Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Villeneuve.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was recently updated on the Akaitcho territory as to the negotiation process and the meetings that were taking place in Ottawa last week with both federal and territorial governments and also the Akaitcho negotiating team.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform this House that there has actually been some headway made in negotiating teams, in the form of a protocol agreement being agreed and signed by all parties involved. This new development may not seem like much to the average Joe on the street, Mr. Speaker, but, to me, it represents an important step in the Akaitcho process. It is important because, firstly, it means that the ball is still rolling and the negotiation process is actually moving forward and a final agreement may become a reality sooner than what was initially anticipated.

It is important, secondly, because of the exploration and mining activity taking place, as we speak, in the Akaitcho territory. With no resource revenue benefits going directly to the residents of the Akaitcho territory, this agreement assures residents that they will be kept more informed, and consulted, on any new initiatives or developments that occur in the Akaitcho territory, by both the GNWT and the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs and Industry, before any new land use permits and/or water licences are issued, because of the fact that a selection process has now been agreed to for the withdrawal of lands in the Akaitcho territory by the parties that were established and signed this agreement.

This is something that has, in the past, been reviewed by many Akaitcho leaders and residents alike, as a practice that has been often circumvented and/or completely missed on many occasions, and/or applications that are pertaining to the Akaitcho territory land use.

In summary, Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say, good job to the Akaitcho negotiating team. I encourage, and fully support, the direction that they are pursuing. I would also like to encourage this government's negotiating team to be more supportive of the Akaitcho process, and be more in accordance with the aboriginal values, traditions and customs when they are at the negotiating table in the future negotiations. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Before I go on to the next Member, I would like to draw the Members' attention to the fact that the second language in the

House today is Inuvialuktun. Thank you, Members. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

This issue is polarizing, and impacting, the community in many ways, Mr. Speaker. Fort Simpson would like to know what is going to be done, because every day we waste, Mr. Speaker, is a day that the ferry is not operating. Gas, heating fuels, and other necessary living essentials are at dangerously low levels. Also, this dispute has increased the prices of already very high living and food costs in the community. It is the constituents and consumers that bear the brunt of the high costs. On behalf of my constituents, Mr. Speaker, we demand that our needs be met. This ferry must run, because we are not ready for freeze-up. Not enough supplies have crossed.

Lastly, Mr. Speaker, even after all of this is resolved, we must continue to discuss with the Premier and this government and determine that the ferry link is an essential service. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. 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, Mr. Speaker. I thank my colleagues for allowing me to conclude my statement. In our small and remote communities, transportation links, such as the ferry, are essential for supplies and fuel services. We must consider them vital, as the government must consider it vital, too, Mr. Speaker, and act accordingly. We also have to decide, as a government, is this type of contract necessary any more? We have local, trained workers in this field, and we can use them if, and when, our government takes over this service. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Members, my apologies; I stand corrected. The second language in the House today is Innuinaqtun.

---Applause

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. There are seven trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves in the Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Speaker, the object of a very high powered consortium to build a $7 billion project in the Mackenzie Valley. I know I have seen numbers in the neighbourhood of, potentially, 40 trillion cubic feet more natural gas that could be found.

Last week, Mr. Speaker, the value of that product was said at about 1,150 giga jewels, three times the historic average, even in the last few months, I think, Mr. Speaker. So it is astonishing to hear that Imperial Oil, the main proponent behind this pipeline, says that it is still not an economic deal in the long term. It is astonishing that they have gone, in such a late date, to negotiate, to wrangle what, I have heard it is estimated, some $2 billion worth of new concessions out of Ottawa through this program.

Today, these are huge numbers for me to try to comprehend, and try to roll out into the next few decades of the NWT, because that is what this project means to us. Today, there is a report from the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association that says that, over 20 years, if the pipeline is not built, Alberta, especially the industrial sector, stands to lose some $20 billion in spin-offs and benefits. They say that Ontario, especially the residential sector, stands to lose $19 billion. Again, these are big numbers and huge time frames.

Well, let's get to something that really is realizable. That is the time frame that is coming up in about three weeks, where Imperial Oil has to signal, or has said it would signal, to the regulatory agencies, whether or not it is going to go.

Mr. Speaker, I am standing here, I think, like a lot of northerners, in frustration and bewilderment. Is this a real project or not? It is so big. It is so critical to our future. Is it too much to ask for some clarity, and some certainty, from the major players here, from industry, from the federal government, and from the regulatory agencies? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak today, in protest against the lack of action, and the priority given, to address the inadequate funding and resources to our day care programs. Mr. Speaker, we are well aware of the fact that Rainbow Childcare Centre in Fort Smith is on the verge of closing this Friday. The sad fact is, Mr. Speaker, that this is only one of many, in recent years, that have shared the same fate. The centre in Inuvik closed not long ago. I know at least three centres closed in Yellowknife recently. Mr. Speaker, I could also tell you that most of the ones that are running in the city are in constant threat from lack of funding and resources. Mr. Speaker, we also saw, first hand, the struggles for resources in Lutselk'e day care centre, and the list goes on and on.

