Good afternoon, colleagues. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories is experiencing an unprecedented level of oil and gas exploration and development activity. I am pleased to provide the House with an update from the perspective of the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. Ministers McLeod and Miltenberger will also be providing information on initiatives relating to their portfolios today.

Mr. Speaker, more than 20.4 billion cubic feet of natural gas was produced in the southern NWT during 2004. An average of 20,000 barrels of oil per day was produced from the Sahtu last year. In addition, a number of exploration companies are actively drilling and testing wells for potential reserves in the Beaufort-Delta and Sahtu regions.

But, Mr. Speaker, the biggest project on the horizon is the Mackenzie gas project. The three anchor fields identified in this project have six trillion cubic feet of proven reserves. The National Energy Board estimates that the Beaufort/Mackenzie Delta region contains a further 55 trillion cubic feet of potential reserves.

As the Minister responsible for coordinating the Government of the Northwest Territories' involvement in the Mackenzie gas project, it is my responsibility to bring government departments together to ensure that the sustainable development of our natural resources benefits the residents of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, to assist with this task, the Mackenzie Valley pipeline office was established to coordinate this government's planning and response to the Mackenzie gas project. This office is working with departments to ensure that we optimize the benefits to the NWT, by assisting communities or ensuring we mitigate the social impacts. A key role of the pipeline office is to coordinate communications relating to the Mackenzie gas project. Residents need to know they have one main point of contact related to the development.

Mr. Speaker, over the past several years, Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development has made a number

of significant investments in our communities in preparation for the Mackenzie gas project:

• • More than $1 million has been provided to aboriginal groups and communities to build the capacity needed to prepare for the Mackenzie gas project;
• • $1.5 million has been committed to the Aboriginal Pipeline Group over a six-year period;
• • Since 2001-02, RWED has provided $2.8 million, under Maximizing Northern Employment, to assist aboriginal organizations and northern businesses to develop a workforce that can participate in the Mackenzie gas project and related oil and gas activities;
• • Recently the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development partnered with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and the Mackenzie Valley Producers Group to develop a $4 million fund under the Resource Pre-development Program. This fund provides aboriginal organizations and tax-based communities with funding to negotiate access and benefit and fee-for-service agreements; and, Mr. Speaker,
• • The Mackenzie Valley pipeline office also provides contributions for special projects related to the Mackenzie gas project such as the community leaders' workshop hosted by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs this past December in Inuvik.

Mr. Speaker, on the regulatory front, the Mackenzie Gas Project Producers Group filed their environmental impact statement on the Mackenzie gas project last October. Our government, along with other interveners, has been reviewing the statement and requesting further information on issues contained in the statement. The project is subject to a vigorous assessment and review process undertaken by the National Energy Board and the Joint Review Panel.

The Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development will coordinate our government's intervention in both processes to ensure Northwest Territories' interests are addressed. This involves coordinating the efforts of many departments to assess the impact of the project and to ensure appropriate conditions and mitigations are put in place.

A critical part of our coordination process is the role Members of this Legislative Assembly play through the Joint Pipeline Planning Committee established by the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight and Cabinet. This committee provides direction and leadership on all Government of the Northwest Territories activities related to the Mackenzie gas project.

As chair, I am committed to incorporating committee members' recommendations into the planning and response to the project. Our most recent meeting in Norman Wells provided great insight into the issues communities are dealing with on a daily basis. These meetings can only improve our plans to respond and deal with the opportunities and challenges presented by the Mackenzie gas project. I look forward, Mr. Speaker, to our next meeting planned this April in Fort Simpson.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, these are exciting and challenging times for the Northwest Territories. Our government is committed to ensuring that the interests of our residents are considered and protected with any development, whether it is the Mackenzie gas project or exploration and development throughout the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to provide my colleagues with an update on recent activities the department has undertaken, in partnership with other stakeholders to assist Northwest Territories communities to prepare for the Mackenzie gas project and to outline our next steps.

Community leaders have raised important questions, issues and concerns about the impact of the Mackenzie gas project on Northwest Territories communities. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is working to assist community government to prepare for and benefit from this large-scale project.

In December 2004, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, together with Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development and the Northwest Territories Association of Communities, hosted a conference of community leaders in Inuvik. I was happy to see several of my colleagues in attendance at the conference; more than one-third of the Members of the Assembly joined us to discuss issues facing communities as they prepare for their regulatory review process.

Two key objectives were set for the conference:

• • to provide affected communities with a clear outline of the environmental assessment and regulatory review process; and,
• • to identify common issues and concerns and approaches to address them in partnership with industry, other communities, the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Northwest Territories Association of Communities.

The conference report is available on Municipal and Community Affairs' web site, and copies have also been mailed to all conference participants.

The report summarizes information that was provided to and shared by communities as well as issues communities may face during the regulatory review process, strategies to address the issues and next steps for communities and governments.

The recommendation for next steps includes ways communities can prepare for the review process and options to ensure community governments have resources to participate effectively.

Communities are also encouraged to assess what the impacts of the project could be and then negotiate agreements that mitigate the negative impacts that maximize the positive ones.

The GNWT also has steps to take to assist communities to move forward with the conference resolutions and to advance the strategies discussed by community leaders.

In this regard, community leaders recommended the GNWT organize follow-up meetings, including a similar conference to examine potential social impacts.

MACA will prepare tools such as draft bylaws for communities to consider using to regulate industrial activity in their communities and will continue to assist communities with capacity challenges, as and when they are requested.

To date, I have flagged the concerns of public community governments around accessing participant funding with Deputy Prime Minister, the Honourable Anne McLellan, and have communicated the additional pressure that the pipeline places on community infrastructure with the Honourable John Godfrey, the Minister of State for Infrastructure and Communities and the Honourable Stephane Dion, the Minister of the Environment.

I also had the opportunity to meet with my colleagues in Norman Wells in February at a meeting of the Joint Cabinet/AOC Pipeline Planning Committee to discuss our broad plans for moving ahead in partnership with community governments. I look forward to providing my colleagues with additional information on this issue as our work progresses. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to speak about what this government is doing to anticipate and prepare for the social impacts the proposed Mackenzie gas project will have for the people of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, as elected officials, we have a responsibility to ensure our citizens derive maximum benefit from the proposed pipeline and to ensure any negative impacts are minimized. This is an important issue that the social programs Ministers, Health and Social Services, Education, Culture and Employment, Justice, the NWT Housing Corporation and Municipal and Community Affairs, are working on.

On December 15, 2004, the social programs departments made a presentation to Members of the Joint

Cabinet/AOC Pipeline Planning Committee on this topic. We know from the lessons learned from other large-scale development projects that the pipeline will have both short-term and longer-term social impacts; most will be positive, but some will be negative.

We know that activity associated with the actual pipeline construction will be intense, occurring over periods of three months to three years and focussed around selected communities. Longer-term impacts will be seen as the pipeline draws more exploration and development activity to the North and these impacts will be felt throughout the Mackenzie Valley and the rest of the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, we anticipate there will be a wide range of positive social impacts at the individual, family and community levels. The positive impacts will include the creation of new training opportunities, new work experiences and skills development, as well as higher levels of employment and more disposable income. Many northerners will gain valuable experience and the northern economy will benefit. Longer-term impacts will include improved quality of life, increased self-esteem, a better standard of living and being able to afford better housing for many people. Through the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership between the Government of the Northwest Territories, the federal government, aboriginal organizations and industry, a total of $13.3 million is being invested between 2004 and 2008 through the Oil and Gas Strategy, to provide training that will lead to long-term sustainable employment. This partnership will see training provided to over 1,400 northerners. Some training has already commenced through this initiative, including pre-technology and apprenticeship training.

While these impacts are all positive, based on previous NWT experiences and from our research in other jurisdictions, we anticipate that some negative personal and family impacts will result from development. Typically, these negative impacts are reflected in a worsening of pre-existing health and social issues. People have expressed concerns that alcohol and drug abuse will increase, crime rates will go up, family difficulties will intensify and housing adequacy and overcrowding issues will increase.

Mr. Speaker, we are already working hard as a government to prevent the worsening of existing social problems at the individual, family and community levels. Over the past several years, the government has invested $13.9 million in new frontline health and social service workers. This money has helped to fund a total of 108 new positions, including 37 nurses, 19 doctors, 21 social workers, 10 mental health and addiction workers, and 21 homecare workers. Frontline workers are the critical resource in the government's efforts to address health and social issues and in mitigating potential negative impacts associated with the pipeline. The GNWT has tabled its response to the action plan on family violence and one of the key components of the Protection Against Family Violence Act, which will come into force April 1st of this year. Improvements in housing and community service capacity may also be necessary in mitigating potential negative impacts in communities most directly affected during the construction phase of the pipeline.

