Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. One of the prime responsibilities that we have as the Legislative Assembly and Cabinet of the Northwest Territories is to ensure that the boards and agencies and commissions that we establish are there for the continuance of good governance and good practice. Over the years, Mr. Speaker, this government has established well over 100 different agencies, boards and commissions and they affect many, many different walks of life. The

appointments that are made to these organizations are at the discretion of the Ministers in their various portfolios.

One of the most critical groups that we have in our mandate to continue good governance is the Workers' Compensation Board. There are a few different levels of appointments involved in here and, Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that an appointment that was recently made to the Appeals Tribunal of the Workers' Compensation Board was not done appropriately. A vacancy occurred in terms of representing a labour representative on the Appeals Tribunal, Mr. Speaker, but the Minister chose, in this case, to not follow the input of labour organizations in the Northwest Territories, a condition which is stipulated in the act. My understanding, Mr. Speaker, is that a private businessperson from the Northwest Territories was appointed to this very critical post.

Mr. Speaker, integrity and trust in these agencies is absolutely essential to the conduct, as I have stated, of our mandate to ensure that governance continues along the highest levels. In this case, Mr. Speaker, it appears to be the failure of our government to adhere to those principles. This is not a situation I believe we should tolerate and it should be challenged. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause