Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the House. Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise to provide Members with some of the details of a proposed new law that will promote community safety.

As Members know, drug houses and bootlegging operations can have a serious impact on a neighbourhood or an entire community. The proposed Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act, also knows as "SCAN," would create a means to take action on properties where illegal drug or alcohol sales, prostitution, illegal gambling or inhalant use occur on a regular basis.

Under this new legislation, investigators look into complaints from individuals who express concerns about activities taking place on or around a property. If the investigation shows evidence of illegal activities that disturb the safety and well-being of the neighbourhood or community, the property can be closed, occupants can be evicted, and evidence can even be turned over to the RCMP for use in a criminal investigation.

This legislation is not new, Mr. Speaker. Similar laws are in place in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Yukon, and they all have the same goal: to stop harmful activities in their communities. The legislation does not provide a social safety net to people who are evicted due to their illegal activities. This sends a strong signal, especially to drug dealers and bootleggers, that we do not support their activities.

A question we have been asked, Mr. Speaker, is whether this legislation really makes a difference or simply moves the problem to another location. Other jurisdictions report that shutting down operations does make an impact. If the people engaged in the illegal activity move to another property, or even another community, they can be tracked and evicted again. Through this process, illegal operations are disrupted to the point they can no longer continue.

This type of enforcement is not possible under existing NWT laws. The criminal process focussed on individuals and the illegal activity can continue even after an arrest is made. SCAN investigators can complement the work of the RCMP. Their investigation can also contribute to a criminal file.

The Department of Justice is discussing this new approach with other agencies and we need to explore how we would design effective legislation for the NWT. The RCMP have indicated their support in exploring this new way to combat illegal activities. Discussions are also taking place with other government departments and agencies who will also have a role or an interest in this legislation; agencies involved in housing, social services, child protection, legal registries and community services, to name a few.

The Department of Justice is also beginning public consultations this month. Later today, at the appropriate time, Mr. Speaker, I will table a copy of the consultation document. This paper will be distributed to a wide range of agencies and groups. Information is also available on the department's website, including an online survey, and officials will be visiting a number of communities to talk about how this legislation could work. We are fortunate to have the director of the Saskatchewan Investigation Unit join us in some of these community visits to describe how the process is working in that province. If consultations show support for this legislation, I will bring forward a bill during the February-March session that could see investigators working by the middle of 2008.

Mr. Speaker, we know that illegal activities are affecting our communities, and it is clear that Members are interested in examining this new approach to community safety. Healthy, safe communities have been central to the vision of this Assembly, and over the past three years, we have all been working towards realizing that vision. The proposed law would provide NWT residents with an opportunity to take action; to help make their communities safer by reporting suspicious activities in confidence to an investigator.

I invite Members to provide their comments on this proposed legislation. At the appropriate moment today, I will table the consultation document on the proposed safer communities and neighbourhoods legislation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Bell. Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Menicoche.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that the Department of Transportation is now issuing the new secure digital driver's licence and general identification card to residents of the Northwest Territories.

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Following the events of September 11, 2001, the Department of Transportation participated in a North America-wide initiative to develop and implement national standards with respect to driver's licences. The driver's licence is now the identification document of choice throughout Canada and the United States. I am pleased to say that our new licence and identification card fully conform to these standards.

With the introduction of the digital driver's licence, new procedures and security were implemented. Specific types of identity and residence documents are now required from clients when applying for a new driver's licence or general identification card to ensure a safe and secure system. The department has also introduced the option of obtaining a licence for one or three years, in addition to the five-year term that is currently available.

To date, approximately 4,000 driver's licences and 150 general identification cards have been issued with the Honourable Anthony Whitford, Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, receiving the first new licence.

Mr. Speaker, as you are aware, a number of years ago the Department of Transportation stopped sending out notices to drivers that their licence was about to expire. This was part of a cost-cutting exercise. I am pleased to announce that the Department of Transportation has reintroduced the program.

