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

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to thank Mr. Ramsay for bringing up the issue of health services. Mr. Speaker, on September 14th, 2006, I was able to travel to Ulukhaktok and speak with the local leaders and public in general. During this visit, Mr. Speaker, a concern was raised by the community leaders that the hamlet of Ulukhaktok has been without the following front-line workers for a number of months: social worker, mental health worker, and community wellness worker.

Mr. Speaker, front-line workers play a major role in small communities in terms of addressing and responding to social and family issues. Communities without front-line workers rely on the regional offices to respond to social and family issues, but at times a response may take up to a week or even longer, Mr. Speaker, depending on the weather. This is presently the case in Ulukhaktok.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services has advertised to recruit the positions of social worker and mental health worker in Ulukhaktok, but to date have not been successful in recruiting and filling these positions. Why is it, Mr. Speaker? Because of the shortage of qualified social and mental health workers, or is it because of the lack of accommodation in the communities?

Mr. Speaker, the Hamlet of Ulukhaktok would like to see these positions filled as soon as possible. This will give their community the comfort and relief that their concerns are being addressed in regard to social and family issues.

Mr. Speaker, I will pursue the matter with the Department of Health and Social Services to ensure the positions of a social worker and mental health worker and community wellness worker are filled. In closing, I will have questions for the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the last couple of months, couple of weeks, I was very disappointed, in fact very angry, when I first saw the CBC Television People's History - Hockey, and that the community of Deline and the people of the Northwest Territories were shunned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in terms of their lack of integrity, respect to mention the birthplace of ice hockey in the Northwest Territories by the community of Deline in the Sahtu region. It's the first recording by Sir John Franklin that ice hockey was played in the Northwest Territories and Deline. CBC overlooked it. Shame on them for their type of research that they've done and to portray Montreal as being the first official game because they had an audience in the stands for hockey. Not knowing the history of the birthplace of hockey is in Deline, Northwest Territories, and not knowing that the people in that community at the time, maybe they were already watching hockey, you know? They overlooked everything. That's the southern attitude that the people in the Northwest Territories face from southern Canada. So, Mr. Speaker, I want to say maybe CBC should rename that history A Southern Canadian People's History, not the People's History, because they're not telling the people's history.

There seems to be many claims of ice birth of hockey in Canada: Nova Scotia; Windsor, Ontario, in the late 1800s. Mr. Speaker, the Society for International Hockey research has contested their claim. Montreal, Quebec, has the claim because it was again, as I said, the first time hockey was played in front of an audience and finally Kingston, Ontario, became the member of this claim by having letters being researched.

All these things have been contested. Why can't Deline have a rightful place in the birth of hockey? Mr. Speaker, I urge this government, and I'll have questions to the Minister, to put Deline on the map to promote the birth of ice hockey in Canada. Thank you.

---Applause

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd just like to raise the issue of government policies in areas related to tendering, procurement and business incentives for our 27 small communities. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to see this government develop or make amendments to these outdated policies. All of these policies pretty much include all government departments in some form or fashion. The amendments I and many other northerners living in our small communities would like to see come into effect are ones that only apply to non-market communities; amendments which allow for the fair distribution of government dollars or public dollars being spent in these remote communities by our various government

departments, amendments that will provide for a fair distribution of government contracts and business opportunities in our small centres where small businesses rely heavily on government spending to survive. Changes such as these would be much appreciated by people struggling in the service industry in our smaller communities, but will only work if our public service makes it work by continuously monitoring and assessing where these government and public dollars are being spent, and who is benefiting, and ultimately ensuring that fairness and balance are a priority.

Mr. Speaker, we have over 30 public service employees who work on policy development and implementation for our government and I cannot understand why we do not recognize that many of these policies related to tendering, procurement and business incentive either do not work for the small communities or are not implemented in a fair and equitable manner. Mr. Speaker, this has to change and the first step is to take charge of our public service in our remote and small communities, and ultimately in our regions. Our public service are also these people who have the authority to expend these public dollars and I hope that...It's good to see that we have our five regional directors here in the gallery today and I hope that they take this message back to their regions and to begin to work on some recommendations for changes on these old government policies and we start to move toward more equitable and a fair distribution of public money in our small communities, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to speak on an issue that affects the NWT and recently has become a major concern in Inuvik. That issue, Mr. Speaker, is the dramatic increase in crimes committed by youth. During a meeting in Inuvik we heard many cases of youth committing criminal offences in the community. Crimes range from assaults to arson to underage drinking, and a huge increase in property crimes, including break and enter and thefts. Last year alone, Mr. Speaker, in Inuvik there was 771 property crimes. Out of those reported, 617, or 80 percent, were committed by youth. Unless we can do something about this, Mr. Speaker, sadly these numbers are going to increase.

