Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning. Mr. Speaker, I would like to update Members on the implementation of the action plan for human resources in the corrections service, which I released last December.

A review began in August and the final report, prepared by corporate human resources, identified 35 items to be considered.

The action plan was prepared in response to this review. To implement this plan, a team was established, including an independent evaluator, human resources and information technology staff, and corrections staff.

I'm pleased to report that of the 35 recommendations we received in November, 16 have already been addressed. We expect to have dealt with all of the remaining recommendations by April 30th.

A proposed reorganization of corrections headquarters and North Slave Correctional Centre is being considered. We are working on a request for proposals to develop a training and personal development databank. We've also improved communications between management and staff, set clear requirements for hiring and established occupational health and safety committees in all our facilities.

As the Members of this Assembly know, some of this work will continue for years after the project is completed. Some of the long-term actions include a three-year training plan, recruitment strategies and more effective training and performance reviews.

I'm pleased to see this project progressing and I will table a status report for the action plan later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, February 21st, we will celebrate Heritage Day. This is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the diversity of heritage and culture that all Canadians enjoy. In the NWT, we are especially blessed with an exciting history and a strong sense of heritage.

While our communities and residents have many opportunities every year to celebrate culture and heritage, today I would like to recognize a number of community-based projects in the Northwest Territories that are part of a national program called the Historical Places Initiative. Under this initiative, communities, heritage organizations and government institutions are working together to document, preserve and make better known those places across this country that are important reminders of our heritage and traditions.

This year:

• • In the community of Enterprise, heritage sites in the community are being researched as part of a heritage plan to guide future planning work.
• • The Sambaa K'e Dene Band is involving the elders of Trout Lake in an inventory of sensitive cultural places important to the community's heritage.
• • In Yellowknife, the City Heritage Committee is publishing an updated walking tour brochure and a heritage map to promote city of Yellowknife's heritage sites.
• • The Yellowknives Dene First Nations is continuing a vital archaeological heritage inventory of Drybones Bay, Wool Bay and McKay Lake.
• • The Gameti First Nations is documenting the heritage buildings and traditional architecture of the Rae Lakes community so that traditional knowledge is not lost.
• • In Fort McPherson, the Gwich'in Social and Cultural Institute is putting its expertise to work at documenting cultural places for recognition as territorial heritage sites and is also publishing a guidebook on the community's historic Trading Post.
• • In an innovative move, the people of Tsiigehtchic are researching the history of the Roman Catholic Church and Church Hill as part of the community action plan and they intend to nominate the site as a territorial historic site.
• • The Inuvik Nihtat Gwich'in Council have targeted the sensitive and historically important Campbell Lake area for a cultural sites inventory.

Mr. Speaker, community-based projects such as these are important for preserving our knowledge about previous generations, those who have left their gentle marks on our

northern landscape. I would like to congratulate and thank all who have been involved in these important projects. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Brendan Bell will be absent from the House today to attend the Western Energy Ministers meeting in Calgary. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A few days ago, the Department of Health and Social Services circulated a document entitled Sexually-Transmitted Infections, the Naked Truth - A Strategic Directions Document. It might just be coincidental, Mr. Speaker, but that document was circulated to Members on Valentine's Day, February 14th. I don't know if that's a suggestion to us or not. The content of the document is quite disturbing. I salute the department for putting the information out. When we see things or indications in the transmission of sexual diseases, the rate of gonorrhea infection has gone up 300 percent in two years, Mr. Speaker. There is a 30 percent overall increase in the rate of infection in the 15 to 22-year age bracket. Some of these diseases in the North, we have an incident rate that is seven times that of Canada.

The initiative taken by the department to bring this to everybody's attention is admirable but, Mr. Speaker, when I look at a document like this and I see five different objectives outlined and more than 30 different action positions, but, Mr. Speaker, there are practically no measurable targets set out in this strategy. There is no budget and there is only the most general of timelines. In fact, the only real outline that I could see in this document, Mr. Speaker, of where we want to go and when we want to get there is, and I quote: "...we could entertain the possibility of bringing our rates down below the national average before the end of this decade." That's all this document says. I would hardly call it a strategy. It is certainly a good collection of thoughts and things that are possible and that we could and should do, but it falls far short of a real working document. 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. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to speak about multi-year funding for municipalities in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, we know here within our work and our jobs it's very difficult for the GNWT to plan very far in the future, because of the uncertainties in the year-to-year tax revenues and funding from Canada. Mr. Speaker, we are also taking that problem and we are turning it around and we are putting that pressure on municipal governments. Mr. Speaker, I believe it's time to look at multi-year funding for municipalities to ensure that they have certainty when they put forward their budgets at the end of the calendar year.