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Renewal notices are now being mailed out 45 days prior to the driver's licence expiration date.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I would like to say that the Department of Transportation has brought about some significant changes that will ensure the continued acceptance and recognition of the NWT driver's licence as a secure form of identification throughout North America. I would like to thank Members of this House for their support of this initiative. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this Assembly and this government has done a number of things over the past few years to lend support to families in distress. Mr. Speaker, we have passed the Family Violence Protection Act and we are engaged in a number of programs such as those that assist communities in avoiding and eliminating elder abuse.

Mr. Speaker, one of the consequences of relationships is that occasionally families break down. I am not here to judge or lecture about this, but to look at what government can do to help in these circumstances. Mr. Speaker, what aspects of our social services network come into play and where can they be relied on to help?

We have, of course, a network of mental health workers across our communities. We fund a number of different agencies that are involved in front-line family counselling. Mr. Speaker, although they are distinct and separate from the legislative division, there are the courts. Regrettably, in many cases when families break down, they are a last resort for couples seeking to resolve difficult relationships. This is the last avenue available to these people, Mr. Speaker.

So when the situation gets to that extent, I would really like to look for ways that agencies such as our courts, our social services organizations, can enable those families to maintain relationships, to continue on with lives and not to have barriers and roadblocks put up by bureaucracies, by administrations and by the courts as they implement the laws that we put before them.

This is a plea that I have heard from a number of people, a number of constituents, that we see in our communities. Mr. Speaker it's especially evident with the number of children in care in many of our communities. This is an area that we cannot allow to slide, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the riding of Kam Lake is home to over 50 dog mushers and 600 highly trained athletes, the sled dogs. Most of these mushers act as ambassadors for the city of Yellowknife and for the NWT throughout Canada, the United States and Europe during the winter racing season.

Not only do dog mushers represent a healthy lifestyle, they also bring in substantial tourist dollars to our city and our territory. In the winter, the two things most tourists want to do while here is view the aurora and go on a dogsled ride.

Some mushers were born into the lifestyle while others have chosen it. By profession, mushers are an eclectic mix. They are municipal and GNWT employees, self-employed businesspersons, artists, accountants and military professionals, just to name a few. For many mushers in Kam Lake, dog mushing involves the entire family. Through dog mushing, children are taught the value of hard work, commitment to a passion, the love and respect for the dogs, how to work towards a goal and the appreciation for an amazing land and environment.

The history of the North and the history of dog sledding are very closely connected. The North was opened up by dog teams. For years, dogsleds were the main form of transportation around the North. In this respect, our present day mushers are a daily celebration of our northern history. Many current mushers still use their dogs to haul wood in the winter and some continue to trap with their dogs keeping traditions alive and passing them onto the next generation.

Many of the Kam Lake mushers take the time out of their busy schedules to offer educational talks about dog mushing to local schools and groups. This helps alleviate some of the misconceptions that exist about dog mushing.

These types of outreach and community efforts by mushers are changing public perception.

The Northwest Territories should have an annual sled dog appreciation day to honour the history of dog sledding here in the Northwest Territories. Dog mushers represent a piece of living history here in our city and in our territory. Please join me today in applauding the dog mushers in my riding of Kam Lake and in the rest of the territory for all the efforts that they make in promoting the sport of dog mushing not only here at home, but around the globe. Mr. Speaker, with any luck, there will be some snow soon so the mushers can hit the trail. Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. I would just like to remind Members that they should not be speaking on an item that is up for discussion on the Order Paper for later on today. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk about abuse, particularly sexual abuse. I understand just a little bit about the far-reaching and devastating effects of sexual abuse. Perpetrators, or sexual predators, are devious and subtle. It's important in achieving their goal that they appear credible or ordinary. They don't have a flashing sign to warn anyone as to their intentions. They prey on victims who are vulnerable, naive and often defenceless. They find ways to lure their victims that are deceitful and cunning. The tactics include playing to a weakness that they see in their victim, but if the victim lacks healthy affection, self-confidence or the protection of their parents, they use false pretences and hidden motives to satisfy their desires to achieve their plans.

Once past the point of return and involved, the victim feels trapped, confused, fearful and guilty. They question if they deserved this unnatural and destructive attention. Their self-respect and self-worth are destroyed. If the perpetrator is an adult and in a position of trust, they are afraid to tell anyone because no one would believe them and they will be the victim of ridicule. They buy into a conspiracy of silence. They keep their pain and their doubts to themselves, internalizing all those negative emotions.