Mitigating the impacts of the Mackenzie gas project will require both short and long-term strategies and will require that industry work in partnership with all levels of government including the federal, territorial, aboriginal and community governments. Partnerships with non-government organizations and local housing organizations will also be necessary to alleviate social problems. The proponent has outlined their overall plan for mitigation in volume six of their environmental impact statement, including the need for collaborative efforts with communities and with the GNWT. The GNWT has asked the proponent to provide additional details about their anticipated social impacts and their proposed mitigation measures. This information is due by March 31, 2005. When the requested additional information becomes available we will be better able to assess the impacts and determine what needs to be done to offset any negative ones. For example, we need more information on industry's northern employment plans in order to be able to determine the number of northerners, and northern families who may be affected.

The GNWT is also in the process of negotiating a socioeconomic agreement with the proponents and it is hoped that this agreement will include specific actions to monitor and mitigate negative social impacts. Specific details will be released after the agreement has been finalized.

Mr. Speaker, we will continue to focus on prevention and promoting programs while supporting communities in shaping social change. Building on the good work undertaken by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, the social programs Ministers will be developing a consultation plan with affected governments and non-government organizations over the next several months.

The conference sponsored by Municipal and Community Affairs in Inuvik last December provided an excellent opportunity for community governments to look at the infrastructure impacts of the proposed pipeline and similar resource development projects. We want to extend this process to allow communities and NGOs to examine social impacts, including not only the impacts on health and social services, but also on housing, education and training and on the justice system so we can make a plan for what we collectively need to do to minimize the negative and maximize the positive. Planning is underway to hold workshops on social impacts in those regions most affected by the pipeline early in the new fiscal year.

While the review process for the proposed pipeline is well underway, it will be several years before approvals are granted and any construction begins. We have time to plan collaborative mitigation measures with municipal and aboriginal governments, NGOs and industry, but we have to start now. To be meaningful, these planning meetings need to be focussed on more specific information from the proponents respecting the project, which we look forward to receiving in the months ahead.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, we have much work before us and it is important to recognize that government and industry must collaborate in providing support to NWT residents, so northerners will benefit from the proposed pipeline. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, this afternoon I would like to inform the House of the steps the Department of Transportation has taken to prepare for construction of a pipeline along the Mackenzie Valley and its impacts on the territorial transportation system.

The Department of Transportation will bear a direct and significant burden associated with the proposed Mackenzie gas project. Since its inception, the Mackenzie gas project has assumed it would have access to the territorial public transportation system for its logistical needs. Indeed, a significant volume of equipment, material, personnel and supplies involved in this $7 billion project will move through our airports or over our roads. While the Department of Transportation will do its utmost to accommodate the requirements of the Mackenzie gas project, the department will also ensure that any disruptions to the transportation system are kept to a minimum.

The Department of Transportation and the proponents of the Mackenzie gas project started working closely together on the details of the transportation logistics involved. A joint working group has inspected the transportation system firsthand to identify the potential trouble spots and choke points that could constrain operations. Of particular concern are the sections along the main corridors of highways No. 1, No. 7, No. 8 and the Mackenzie Valley winter road, that will require improvements to carry the anticipated heavy traffic. There is also concern for intermodal exchange points between rail-barge and road traffic in Hay River, the highway-barge transfer at Fort Simpson and aircraft parking space at the Fort Simpson, Norman Wells and Inuvik airports.

All told, the department has identified a requirement for $104 million in improvements to our airport and highway infrastructure to respond to the impact of the Mackenzie gas project. While the planning and foresight of the department and the timely assistance of contributions from various federal programs and funds including the Canada strategic infrastructure fund, the department has been able to schedule $76 million in infrastructure improvements over the four fiscal years 2004-05 through 2008-09. This leaves an outstanding shortfall of $28 million that, for the present, remains problematic.

Beyond the short and medium term of the Mackenzie gas project and its relatively brief period of construction, the department is engaged with Transport Canada and the territorial Bureau of Statistics to identify the long-term demands on the transportation system the pipeline is likely to generate. Once a pipeline is in place and capable of delivering oil and gas from the Northwest Territories to market, it will stimulate the development of a permanent oil and gas exploration and production sector similar to those today in Alberta and northern British Columbia. We need to look ahead at the transportation requirements of a mature and flourishing hydrocarbon energy industry in the Northwest Territories.

With the long term in mind, the Department of Transportation has proposed a number of legacy transportation projects for consideration in the negotiation of a socioeconomic impact benefits agreement.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, the scale of the Mackenzie gas project is huge and, for a short time, it will put an enormous strain on our transportation system. We are doing our best to foresee the difficulties and to prepare for them. We are also pursuing opportunities to improve the transportation system for the benefit of all residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The Chair recognizes the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that the Ministers' statements 88-15(3), 89-15(3), 90-15(3), and 91-15(3) be moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order and non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Ministers' statements 88-15(3), 89-15(3), 90-15(3), and 91-15(3) are moved into Committee of the Whole.

Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at the outset of this budget session, we heard from our Finance Minister. We heard about this government's challenge to manage our finances in a prudent and responsible manner. In any given government and in any given year, this seems to require some reduction initiatives and some clear investment opportunities. This requires us, as a government, to consider our priorities. It should also require us to consider the impacts of our decisions in a comprehensive and in-depth way. When these decisions affect the delivery of critical programs and services in our communities and regions, we owe our constituents the benefit of proceeding with caution and care.

Mr. Speaker, I am all for efficiency, effectiveness and fairness. I don't know anyone who could argue with that. To that end, Mr. Speaker, there is a so-called reduction initiative proposed by the Department of Justice which cannot pass the test of bringing greater efficiency, will not make the justice system more effective and certainly is not fair to the people of the South Slave region and the community of Hay River. If that is not enough, Mr. Speaker, I am going to prove that it doesn't save any money. It may even cost this government more money. The service I am speaking of is the provision of remand services at the South Mackenzie Correctional Centre in

Hay River. I know the Minister of Justice had reduction targets to meet. Mr. Speaker, I submit to you that the closure of remand cells in Hay River and the transferring of remand inmates to Yellowknife will not save any money.

Through my questions and statements during the remainder of this budget session, it is my intention to prove this. The Department of Justice has calculated the savings of $400,000 by the elimination of 5.5 corrections positions by attrition. They have allowed for $18,000 to transfer inmates to and from remand in Yellowknife for initial incarceration and subsequent court appearances. Mr. Speaker, I will paint a picture of the logistics and articulate the real costs of this so-called expenditure reduction. At the end of the day, I can only hope that good government and common sense will prevail. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to speak today on an item that is very important on so many different levels to the people who live in the Northwest Territories. The issue I am going to raise today is caribou and how this government is handling the management of this great resource. It is clear what caribou provide to us and their importance to us, as they have been ever since man has walked here, to our culture, our way of life, our economy and our identity. The management plan for the Bathurst caribou herd was tabled in this House on February 14th. I am concerned that the government and the committee are creating some unnecessary concern in many sectors of life here in the Northwest Territories such as outfitting, tourism, and local hunting. I believe that the management plan itself is a fine piece of work and what I have to say should be seen as no disrespect to the committee members and those on the management planning committee.

What I see is this plan trying to manage 186,000 caribou of one herd, the Bathurst herd, when the reality is that the Bathurst herd is smack dab in the middle of four other discernable herds. The obvious question is how can you manage one herd without a plan to manage the others?

On page 6 of the plan, it shows the numbers of Bathurst caribou in 1986 at 470,000 animals. If you look to 2003, the number declines to 186,000. I have several questions about how this decrease causes alarm. Northerners have always thought there were four main herds of caribou occupying the mainland of central Canada in an area that stretches from the Mackenzie River in the west to the coast of Hudson Bay in the east. These herds were called the Bluenose, Bathurst, Beverly and Qamanirjuaq. Today the GNWT and the Government of Nunavut recognize that there are eight herds that occupy the same land area. These new herds are called the Bluenose East, Dolphin Union Strait, Ahiak and Northeastern Mainland.

How was the data arrived at in 1986 to estimate the Bathurst herd at 470,000 animals? Did it, at the time, include animals from other herds? Does this government understand or know what exactly the number of caribou is in this area regardless of which herd they may belong to? How can you have a management plan for one herd not knowing what this exact number is? 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 can conclude your statement, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Hunters from the Dogrib communities hunting during winter months to the northwest of Gameti are more than likely harvesting caribou from the Bluenose East herd, not the Bathurst, although at times both herds are together.

Hunters going north from Yellowknife on the winter road will likely be harvesting Bluenose East, Bathurst or Ahiak caribou. If you were to shoot more than one animal, you probably will be shooting one from each herd standing side by side on the same lake. It could even be a Dauphin or a Beverly caribou. Hunters from Lutselk'e are likely to harvest from Bathurst, Beverly, Ahiak and sometimes the Qamanirjuaq caribou herds. There are only caribou management boards for the Bathurst, Beverly and Qamanirjuaq herds. The question is who manages the other herds? At the appropriate time, I will have questions for the Minister of RWED. Thank you.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member's statement today will be about municipal services. Many of the Nunakput communities are in need of gravel for maintenance of roads, driveways and new pads for further development. Mr. Speaker, gravel sources are only accessible during the winter months mainly because of the distance and the sensitivity of our terrain. Mr. Speaker, during the Minister's visit last summer and a recent meeting I had with the Tuktoyaktuk Community Planning Committee, it was made quite clear that the communities in Nunakput require gravel for future development.