Mr. Speaker, the GNWT negotiates multi-year agreements with these municipalities through our Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. Mr. Speaker, tax-based communities use the normal calendar that ends on December 31st, but in the Assembly, we pass our budget on March 31st. There is a three-month difference between our fiscal year and the municipality's fiscal year.

Mr. Speaker, I know that this is a problem. Not just in the administrative process -- how it's created -- but it's entrenched in our Financial Administration Act and I think it needs to be amended so we can approve a two-year rolling calendar fiscal funding program. That would allow municipal governments to pass budgets with some certainty.

Mr. Speaker, we could always have the proviso of saying if unforeseen circumstances change the GNWT's revenues, any major change in the world, we will work together to make the financial arrangements work.

Mr. Speaker, as the biggest government on the land at this time, we should be able to help stabilize uncertain funding for municipalities that struggle very hard to provide services to our community people. Mr. Speaker, later today I will have questions for the Minister responsible for the FMBS about addressing the FAA and the lack of multi-year agreement possibilities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I have stated many times in this Legislature before, the historic contribution and the future potential of the Great Slave Lake commercial fisheries is very important to the renewable resource economy of the North and particularly Hay River.

Since my last Member's statement on October 19th on the commercial fishery on the Great Slave Lake, the NWT Fishermen's Federation has been working to develop a recovery strategy for their fishery. The task force group is made up of fishermen and is assisted by the guidance of Beatrice Lepine, who has been seconded from RWED to help develop this strategy. The objectives of the task force group include working toward the establishment of a new fish plant in Hay River and the processing and

marketing of value-added fish products from our lake. They are also pursuing research with the Marine Stewardship Council -- an international seafood and fish certification body -- with the intention of certifying our fishery as a sustainable fishery.

This is a very interesting and unique opportunity, Mr. Speaker. Great Slave Lake does have sustainable fish stocks and is well managed. Certification of the Great Slave Lake Fishery would allow the sale of our fish into equal markets to consumers who want to purchase only those products which come from sustainable fisheries. These large markets exist in Europe and the U.S. and this certification may also allow the fishery to access other niche markets where the unique features of our NWT fish, which come from cold and clear water, would be a selling point.

The Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation is not able to access those markets because of the pooling of all fish, whether from Great Slave Lake or from other unsustainable and less desirable fisheries in southern jurisdictions. Great Slave Lake fish is export ready when it leaves Hay River, meaning that it has such a low parasite count in its flesh that it does not have to go through the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation biological sampling program in the Winnipeg plant, and can actually go directly to market. No other freshwater lake in freshwater country has this unique quality.

Mr. Speaker the fishermen presented Minister Bell with requests for assistance on exploring the benefits of this fishery certification and for changing the relationship they have with the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. 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, fishermen need better prices for their fish. Allowing NWT fishermen to opt out of the marketing pool and participate in the marketplace on their own may be the only way to achieve this. Fishermen have asked Minister Bell to begin exploring with his federal counterpart, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, this option. The fishermen have committed to working on this, as well.

I believe that the fishery is getting the attention it deserves from this government at this time and I look forward to working with the Minister and the Fishermen's Taskforce Group to keep this positive momentum moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate Mr. Stephen Kakfwi on his recent appointment to the National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy, which was announced by the Prime Minister, Mr. Paul Martin.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, upon reading the mandate of the roundtable, Mr. Kakfwi's appointment is timely in that he has proven through his leadership ability that he will bring the northern issues to the roundtable as we expect of our other colleagues who are working on our behalf.

Mr. Speaker, we look forward to working with Mr. Kakfwi in this new role of taking our valuable input to the panel on the various issues settled by the roundtable. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 3 Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I will be speaking on a subject that is near and dear to the hearts of many residents of the Beaufort-Delta region. Sir Alexander Mackenzie School is 45 years old, almost as old as Inuvik itself. It is a central part of our community, full of memories for its alumni. Many students met future husbands and wives on its playground and saw their own children walk through its door on their first day of school. Three Members of this Legislative Assembly, myself included, are former SAMS students.

Mr. Speaker, a school is so much more than just a building and classrooms. Because of its emotional value to many residents and former residents of the Inuvik region, the rumours that SAMS may be torn down are concerning a lot of people. If it is not feasible to renovate the existing school and a new building is needed, then that may be the way we have to go. But I hope the decision will not be made without community consultation. At the appropriate time I will have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and will be asking him for an update on the plans for this school. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today is on a topic that I have raised in the House on previous occasions, and that issue is the Kam Lake access road and public safety. As the government is well aware, I have certain, let's say, sensitivity over what happens adjacent to Highway No. 3, to an area known as the sandpits. As the controversy lingers as to what is going to happen on the parcel of land, I think it is timely that we keep in mind the fact that the city of Yellowknife is in great need of this access road into the Kam Lake Industrial Park.

I have had two meetings with representatives of the Northwest Territories Motor Transport Association. This is

a group that represents motor transportation companies throughout the entire Northwest Territories. Our discussions centre around the need for this access road into the Kam Lake Industrial Park. The issue of public safety was, of course, our primary focus. The need is even more evident during the winter road season, when the city has up to 200 trucks per day of which two-thirds are fuel trucks heading north on the ice road.

Last summer there were two incidents at the Yellowknife Airport that brought some attention to the fact that there was only one route out of the city of Yellowknife. A missile dropped on the Yellowknife Golf Course and a CF-18 fighter jet skidded off the runway. Highway No. 3 was closed; there was no entry or exit into the city. With all of the industrial activity in the Kam Lake Industrial Park we have been fortunate not to have an accident, especially a fuel truck accident at the top of Kam Lake Road which would cut off access to the entire industrial park.

Mr. Speaker, the time has come to get this vital piece of roadwork started. The road is estimated to cost in the neighbourhood of $5.5 million. We must ensure that the GNWT is willing to work as closely as possible with the City of Yellowknife to make this access road a reality. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to congratulate the Department of Transportation on their efforts to build an airport in Trout Lake. During the week of February 7th to 11th, the department's senior officials visited the community to discuss the possibility of this great opportunity. It is well known that the current location of the airstrip does not align with the prevailing winds. As it stands, many trips are cancelled because pilots are unable to manoeuvre with the crosswinds. It is dangerous for everybody, Mr. Speaker, when pilots -- on the best of days -- have to cut through trees to land the plane.

I realize this is the preliminary consultation period involving several components and stakeholders, and that other consultations, meetings will be scheduled in the community this spring.

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the Minister will keep me updated and will inform me of any potential problems through the developmental stage of this project. I support the much-needed airstrip in Trout Lake and would like to see it go through successfully. This is important to the community of Trout Lake and a long time coming.

Once again, Mr. Speaker, congratulations to the Minister and his officials on listening to the needs of the communities. I would like to encourage the Minister to do all he can to ensure the community of Trout Lake can take flight safely. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker I would like to take this opportunity to comment on the Bathurst Caribou Management Plan, tabled in the House this week. Mr. Speaker, my riding of Range Lake is most noticeable as the home of national chain stores like Wal-Mart and Canadian Tire. But what many may not know is that it is also home to many avid hunters, both aboriginal and non-aboriginal. In fact, Mr. Speaker, I have to tell you, I was quite surprised at how often the issues of rights and privileges of game hunting came up during my door-to-door campaign. This is an intense passion for many of them, not just for recreation but for subsistence.

Many of my constituents love living in the North because they can hunt, and many of them love to hunt because they live in the North. My experiences have shown also, Mr. Speaker, that avid hunters have very strong respect for wildlife and they are very much committed to conservation of wildlife, whether they are aboriginal or non-aboriginal.

In light of the recommendations made in this plan, I believe it is incumbent on the government to bring all of the expertise and players together to work out a way to conserve wildlife for the benefit of all.

Mr. Speaker, this plan speaks to the importance of conservation, as well as how to avoid reducing or eliminating the quota for anyone. I would like to remind the government that the implementation of the recommendations of this plan has to include all stakeholders and consultation with all stakeholders, if the plan is to be accepted and to be ultimately successful for the benefit of everyone.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to take this opportunity to remind the government of the lack of movement the government has shown in introducing the new wildlife legislation, which has been in the books, in the works, and has been in the consultation process for at least a decade. This legislation is supposed to address the issue of hunting rights and privileges, as well as conservation and management. At the appropriate time I will be asking the government as to where they are with that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Zoe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in a minute I will be talking about the NWT Council of Sport and Recreation Partners' implementation plan, but first I just wanted to congratulate the Minister, his department and all their partners in putting together the first ever NWT Games program in Fort Smith for March 18th to 21st. Having a sport event just for the NWT has been a goal of the sport community for a long time.