In the absence of self-esteem and self-confidence, in a state of confusion and turmoil, victims often engage in risky promiscuous or acting out behaviour reinforcing and compounding their feelings of self-loathing. Their behaviour brings on the disapproval and judgment of the very people who would be their allies, defenders and protectors. Pretty soon they've convinced everyone, including themselves, that they are no good. Their normal, healthy interactions with peers, family and friends are diminished. The pain and shame turns inside them until they seek relief, even if temporary, by dulling their senses by abusing drugs and alcohol. Some reach the depths of contemplating suicide and they sense hopelessness.

Now an adult, they realize they were unable to comprehend or process what was happening to them. The abuse, although perhaps the root cause, may seem less relevant now and too painful to deal with in light of the failed relationships, the dysfunctional and self-destructive behaviour that may have lead to inappropriate or even abusive conduct on their part. How to heal, unravel the damage, and deal with the injustice becomes the pursuit of a person who now sees the abuse for what it was.

An opportunity presents itself to tell their story. It will take courage, but maybe there is justice, maybe there is vindication and maybe there is healing. After all, what has happened didn't only happen to them, it was immoral and it was criminal. They see the role of the courts of an impartial judge, so they muster the strength to tell their story knowing and understanding that it will be scrutinized in painstaking detail and will necessarily cause them to revisit the very issue that they have tried so hard to bury.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to 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 may conclude your statement, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, colleagues, and thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, sexual abuse has

ravaged families and communities in the Northwest Territories. Our government has an obligation to do everything in its power to support the victims and survivors of abuse. There is no place for adding to the offence that they have suffered by allowing for the reinforcement of the very stereotypes that have kept them suffering in silence. Protection and fairness in our institutions must be upheld in word and action. Children and victims of sexual abuse must be protected under the law without regard for age, race or culture. Victims have the right to be heard without interference. They need to know that there are people who care and understand, who will stand with them and who will not be silent. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House on many occasions to bring a lot of times bad news, but today I've got some good news, Mr. Speaker. Today I'd just like to pay tribute to a very respected elder in my constituency and send my and this Legislative Assembly's birthday wishes to Mr. Morris Lockhart of Lutselk'e who turns 96 years young today.

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Mr. Speaker, the newspaper ad stated that Mr. Morris Lockhart turned 98 years old today and I just want to clarify that back in the early 1900s birth registration records were not always accurately kept up, thus creating discrepancies in the birthplace and actual age of many of our elders, many of whom often tell us that they have two birthdays: one on the day that they're actually born and the other on the day that the government said they were born.

Morris Lockhart was born in 1910 in the Hoar Frost River in the treeline of the barren lands. He was born in a teepee with an open fire, back when the weather was a lot colder and life was a lot tougher and there was no such thing as a wood stove. Morris said he didn't see canvas until he was 10 years old. Morris was educated at a very early age by his father, Baptiste Lockhart, who taught him how to hunt and trap and live off the land, and, above all, live a healthy lifestyle.

Morris lived in a time during the outbreak of disease among aboriginal peoples and he remembers bringing soup and food to many of the sick people. Morris lives strictly on food from the land and he never drank tea or coffee. Because of his healthy eating habits and physical lifestyle, Morris is living proof that one can maintain all of his original teeth without ever having a cavity, losing a tooth, or ever visiting a dentist in his life. Until today, Morris lives in his own house and he does all his own chores. Morris still has a good memory, still plays the fiddle and he still jigs, and he was still winning jigging contests up until he was about 85. The only physical problem that Morris experiences is a loss of hearing.

Morris is well respected by the people of Lutselk'e, and the young and the old often come to him for advice, wisdom and knowledge. Morris's family extends into six generations, from his youngest granddaughter being one year old to his oldest granddaughter being 50 years old. Morris Lockhart is a great-great-great-great-great-grandfather who continues to live a very healthy and productive lifestyle and is a perfect example of aboriginal healthy lifestyle living. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my Member's statement is going to refer to homelessness in the communities. Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity to travel to Nunakput riding between the week of September 10th to the 15th with the former Minister of the Housing Corporation, Mr. David Krutko. During the public hearings, Mr. Speaker, there were many concerns raised with regard to the condition of the units, the overcrowding of the units, the rent scales, the allocation of units or, more specifically, regarding rental arrears. Mr. Speaker, with the transfer of the funds from the Housing Corporation to ECE, it has raised confusion to the tenants. Mr. Speaker, with the confusion comes along eviction notices to the tenants. Once a tenant becomes evicted, they become homeless and with the homelessness they feel hopeless without any unit to live in.

That is why many tenants are frustrated, Mr. Speaker. They wonder why government provides social housing when they end up getting evicted. They are wondering how we, as Members, can assist these people.

Mr. Speaker, the people who receive eviction notices eventually end up homeless, as I say. I think it's now the time to do something about it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Fort Smith sits on the bank of the Slave River and is the regional centre for the South Slave and has been the regional centre for a long time. Being a single-source economy has caused some concern in the community and I wanted to indicate today that there is concern, but there are a lot of good things happening in the community; more to be done, but there are a lot of good things.

There's been a continued commitment by the government, like there has been with most communities, and there's been a greater government presence through position increases ever since 1999. The new college housing will be opened up this Friday. The new pool will be opened hopefully in January. Seniors' housing is now under construction and the health centre renovations are being planned for. On our doorstep, Mr. Speaker, we have the

Taltson expansion being discussed and actively pursued; and while it poses some concern, the feasibility study on the Slave River dam is also underway, which could have a huge impact whichever way it goes. We are surrounded by exploration on all sides as people look across the North for all the resources that may be out there.

But clearly there is more to do as we look to expand our economic base. We want to look to Wood Buffalo Park, we want to look to expansions in tourism, among other things, and part of the key to that is to have greater involvement of ITI in the community. Part of that involvement means taking it off the highway where it is distant from the people it serves and have it set up on a storefront operation where they're in closer contact with the Thebacha business centre and other business services that are currently in the downtown core.

The Minister and I have had the discussion about how do we move on this and I'd like to thank him for his commitment to in fact look at that relocation. That's a key piece as we look at trying to revitalize some of the sectors of the economy like tourism that have struggled in recent years with 9/11 and other concerns that have impacted the tourist trade, as well as the need to engage Wood Buffalo National Park.

So to the people of Fort Smith I'd like to say we have a lot of good things to be thankful for. Clearly there are things we'd like to do. But overall we're moving in the right direction and, along with the help of ITI, we intend to pursue some of these other factors that will allow us to do a better job for the people. I will have questions later today in question period for the Minister of ITI. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Arctic Energy Alliance helps communities create their own energy plans. This helps them to use energy more efficiently and use more renewable energy and less fossil fuels. The Arctic Energy Alliance says that community energy plans create more local jobs, save money, and funds new energy projects.

Mr. Speaker, in Whati, the Arctic Energy Alliance helped the community to develop plans to shut down their noisy diesel power plant in the middle of town and replace it with a small hydro operation. The community of Whati partnered with Ecology North in 2002 to create this community energy plan. When it was completed in 2004, it set a new standard for community energy plans throughout the Canadian North.

Whati's main focus is on building a runoff river hydroelectric plant, Mr. Speaker. They plan to construct it in 2007. Mr. Speaker, the community of Whati really benefited from their work with the Arctic Energy Alliance and came away with a lot of positive objectives, such as gaining more local control over energy management by becoming a partner in energy generation and delivery to the community.

Mr. Speaker, another object of the community is to produce extra electricity at a reasonable price to meet future needs for 20 years, Mr. Speaker, encourage local business development of possible export to nearby locations. Mr. Speaker, these are all very commendable objectives, however, the community has to pay to build the runoff river hydro power plant. The community has very many competing capital needs, Mr. Speaker, and cannot afford to pay them for all the cost factors. Mr. Speaker, if the government is really serious about helping communities be energy efficient, that we spoke about in this House on numerous occasions, cost effective when they need to, then they need to support the implementation of these initiatives and not just the planning. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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