Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the House. Colleagues, I would like to direct your attention to the gallery today. We have the president and CEO of the Rick Hansen Foundation and none other than the man in motion, none other than Mr. Rick Hansen himself.

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Also, representing the NWT Council of Persons with Disabilities, Cecily Hewitt, Bill Burles, Linda Noseworthy, Heather Clarke and board members Doreen Baptiste and Al Reid.

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Representing the Yellowknife Association of Community Living we have Rae Celotti and Donna Williston.

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Representing the Canadian Paraplegic Association, Shaun Roper.

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Also, the Rick Hansen Wheels in Motion coordinator, Lydia Bardak.

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Welcome to the Legislative Assembly. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on a point of personal privilege pursuant to section 21(1) of the rules of the Legislative Assembly,

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. What is your point of personal privilege?

Point Of Privilege

Mr. Speaker, an article was published in yesterday's edition of News/North entitled From the Public Purse and contained incorrect information. I would like to take this opportunity to correct the record. The article contained information regarding my constituency spending. It stated that I spent $2,000 on the purchase of wooden pens. Mr. Speaker, the cost of pens was, in fact, $200, a substantial difference, Mr. Speaker. I do have the invoice to verify my statement here today. I would like to ask News/North to write an apology to me and my constituents. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to provide Members of the Legislative Assembly with an update on a number of special Team NWT initiatives being sponsored by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs for the upcoming Canada Winter Games, which will be held in Whitehorse, Yukon, from February 23 to March 10, 2007.

As Members may be aware, the most ambitious Canada Games torch relay even held began on April 10 of this year, when the three territorial torches were lit for the first time in the North at the Canadian Forces Base in Alert, Nunavut.

From that Far North start, the NWT torch has been on an epic journey through 25 communities to date. It has traveled by dog team, canoe, motorboat, on foot and by cross-country skis, by ATV, truck, car and military jet. It has visited Virginia Falls and has been sighted near the pingos of Tuktoyaktuk.

In the coming months, the torch will continue its journey through the rest of our communities before making its final trek from Yellowknife to Whitehorse just before the games open in February 2007.

In addition to the torch relay, the Northwest Territories is participating in a number of other special events to celebrate the first ever Canada Games north of the 60th parallel.

The Northwest Territories will be sending a contingent of Dene and Inuit games athletes who will vie for special medals in a competition among the three territories. Given the number of Canadians that are expected to attend from all across the country, this event will surely be one of the crowd pleasers at the games.

I am also pleased to report that 33 youth ambassadors, one from every community, will be attending the games to represent the Northwest Territories and learn valuable skills acting as games volunteers. Team NWT will also includes athletes and coaches from 12 sports including badminton, biathlon, snowboarding, curling, figure skating, gymnastics, hockey, cross-country skiing, short track speed skating, squash and shooting.

The 2007 Canada Winter Games represent a significant opportunity for all three territories to host our southern neighbours and to show them the unique wonders of the

North. I will be providing my colleagues with additional information on the Canada Winter Games as we continue our preparation. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Minister' statements. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bell.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories operates a fur marketing service to trappers in the Northwest Territories under the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program.

This popular program provides guaranteed advance payment for all good quality fur shipped to auction, a prime fur bonus and grubstake funding for eligible trappers.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to report that the 2005-06 season was one of the best in 15 years for Northwest Territories trappers.

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Thank you. Proceeds from the sale of furs exceeded $1.4 million. Our harvest of marten pelts alone was worth $1 million.

Additionally, eligible trappers received payments from the Prime Fur Bonus and Grubstake programs worth in excess of $400,000, bringing the total income to trappers last season to $1.8 million.

Mr. Speaker, market reports for the upcoming season are quite promising. Marten, lynx, cross and white fox pelts from the Northwest Territories are in high demand and are expected to maintain or exceed last year's prices for our dedicated trappers.

Far East buyers are driving interest in wild mink and muskrat, so we expect increased prices for both species. Prices paid for beaver and marten have increased dramatically over the last three years and are expected to remain at high levels.

Mr. Speaker, I am also pleased to report that properly handled wolverine and wolf pelts are predicted to once again reach last season's levels, while Northwest Territories and Nunavut seal pelts are in high demand and are also expected to increase in value.

Mr. Speaker, under the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program, all Northwest Territories trappers are eligible for an advance payment for their furs. The amount of the advance is posted in all communities and is guaranteed under our program.

Strong markets and a demand for quality furs that currently exceeds supply is good news for Northwest Territories trappers. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to advise all Northwest Territories trappers that our government's advance payments for quality marten and lynx pelts will be increased on November 1, 2006, to better reflect market value and to directly assist trappers with rising operating costs.

Mr. Speaker, the number of youth involved in the trapping industry in the Northwest Territories is growing. This, in my opinion, is the most encouraging trend, and bodes well for our fur sector in the future. This government will continue to provide support to this important sector of our traditional economy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Bell. Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Roland.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that the Department of Health and Social Services has agreed to a one-time contribution to the Rick Hansen Foundation...

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... in the amount of $100,000 to be disbursed in annual amounts of $20,000 over five years. This money will assist people with spinal cord injuries and persons with disabilities.

The Rick Hansen Foundation helps people with spinal cord injuries to have equal opportunities, and lead active and healthy lives.

In May, the Premier and the former Minister of Health and Social Services met with Mr. Hansen to discuss the needs for persons with disabilities, and Mr. Hansen shared some of his personal highlights. The meetings were successful. It was agreed that the Rick Hansen Foundation would work with the NWT Council for Persons with Disabilities to ensure the GNWT contribution will be spent in the NWT. A "Solutions Team" of volunteers will work with the NWT Council for Persons with Disabilities to allocate the $20,000 per year based on NWT proposals.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services, in conjunction with the Minister responsible for Persons with Disabilities, will continue to work at improving services for persons with disabilities. Partnerships with NGOs, such as the NWT Council for Persons with Disabilities and the Rick Hansen Foundation, are integral to meeting the needs of persons with disabilities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today is Literacy Day in this Assembly and in keeping with our literacy theme this afternoon and the importance of education for all people, I would like to draw attention to an individual who has devoted a career to furthering the cause of education and literacy among young people.

Mr. Metro Huculak has done in his context of government and school boards and in keeping with the priority of

teaching students, ensuring they get a good education. Mr. Huculak is here in the audience today, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to read a press release from YK1 as my Member's statement.

Mr. Metro Huculak from YK1 was awarded the provincial/territorial EXL Award for Excellence in School Administration in Winnipeg at the Annual Canadian Association of School Administrators Conference on October 13, 2006. The Canadian Association of School Administrators presents this annual award to members who have displayed exemplary leadership ability, enhanced school administration, made important contributions to education, brought honour to their profession, and served as a member of CASA for five years. Administrators from Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba and NWT were nominated for this provincial award.

It's quoted, "I am not at all surprised that Mr. Huculak was given this award," said Mr. Ed Wittchen, professional development director of CASA, "his energy, enthusiasm, interpersonal skills and strong leadership abilities have allowed him to bring a lot of positive changes to YK1 in a short period of time. He surrounds himself with a good team."

Mr. Huculak made significant changes since joining YK1 in August 2005 as superintendent. He places a strong emphasis in implementing professional development programs for YK1 administrative staff to expand their leadership capacity. Over the past few years he has worked at creating and applying the "Classroom Walk Through" program in Alberta which is still in progress and used in training NWT administration staff. Mr. Huculak was also involved in the "Healthy Interaction" and "Safe and Caring Communities and School" programs in Alberta. Mr. Huculak is currently working for the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association and the Education, Culture and Employment to implement a similar program in the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to take this moment to honour an educator and someone who makes a difference in our community, Mr. Huculak. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, the value of literacy programs is not in question, nor is the need to support our museums or the volunteers who are working across the Northwest Territories to make life better, nor is the need for a strong environment, nor is the need to be able to have court challenge money. What is in question is the intent and policies of the Conservative government that have not served us well in these areas.

Mr. Speaker, it's very hard to come to a good understanding of the Conservative policies. They are so Republican.

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It's so bush league that it has done us a terrible disservice in the Northwest Territories. The people who need it most are getting hurt the most. I think that is unfair. As we seek to negotiate a way to have the Conservative government come to their senses and put the money back, the one thing to keep in mind is there is an election coming. When that election comes, and if they haven't rectified these injustices to the people of the Northwest Territories, keep that in mind. It's as simple as ABC; Anybody but the Conservatives.

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Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak today with regard to an issue that I brought up in the House in the past and that is the condition of sleep apnea and the devastating impact that it can have on a person and a family's quality of life.

In May of 2005, the former Minister said that a report was being done by Dr. Remmers from Calgary in regard to the continuation and modernization of the Sleep Centre at the Stanton Territorial Hospital. I have not seen a copy of that report and, Mr. Speaker, later today I will be questioning the new Minister on exactly what is happening out at Stanton with regard to sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a very common medical disorder. Sufferers with this condition need to have their condition properly diagnosed in a sleep lab prior to deciding on a form of treatment. This condition can cause severe drowsiness, the sufferer is unable to concentrate at work, stay alert, take care of children or drive safely. Some sufferers cannot even lie down without the fear of suffocating.

One of the forms of treatment is to sleep with the aid of a CPAP or an oxygen machine, which is not covered by NWT health insurance. Mr. Speaker, I would like to know exactly why this machine is not covered or insured. Last year, the former Minister stated that there was a working group currently reviewing the issue and they would come up with the best way for the usage of the CPAP machines to be covered. Mr Speaker, it's 18 months later and I am still getting concerns from constituents that extended health benefits is not covering the cost for these machines, which are approximately $1,800.

Mr. Speaker, I hope that the new Minister can explain to me today why this is still the case. Mahsi.

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Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Villeneuve.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the federal funding reductions we've recently had will have detrimental effects on many northern initiatives that are provided by our NGOs and our non-profit agencies who

rely heavily on federal government funding as a core funding source.

Mr. Speaker, I could stand here all day and talk about why our Conservative government should not have made these funding cuts to these social envelopes in Canada, more specifically here in the NWT, but I am sure the federal government has already had its spill of complaints over the past week.

I want to talk about the hypocritical tactics our Conservative government is taking on many national fronts. A good example is the Prime Minister stating in this House, not just a month ago, the need to free the North from the paternalistic hold Ottawa has on the NWT. But before the ink even dried on this news item, Mr. Speaker, the federal Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, Mr. Prentice, is saying the interest of special interest groups, i.e. the aboriginal governments, will not stand in the way of northern development. Before the election, the Conservatives were stating how supportive they were to addressing social gaps our aboriginal populations are up against in the areas of education, health and justice. Now we have federal cuts in areas which work to narrow the social gap and the obvious Conservative lack of support for the historic Kelowna Accord, which directly relates to issues related to this, Mr. Speaker, has not had much appeal.

Before federal elections, we heard the Conservatives talking about the partnership building initiatives with aboriginals in Canada, but just recently a UN declaration affirming the rights to lands and resources as essential to indigenous peoples retaining their culture and fulfilling their basic human rights was voted against by only two out of 47 countries, one being Canada. What does that tell us as Canadians, Mr. Speaker? All this lip service about turns, empty promises and inconsistency will get me, and I hope many other Canadians, thinking about the next federal election and say to themselves fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to have a lot more to say about the ABC and the cuts in federal funding later in the day but, at this point, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to speak about the issues of nursing grads at Aurora College. Mr. Speaker, as you're well aware, the Nursing Program at Aurora College has been and remains one of the cornerstones of the government's efforts to meet the challenge of recruiting and retaining the nurses in the North. However, it appears that, for whatever reasons, a number of obstacles are being put in front of these grads that are having the effect of them questioning whether the government is genuine about wanting to hire them and keep them, and in some cases forcing them to consider looking elsewhere for employment options upon graduating next summer.

First of all, Mr. Speaker, nursing graduates are being told that they would receive only 90 percent of their wages as new nurses. Not only that, they're being told that there will be no commensurate increments in salaries between those grads with diplomas versus baccalaureate diplomas, Mr. Speaker. I'm also advised that this is not the way things are done in other jurisdictions and I urge this government to revisit this issue and stop the practice immediately.

Secondly, Mr. Speaker, nursing grads are being advised that they will have no choice in areas of specialty that they could practice when they begin their career as a new nurse in the North. Mr. Speaker, I do appreciate that, as an employer, the GNWT has its own operational requirements and that they would not be able to accommodate all requests of a specialty, but to approach it in a way that gives them no options for choice, even where such options could be workable, is not the way to make these nurses feel welcome or feel that the GNWT, as an employer, are concerned about being partners in their personal and career plans.

Mr. Speaker, I'm especially concerned about the suggestion being made to these nursing grads that they would be screened out for any nursing employment opportunities in the North if they don't go along with what's being offered. This is certainly not acceptable and not conducive to making them feel an important part of the NWT health care delivery system.

Mr. Speaker, we continue to face shortages of nurses, new and experienced, and goodness knows we need to keep each and every one of them. Surely we can and must do a better job to create a more positive and welcoming employment environment for these new nursing grads. I will be asking questions in question period. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as some of my colleagues have spoken about today, I'd like to speak to my frustration at the federal government's budget cuts to some of the programs that are very important to the people of the Northwest Territories. I don't know what the message is that they're trying to send to us, Mr. Speaker. They want to cut money from the women's groups, youth programs, volunteerism, smoking cessation. What are they telling us? If you belong to a women's group, light up a cigarette, don't volunteer for anything, especially if it's youth programs? I fail to see where their priorities are, Mr. Speaker.

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This is another good argument for the Northwest Territories on this resource revenue sharing, some of the money that leaves here. I heard it's like $1,200 by the time I finish speaking here. I mean, I didn't realize my words were worth that much. The Government of the Northwest Territories has got an opportunity here to send a message to the people of the Northwest Territories that they believe that these programs are important, by finding the money to fill in the gaps until the funding from the federal

government is restored; and if we fight hard enough, that money will be restored.

I failed to mention literacy, Mr. Speaker, but that is another important part of it. My colleague from Thebacha likes to talk about the ABCs. Well, today I want to give you another lesson on the most powerful letter in the alphabet, and that letter, Mr. Speaker, is the letter X. With one simple little letter you can change things you don't like. If you don't like the way a government is run, use the letter X and you can change it. If you don't like people or if you don't think people are qualified to be MLAs or Ministers, use that little letter. The letter X is a powerful letter. A lot of people went to war and fought so we could have the privilege of using this little letter.

So, Mr. Speaker, people across the NWT may think they're powerless sometimes, but, no, they're not. They're very, very powerful people and that power comes from one simple little letter and sometimes they should exercise that responsibility that's been given to them and use the letter X. Thank you.

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