Mr. Speaker, the last time we were here I spoke a little about my support for the NWT Council of Sport and Recreation Partners and I just want to say a little bit more on this topic. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has been working for years, in consultation with their stakeholders in sport and recreation, to find ways to improve the system. All communities and partners wanted an opportunity to participate in planning and decision-making for this system. There needed to be improved coordination and a simplified quorum for decision-making. Also, all communities wanted greater access to sport and recreation programs and more resources with which to accomplish all of this.

Mr. Speaker, according to the implementation plan in 2005, the council will be working on a resource management plan which includes support for the lottery in order to maximize revenue flow, streamlining administrative expenses, and creating volunteer and staff support initiatives. The council will be working on a communication and marketing plan, a plan to consolidate partner's offices and a plan to establish system-wide priorities and operating principles. The council will provide periodic updates to their sport partners to keep them informed of the council's progress.

In January 2006, the Minister will make a final decision on council's budget request and in April 2006, the council will begin their first year of operation under a new fiscal arrangement.

Mr. Speaker, the council will have a lot of work to do in a very short time. Nominations close for the new council on March 7, 2005. I wish them well with their objectives. Mahsi.

---Applause

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to inform and to set the record straight with my constituents of Lutselk'e, on the latest media reports over the radio with regard to an interview I had about the proposed changes to the Lutselk'e First Nations leadership, which is underway and hopefully will be resolved next week when the band elections take place.

Mr. Speaker, I could stand here for the next two-and-a-half minutes and criticize the local media for their misuse of information and sensationalizing issues, that often result in the obstruction and deterioration of this government's efforts for stronger community-government relations, better co-management regimes, and better working relationships that we, as MLAs, work hard to improve and build on daily.

But I won't, Mr. Speaker. Instead...

---Laughter

...I would like to inform my constituents that, no where in my statements to the media about the removal of the chief and council, did I say the word "glad." I did not mention anybody's name, and I definitely did not say anything about being happy with the upcoming changes in the leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I am not happy about the sudden changes to this leadership. For this past year I had the wonderful opportunity to work closely with the chief and council and I thought they were doing a really good job. They were working diligently and were relentless in forging better communication and cooperation practices with this government and the community, which I feel has improved because of this work done by the former chief and council. Unfortunately there were some problems at the community level that may not have been adequately addressed by the leadership over the past year or two, which ultimately resulted in the community members' loss in confidence in their former chief and council. That is it, Mr. Speaker; no more, no less.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would just like to inform the residents of Lutselk'e and the First Nations members to exercise their democratic rights next week by going out and voting. I look forward to continuing to work closely with the new leaders in the next election. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, seeing that the NHL is officially off for the rest of the year, I would like to give an update of some of our own home-grown talent in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, back in December, December 17th to the 19th, the First Nations Cup was held here in Yellowknife and Inuvik sent down a team into the masters division, which is I think a better name than old timers. I must say that the Inuvik Ice Devils showed remarkable gamesmanship and won the masters division and took home a fair bit of hardware as well, Mr. Speaker. I feel even better saying this because it's good that the fact that Inuvik can come into a larger centre and compete at that level. It was an excellent tournament put on by a whole lot of groups here in Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to reference the team that came down to take part. It had players Mervin Jacobson, Gordie Kasook, Joe Corigal -- who is also called Baby Joe -- Kenny Jacobson, Dan Carmichael, Tom Williams, Duane Smith, Donald Kuptana, James Day, Davy Krengatuk and, of course, myself.

Mr. Speaker, just to highlight some of the hardware we took home; besides taking home the championship trophy for the masters division we had the most valuable player, who was also the top goalie, our goalie, Mr. Tom Williams.

---Applause

He happens to be with us today. I shared the top defenseman with another player from a team locally.

---Laughter

So, Mr. Speaker, again congratulations to those boys, and we're looking forward again to coming back and making a trip down to Yellowknife for the Balsillie Cup. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Roland, and I'm sure you appreciate the fact that they came up with the new name of "masters" because I'm sure nobody would consider you a senior by looking at you.

---Laughter

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.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's my pleasure today to welcome, in the visitors' gallery, Mr. Lionel Rundle, the president of the Northwest Territories Fishermen's Federation;

---Applause

Alex Maurice, long-time fisherman in Hay River and a member of the board of directors of the NWT Fishermen's Federation.

---Applause

Three members of the new Great Slave Lake Task Force Group: Jerry Morin, Douglas Buckley and Bert Buckley.