During a recent meeting in Inuvik, concerned members of the communities, we tried to come up with some solutions for the increase in youth crime. None of the parents whose children are a lot of the major offenders of these crimes were present. That, Mr. Speaker, is part of the problem. Some parents don't care, so why should the youth?

Many residents, Mr. Speaker, work hard for what they own and should not have to worry about trying to always protect it and worry about if it's going to be there in the morning. There seems to be absolutely no consequences for crimes committed by youth. No one seems to be held accountable, and that's getting to be a favourite word of mine. Citizens are becoming frustrated, and I'm sure the police and the courts are frustrated that we have to constantly release repeat offenders only to offend again.

Mr. Speaker, we as a government have a duty to protect hard-working, taxpaying citizens. I will have questions for the Minister of Justice, Mr. Bell, at the appropriate time. Thank you.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions are some of the main ways that our government can help reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Having an incentive to switch to energy efficient and low-emission items such as hybrid vehicles, wood stoves, or pellet stoves, are just a few examples which we can help to reduce the harmful toxins and pollutants getting into our environment.

In provinces across Canada, as well as some states in the U.S., they have created tax rebate programs for people who buy hybrid vehicles. In British Columbia, Mr. Speaker, for a purchase of a leased or new hybrid vehicle the province allows you to be eligible for up to 100 percent PST to a maximum $2,000. B.C. also offers tax reduction incentives for those who use public transportation, Mr. Speaker. Ontario offers a partial rebate on the retail service tax with the purchase or lease of a hybrid electric or alternative fuel vehicle, Mr. Speaker. These vehicles are also eligible for up to $1,000 of the PST. Prince Edward Island offers a partial rebate for provincial sales tax and that's up to a potential $3,000, Mr. Speaker. But Mr. Speaker, you'll notice that the Territories was not mentioned anywhere here in my list. Where are our environmentally friendly choices programs? Where are our incentives, Mr. Speaker?

Wood and wood pellet stoves are also effective and efficient for the environment, Mr. Speaker. Some provinces are offering incentives to switch to these. I wish we had incentives, Mr. Speaker, because I'll tell you Nova Scotia does. Nova Scotia offers a $200 rebate for people using Environmental Protection Agency certified wood stoves or wood pellet stoves. The most important fact about these things is the CO2 that it burns is actually neutral to the environment, Mr. Speaker, unlike oil and natural gas.

In the NWT our population is small, Mr. Speaker, but it's certainly innovative. I can tell you that there certainly would be a lot of people very interested in taking up opportunities if reasonable, smart, environmentally friendly choice programs existed. With a department that has a budget over $50 million, we must be able to find some small amount of money to create a fair and reasonable program.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, this is not an incorrigible problem that places like Toronto suffer from with their smog, but Mr. Speaker, I believe in taking good and practical, decisive action, Mr. Speaker, and I think this Minister should too. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's not too often I get to stand up and get some good news out there. I'll take this opportunity today to mention some good news for us here in the Northwest Territories, as well as for a constituent back in Inuvik.

Yesterday in New Brunswick the BDC honoured top young businesspeople from across Canada at the 19th Young Entrepreneurs Awards Ceremony. Out of the 19, the Northwest Territories was represented by one of our own out of Inuvik, Ms. Holly Norris.

---Applause

She started, along with her partner, a business called Delta Sun Services in Inuvik. It's a catering business and started back in 2003. She saw the demand for those services grow, took over the concession contract at the local arena, and then as well, in 2005, purchased a restaurant and is doing great business in the community of Inuvik. So just to send a congratulation out to her and her family. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize the regional directors who are in the gallery today. Bob Sanderson from the South Slave region...

---Applause

Dan O'Neill, North Slave...

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Andy Short, Sahtu...

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Andrew Johnston from the Deh Cho...

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and Helen Sullivan, who is acting director and has done a great job over the last couple of years of piloting the return of the regional directors.

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Mr. Speaker, with your indulgence, I'd like to also recognize two Pages who are with the cadets who are from Weledeh: Kelsey Martin and Jeremy Frankie, and I believe their moms may be in the audience as well, Violet Martin and Cathy Frankie. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize Brianne Christison from Aurora College, YK Campus. Brianne is in her fourth year of nursing and is visiting the House as part of the Professional Growth V course on nurses influencing change. One component of this class is to learn about how politics shapes and influences health care and health care policy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize two of my favourite constituents and people that I love dearly, my mom and dad.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Arlene Hache, who is an activist on behalf of northern families and victims and she's not my constituent, I believe she's Premier Handley's constituent, but I'd like to recognize her and the women with her and I'm sorry I don't know your names. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to recognize a couple of nurses in the gallery, Shelly and Vicky. Thank you.

---Applause