Mr. Speaker, the Cabinet and the deputy minister should consider the needs of communities outside of the urban centres. The need for gravel for roads, water and sewer infrastructures and landfills is vital for the communities. This government should work with the Inuvialuit Land Administration, ILA, to identify gravel sources in close proximity to the communities of Sachs Harbour, Paulatuk, Holman and Tuktoyaktuk. This government should immediately commence dialogue with ILA before the proposed construction of the Mackenzie Valley gas pipeline.

Mr. Speaker, if this government does not address this problem immediately, access to close gravel sources will be identified by the industry for their infrastructure needs, and the communities will lose out. Mr. Speaker, therefore, I urge this government to immediately allocate funds for the hamlets of Sachs Harbour, Paulatuk, Holman and

Tuktoyaktuk for access to gravel sources so they can plan for today and future developments in their respective communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Mr. Speaker, I think that small communities are great and those that live in them can enjoy a good lifestyle. However, small communities also have a lot of socioeconomic problems. Their school can offer very little variety of programs or even special education assistance for those with learning difficulties. Levels of education are improving in general. However, for the 54 percent of our population that live outside of Yellowknife, our education levels and our graduation rates are still well below the territorial average. In Fort Liard, only about 30 percent of students have graduated from high school since 1989, compared to the territorial national average of just below 70 percent.

Mr. Speaker, the population of a small community tends to be younger, has fewer job opportunities compared to Yellowknife, and most of the people living in these communities are aboriginal and have lived there since birth. This is why I'm out looking for ways to improve the quality of education, especially in Fort Liard. This is also why I am excited about the Sunchild e-training learning proposal. As I have said before, this program is working on small reserves and small communities and getting great results. They have graduation rates of over 80 percent, Mr. Speaker.

The Sunchild E-learning Community was designed to augment and support the conventional school programs. It was established to deliver quality education to high school students within the Sunchild First Nations school program using computers and Internet technology. Students become comfortable using technology and, as a result, become computer literate and competent. In turn, their achievements boost confidence and satisfaction, and encourage interest for higher education.

Mr. Speaker, I think that kids growing up in smaller communities should have an equal chance at getting a good education, getting a good job, and having a prosperous and opportunity-rich life. I want to see this government doing everything in its power to make this happen; including providing a good start with a good education. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise again today to continue the topic of accountable and responsive government. Mr. Speaker, the other day, I talked about the vacancies in the Audit Bureau and their struggle to do their jobs and provide the resources of a fully-staffed bureau.

Mr. Speaker, I can't understand why it's so difficult to retain staff in an area such as the Audit Bureau but, you know, I've gotten much feedback from professionals. Mr. Speaker, independence seems to be the key to them being truly effective. They need to have an unfettered hand to do their jobs; unfettered by the government.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister read into the record about true reporting mechanisms. The Audit Bureau reports deep down into the bowels of government and it is embedded there. So everything they deal and talk with happens deep down in the FMBS side of government.

Mr. Speaker, we need the Audit Bureau to be independent so they can be productive. Mr. Speaker, the calls from the professionals out there in this field said that this section needs the unfettered opportunity to do what it needs to do. We are chronically short-staffed, Mr. Speaker, and this may be the solution to that problem. An independent Audit Bureau could be an early-warning system to the government so we could avoid boondoggles like other places have experienced in the South.

Mr. Speaker, it's not just about money lost; it's about money that we'd spend to investigate this problem. It's about money that we'd then spend to try to fix the problem, Mr. Speaker. Other provinces in Canada, Mr. Speaker, have audit bureaus that report directly to their Legislative Assembly, such as British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. Their direct reports go to the assemblies then get forwarded on to the responsible standing committees. I think that needs to be seriously considered.

Mr. Speaker, I, on this side of the House, can defend a Minister and support a Minister who has a problem that's being recognized and addressed. But, Mr. Speaker, I have to work in the other direction when they try to hide or ignore the problem or blemish. Mr. Speaker, we need support from that side of the House to say wait a minute, we're going to address this problem, we're going to give independence to this area, and we're going to fix it. So, Mr. Speaker, later today, I will have questions for the appropriate Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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