---Applause

Also with them today from Hay River -- no stranger to the Renewable Resources in the Northwest Territories, seconded from RWED to do work with the fishermen, Beatrice Lepine.

---Applause

And, my constituency assistant, Wendy Morgan.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's my pleasure to introduce today in the gallery Mr. Tom Williams who is not only a top goaltender for the Inuvik Ice Devils, but he's also the chief operating officer for the Gwich'in Tribal Council.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

I, too, Mr. Speaker, would like to recognize Mr. Tom Williams who is a former classmate of mine back in SAMS in 1971, I believe. Thank you.

---Laughter

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. I as well would like to say a special welcome to the fishermen's taskforce who are here today. Many of them are my constituents. Welcome to the Legislature. I hope you enjoy your day here in Yellowknife.

---Applause

I also want to again recognize my oldest daughter, Michelle, her husband, Brent, and their kids, Lane and Tori Hartwell. Welcome to the Legislature.

---Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Colleagues, before we go on to the next item on the order paper, I would like to read my ruling on the point of order that was raised yesterday.

Yesterday, Premier Handley, during oral questions, raised his point of order under Rule 23(i), which states:

"In debate a Member will be called to order by the Speaker if the Member imputes false or hidden motives to another Member."

In speaking to his point of order, Mr. Handley stated that Mr. Ramsay, the Member for Kam Lake, made an allegation in his line of questioning that the Premier was in a conflict with respect to his involvement in a decision regarding access to certain lands in the city of Yellowknife to conduct geotechnical investigations.

The Premier went on to state that Mr. Ramsay was implying some false or hidden motive on his part.

I note that neither Mr. Ramsay nor any other Member rose to speak to the point of order. I am, therefore, left only with the unedited Hansard and Mr. Handley's point of order upon which to base my decision.

Marleau and Montpetit's House of Commons Procedure and Practice illustrates the difficulty Speakers often face when ruling on matters such as these, and I quote from page 526:

"In dealing with unparliamentary language, the Speaker takes into account the tone, manner and intention of the Member speaking; the person to whom the words are directed; the degree of provocation; and, most importantly, whether or not the remarks created disorder in the Chamber. Thus, language deemed unparliamentary one day may not necessarily be deemed unparliamentary the following day. The codification of unparliamentary language has proven impractical as it is the context in which words or phrases are used that the Chair must consider when deciding whether or not they should be withdrawn."

Thus, in reviewing the transcripts from the questions leading up to the point of order, the context in which they took place was of relevance. This context included both the line of questioning on which the point of order was based, and a previous line of questioning by Mr. Ramsay on that same matter. In that first line of questioning from page 3009 of the unedited Hansard, Mr. Ramsay asked the Premier, and I quote: "how he distinguishes between his responsibilities for his constituency, Premiership and his Ministerial authority at the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs."

In responding to this question, the Premier stated, again on page 3009 of unedited Hansard, that, and I quote: "with due respect, the Member is coming very close to implying that I have some other motives in mind here." Despite being advised that the Premier had taken some offence to Mr. Ramsay's line of questioning, he continued in the same vein for an additional supplementary question, and again in the second series of questions that ultimately led to the point of order.

It is a long-standing parliamentary tradition and a cornerstone of parliamentary democracy that the House recognize and respect the integrity of all its Members. Accusations or charges against another Member, whether veiled or otherwise, are not tolerated in debate and are only permissible through the introduction of a substantive motion. However, each day brings its own challenges as Members continue to approach the line, and in fact tend to kick a little dirt over it on occasion. This is one of those occasions.

As Speaker Whitford noted in a ruling on a similar point of order raised in the 14th Legislative Assembly, "Approaching the line, so to speak, is the same as crossing it in matters such as this." As Members will recall from comments in the House yesterday, the purpose of question period is to seek information from the government. The purpose of question period is not to make allegations against other Members or imply that they have carried out their duties with anything less than full integrity.

With respect to Mr. Handley's point of order, I must conclude that Mr. Handley does have a point of order. The Chair will now ask Mr. Ramsay to take this opportunity to withdraw his remarks and offer an apology to the House. Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will take this opportunity to withdraw my remarks. If I came close to the line yesterday with those remarks, I apologize to the Premier and to the government for doing that and I guess I will leave it at that. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The remarks are withdrawn. Orders of the day, item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned in my Member's statement, Inuvik residents are unsure as to the status of SAM School. I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if a decision has been made regarding SAM School. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last fall a process was started that included the DEA, the DEC, the town, the Gwich'in and the Inuvialuit in Inuvik, to work with consultants from Education, Culture and Employment to examine the options. We also brought in the experts from Public Works and Services and we have decided that it would not be economically feasible to renovate SAM School and that has been passed on in writing to the DEA. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Minister. Would the Minister, now that they have decided to build a new school, commit to consulting with the special interest groups in Inuvik, such as day care, to see if their needs can be incorporated into a new school?