Mr. Speaker, how long could this go on? It is about time that this government acts on what it says about the importance of children. Mr. Speaker, whenever asked, the Minister is quick to point the finger at the federal government. Already, I know that the Minister is armed with answers as to why we couldn't give $20,000 bail-out for the day care in Fort Smith, or why he couldn't get money from the federal government. Well, Mr. Speaker, I am not going to buy that anymore. The fact that the Minister couldn't get the funding, or change the funding formula, only speaks to his inaction and incompetence. The children should not be blamed for not getting any funding, Mr. Speaker.

This government always has money to bail out diamond companies, with multi-millions of dollars, in the name of creating jobs and keeping jobs. Well, good on you. I have to tell you that the day care centres in our communities create jobs in every community that are meaningful and relevant to the people who live there. It keeps the people who have jobs, and people that are going to school to keep in school so that they can get better jobs. Mr. Speaker, why is there no help for these centres?

This government, apparently, gives $500,000 to someone without requiring any paperwork. Yet they have an army of people requiring mountains and mountains of paperwork on a daily basis for those running day care centres, just to tell them that they actually have to pay money back. Mr. Speaker, there is something really wrong with this picture. It is about time this Minister, the Premier, and the whole Cabinet, understands that children are as important as they say they are, and that they are as important as health care funding, resource revenue sharing and the pipeline. We need a champion for children in day care, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to speak on the need to keep the Workers' Compensation Board in the central, downtown core of Yellowknife. I believe that if this government allows the Workers' Compensation Board to build outside this core, it will contribute to the continued diminishment of the viability of our downtown. Many downtown businesses have made a significant investment in Yellowknife. What message does this send to them? It appears to be nothing but a slap in the face. But what message does it send to industry? They can only wonder what is happening to our city. Many of these businesses have been part of the growing downtown for a number of years, but this shows no continued support and does not stand by them. Removal of 150 employees does nothing for the restaurants, the coffee shops, the clothing stores, et cetera, downtown, to keep our vibrant downtown hustling and bustling.

Mr. Speaker, these same businesses have made concentrated efforts to revitalize the downtown core. Take, for example, the City of Yellowknife. It has done much to clean up the landscape. The RCMP, in its recent drug bust, is, clearly, a testament to cleaning up the downtown. Where is this government's support?

Mr. Speaker, we only have to look at the effects that moving government offices out of the downtown core contributed to the cities of Edmonton, and even Winnipeg. I know that Edmonton had to really struggle to encourage investment back into their downtown core. Everybody knows that, in the '70s, after 6:00, it was, truly, a virtual ghost town.

So I say, Mr. Speaker, I do not want our capital city to suffer in this way. We have the ability and, indeed, we have the responsibility, as a government, to help the downtown core retain, and regain, its vibrancy as a central role in the life of our community, Mr. Speaker, before we start seeing the problems associated with an inner city.

I am not going to argue whether it makes business sense for the WCB to own and operate its own building. We all know that they presently own their own condo space, but I suspect it would be the same argument as the territorial courthouse. There is probably a business case there somewhere. However, Mr. Speaker, I will argue that the WCB does not need a prestigious address, looking over a lake or any other special area, to serve injured workers and their employers. In fact, Mr. Speaker, I would suggest to you that, if the WCB builds any building, it should be a utilitarian office. Mr. Speaker, may 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. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. I would suggest that, if WCB needs to build a building, it had better be by a utilitarian type of office building, because they are doing nothing for themselves but building a simple monument for their representation and wasting the money paid to them by employers across the NWT. Employers already complain about the cost of premiums. This has only justified why they are so high.

Free parking is the rumour out there for employees, Mr. Speaker. That is all I seem to hear. MLAs don't get free parking, so why should their employees? We need to end those types of rumours.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to reiterate that the WCB, to relocate outside the downtown core, would be establishing a precedent for this government to end their departments and corporations that follow. I would go so far as to call it dangerous, and it must stop now in its tracks. I believe that adequate space exists in government buildings downtown, or other buildings or other lots downtown, that could be utilized immediately.

Could you conclude your statement, Mr. Hawkins?

Finally, I would expect the Minister responsible for the WCB to show some leadership and commitment to the people of Yellowknife, and provide direction to the WCB to keep their operations in the downtown core. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.