has made a very careless reason, Mr. Speaker, to uproot it and move it to another community without any basis or any analysis of merit. The government has talked to no one, not the people who work there, not the parents of the children who live there, not the educators or support workers, or even pediatricians or child psychiatrists who provide the range of services so vital to the well-being and recovery of these children. No amount of common sense input that has been provided to the Cabinet or the Minister since the announcement made in the paper is doing anything to have the Minister and the government reconsider this decision.

Mr. Speaker, since the announcement of the move, the centre has seen a mass exodus of caring people who work there. This program is in danger of serious jeopardy well before the planned transfer in 2007. In the meantime, it is the children who will be the most adversely affected. I have to ask, what for? There could have been something good created to fill the Dene K'onia facility without destroying something good and fragile that was running at TTC for the children in need, Mr. Speaker. With some foresight, the government could have done something that could have maintained the TTC program in Yellowknife, and have something to be housed in Hay River, but the government did not. Now the children are the ones who are suffering from the political games being played in this Hall without regard to what really matters.

Children are the people we are supposed to be serving here, Mr. Speaker, and that is a real shame. Mr. Speaker, this is really turning into a big mess, especially in light of the new information that Mr. Ramsay has been able to find. I believe the Minister and the Cabinet have a chance to readdress this, stop and clean this up, Mr. Speaker, and undo the damage. Mr. Speaker, may I 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, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe the Minister and the Cabinet have a chance to readdress this and undo the damage we have done to the program. I believe it is still not too late for the government to do something other than pitting one community against another or this Assembly breaking into Yellowknife versus all others in fistfights. I can get right into that, but I would rather not, Mr. Speaker. There are no winners in that game.

There can be a win-win outcome to this, Mr. Speaker. Everyone in the field knows this. There is a need for at least another children's program, if not more. Currently, the TTC is full. There are at least five children on the waiting list. We have enough children in need to keep TTC going, and have another facility in Dene K'onia, Hay River. We can keep TTC here and get up another program in Hay River or, if the government insists on moving it, we could have a program in Hay River but have another, or more modified, or more intense program, set up in Yellowknife. This does not require more money, because we know that we have children in the South who could be repatriated. We have children on the waiting list which I believe the government...

Could you conclude your statement, Ms. Lee?