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department would be willing to consult with people in Inuvik. That's one of the purposes why the steering committee was set up -- the one that includes the town, the DEA, the DEC and so on -- was to make sure that the structure that is built is reflective of what the community wants. There may need to be some partnerships developed though in order to pay for some spaces that wouldn't normally qualify for government support, but we're always willing to look for those partnerships and find ways to accommodate community needs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Premier of the Northwest Territories, Joe Handley. My questions relate to the renewable resource of fish in our territory. Mr. Speaker, Minister Bell had attended in Hay River with the fisherman lately and, as I mentioned in my Member's statement, RWED has devoted a full-time employee to assist the fishermen in what they are trying to do. I feel that we have entered into, perhaps, a new era in this government in terms of attention to our fishery, and I'm very pleased about that as a Member for Hay River. Mr. Speaker, we have a lot of attention in our government,

which is currently being paid to the non-renewable resource sector, which seems like it's going to be something that brings a lot of economy to our territory in the next while. But I think it will be very meaningful for the Great Slave Lake fishermen representatives here today, Mr. Speaker, to hear the Premier state this government's commitment to the sustainability of the renewable resource sector in our territory, as well. Could the Premier please make his commitment on that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First I'd also like to welcome the fishermen, and Bea and the others, to the gallery today. They do represent a very important part of our economy and one that we feel very strongly must be sustained. We do have a valuable resource in Great Slave Lake, as well as in other lakes, both for commercial and for sport fishing. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the Minister of RWED has dedicated a full-time person to this industry. We have long felt, as a government, that we're not getting a good deal out of the freshwater fish marketing arrangement. It's where our fish are taken all the way to Winnipeg or wherever it is and mixed in to add value to the whole lot. I don't think that's being fair to our northern economy, and I'm very pleased with the work that Minister Bell has done and the work that the staff person will do with the fishermen in ensuring that we do have a sustainable economy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the initiatives of the new task force group is to work with the Marine Stewardship Council to have our Great Slave Lake identified and certified as a sustainable fishery. Many other commercial fisheries involve things like restocking, then fishing out the same fish. Issues related to climate and things just do not see those fish having the same quality as our white fish from Great Slave Lake. We've known this for a long time, but we have not found a way to brand our fish as unique here. So under this initiative to work with the Marine Stewardship Council to have our lake certified as a stable fishery, would the government commit to support this endeavour? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, let me say that our government will support this initiative. Having said that though, we have to keep in mind that it is the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans that manages commercial fishing in the Northwest Territories. I hope someday that becomes our responsibility as a northern government to manage but, in the meantime, we'll work with DFO and we'll work with the other partners to achieve the goal. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to ask the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs a question with regard to the Akaitcho Territory Government's treaty negotiations that are still ongoing. Just what measures is this government currently incorporating with providing the Akaitcho Territory Government a smooth transition through their treaty negotiation process and how are they supporting them in this process? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. The honourable Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our government is one of the parties involved in the negotiations. We continue to participate in the negotiation sessions that are going on. We certainly are supportive of the other partners in negotiations that aim at trying to have an agreement-in-principle this year. The main table discussions and negotiations are ongoing. The next session, I believe, is March 1st to 3rd in Ndilo and we will be there with the objective of trying to make this a win for all parties; the aboriginal Akaitcho people, for the non-aboriginal residents in this area and all parties. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that response. Hopefully I'll be able to attend the next session on March 1st to the 3rd in Ndilo. I just wanted to ask the Minister in respect to some of the land development issues that are going on around the city of Yellowknife by Members of this side of the House and two Members on that side of the House about the treatment and exclusion of city council in this government's so-called preferential treatment of Akaitcho territory residents. I just want to ask the Premier what measures he is going to take for the Akaitcho people in this region to ensure that they should be given the preferential treatment when it comes to any kind of future land development that is currently now under Akaitcho Territory Government negotiations. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, first of all we do, as a government, certainly respect the Akaitcho's right to negotiate an agreement. Second, we have an interim measures agreement in place, which deals with, among other issues, how land transfers in the interim will be

handled before we have a final agreement. Mr. Speaker, it is a process that we respect very much and one that we will ensure is followed as closely as we can. In saying that, Mr. Speaker, we also recognize that the Akaitcho have not yet moved into the land selection phase part of their negotiations. I hope that comes very soon, but there has been some land identification made available to us and, again, we respect their right to do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The land selection phase that the Akaitcho Territory Government will be embarking on in their next phase of negotiations with this government and the federal government is probably something that we all, especially Yellowknife residents, would be looking forward to reviewing. What commitment does the government have to ensure the Akaitcho Territory Government that the land selection process that they present to this government and to the federal government, which is probably going to include a lot of land around the city of Yellowknife...I know the city council is probably going to have a lot of issues with regard to that land selection process and it's probably going to be a close selection around city boundaries. How is this government going to mediate negotiations and help move this Akaitcho Territory Government process forward when the city comes forward with their objectives for selection process? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, we won't know until the land identification stage of the negotiations whether and what kind of conflict or disagreement there might be on land selection. Mr. Speaker, it has to be recognized that there are three parties at the table: the Akaitcho, who are negotiating their rights; the Government of the Northwest Territories, which has responsibility for those things that are under our jurisdiction; and, of course, the federal government. So we can't really play the role of a mediator in the negotiations. But we are aiming at having a result that is fair and that is a win for all parties. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Final supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me just rephrase the question to the Minister. I guess the lands in question are Commissioner's lands right now, with respect to the sandpits and the Con Mine area and other land around the Ingraham Trail, which is in the Minster's constituency. All these lands are currently under Commissioner's authority, so this government definitely has authority over that land withdrawal, land application, land permitting, land use process. When the land selection of the Akaitcho Territory Government, which is going to include probably all of that put forward, how is the government going to ensure that the Akaitcho residents and the Akaitcho Territory Government have precedence over what the City of Yellowknife is demanding?

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, in our view, any Commissioner's land which is not third party land -- which is land that is owned by someone else, fee-simple title -- is available for the Akaitcho negotiators to identify as part of the land that they would have an interest in. When they do that, then there will be opportunity for others who may have interest to bring forward their case. Through a negotiating process, there will be a determination of what the final land selection will be. Mr. Speaker, I can't predict what will happen at the sandpits or outside of Con Mine area or wherever else the Akaitcho may choose land because I don't know right now whether it will. Mr. Speaker, as I say, we as a government want to be fair to everyone in this process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment with regard to the national initiative of childcare and early learning. That's exactly what the intent is, Mr. Speaker. It's a national program. I assume it will include the small communities that exist in my riding, Mr. Speaker. Our small communities have single, working parents and double-income families who are anxious to see how this national program will be rolled out. Will the Minister, Mr. Speaker, tell this House the plans to roll out this program into the communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At our meeting last Friday, I spent a considerable amount of time trying to demonstrate to other Ministers around the table some of the problems that we face in the Northwest Territories trying to deliver equitable services in the smaller communities, particularly the higher cost of infrastructure, the higher cost of trained staff and the difficulty of finding a way to do it in very small communities. I used that as justification for why the Northwest Territories and the other territories needed to have base funding as part of this transfer because if we only get funding through this national program on a per capita basis, we won't be able to make a significant difference. So I made sure that everybody around the table understood that for us to be able to be part of a national system, to demonstrate that we were able to provide some equity across the Northwest Territories, that we need to have base funding plus per capita funding. If we can get that, Mr. Speaker, then, yes, I believe we can

make a significant difference in the way early learning and childcare is delivered in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's apparent that the Minister is well aware of our needs throughout the North, including the small communities. Does the Minister have a focus group to help him roll out the programs or design the programs for the smaller communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this point, we haven't done anything to plan for how this money would be spent because we don't know if we are talking about less than $1 million or $6 million. That's the range we are talking about. It could be a very small amount of money or it could be $6 million. If we are successful in getting the larger amount of money, obviously we will have to have some process for setting out the expenditure. If we are only going to be offered a few hundred thousand dollars, we are going to have to question if we will even bother to participate because of the reporting requirements. If we are going to lose all of the money in reporting just how we are spending the little bit we are getting, there is not much point in us trying to say that we are part of a national system.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does the Minister foresee any plans, let's say for a small community like Jean Marie that has about 50 residents? How does the Minister see this program working in a community like that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am hoping we are going to get enough money that we are going to be able to make sure we can make a difference in communities like Jean Marie River. I am confident that the other jurisdictions across Canada will recognize the problems we face in the North in delivering programs equitable with what other Canadians receive. I am confident the federal Minister and provincial Ministers will say Canada doesn't stop at the 60th parallel and we will see enough money to make a difference, but, until we actually do in the federal budget next week, we haven't set up a process to determine how we spend what money we get. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am glad the Minister will be advocating for the needs in the smaller communities. I am sure that there is going to be some mention of it in the federal budget. Has the Minister given some thought to what would be a fair distribution of the resources when he brings it home to the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We haven't gotten to that point yet because we aren't sure, as I said, how much money there's going to be. When we have that announcement and the provincial, territorial and federal Ministers meet shortly after the budget next week to decide how the money will be apportioned, then we will very quickly move to determine the NWT apportionment. Just as the Northwest Territories is fighting for a portion that is not representative of strictly per capita, we will remember that when we talk about how to spend the money in the Northwest Territories as well.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am going to continue on the questions of multi-year funding that were brought up during my Member's statement. My question is to the Minister responsible for the FMBS. Mr. Speaker, the City of Yellowknife, to a large extent, is planning nine months in the dark every year they pass their budget on December 31st because they have to wait until April 1st for the territorial budget to be passed. Does the Minster agree it would make better sense to approve funding for municipalities to look at approving multi-year funding in accordance with the municipal fiscal year that would better accommodate the municipal needs and help demonstrate relative certainty for the municipalities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a government, for any agreement we enter into with other jurisdictions, other governments, municipalities, the transfer of funds with NGOs, we do enter into multi-year funding, but it is based on the fact that we have a cycle that we follow that every year has to be approved by the Legislative Assembly. So we can't put an unconditional grant in place where for nine years they can do things or for three years. We have set up block funding agreements on a three-year basis with municipalities so they could do better planning, but that is also conditional on the funds passed through this Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister is very correct when he mentions the item as he says, but it's conditional. It's hinged on the proviso of one year. Mr. Speaker, I have an agreement here between the Government of the Northwest Territories and the City of Yellowknife and the agreement becomes effective April 1, 2004. It's signed April 14th of 2004 by both parties, MACA and the City of Yellowknife, and it spans the calendar year of April 1st to March 31st. So what the Minister said was right, but the problem is these municipalities are passing their budgets with nine months in the dark. Could he take a position by investigating a rolling calendar year that would demonstrate certainty, so when these municipalities pass their budget at the end of their fiscal year, they can plan with comfort? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Maybe the Member can answer for me where the nine months comes from. An agreement is signed April to March, so the funding is known for that year but the planning cycles may be somewhat different. So if I could get some clarification there, please.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Hawkins, would you like to clarify your question?

I will answer the question too, Mr. Speaker. If I have to work both sides of this House, I will for the citizens of Yellowknife. Sorry; I was on a soapbox there. Mr. Speaker, the issue is the budget for the City of Yellowknife passed on December 31st, but it only has three months left in that calendar year of that agreement. So essentially, the City of Yellowknife is passing their budget with only three months left of a funding agreement. They have to wait for the new year to be rolled out by MACA and the new year is signed in April. So would the Minister at least agree today that this is a serious concern with the City of Yellowknife? Would he at least agree today and open up a small discussion with the City of Yellowknife to hear their perspective and concerns on this issue? If he feels it's appropriate, we can finish...

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. I heard the question there. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am aware that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is doing a review of community funding and how that's structured. Once that work is done, we will look at what we can do as a government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I acknowledge your last thought there. Mr. Speaker, this is a problem with the FAA. It's not a problem with MACA. MACA is doing their job. The problem is the FAA restricts the ability for these multi-year rolling agreements with provisos. Would the Minister agree to at least hear the City of Yellowknife's concern on this matter and if he feels it's appropriate -- I underline that -- then we will take it to another stage once he's consulted with the city. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our process as the Government of the Northwest Territories is through the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. They work with our community governments throughout the Northwest Territories, so there is contact there. Once this review is done, we will look at it and see if we have to make changes overall as a government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions this morning are for the Minister of Health and Social Services, related to the alarming reports about the incidence of sexually-transmitted infections in the Northwest Territories. The report filed indeed signals that we need to take some very strong action. The information presented in this document is not all that complete. I wanted to ask the Minister, at this stage, what has been done to put more detail on the plan and make a turnaround in this very sad situation possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.