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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member's statement today is in regard to a petition introduced by my colleague the honourable Robert McLeod, MLA for Inuvik Twin Lakes, regarding a Beaufort-Delta Regional Council petition signed by 794 Beaufort-Delta residents for emergency and surgical services at Inuvik Regional Hospital.

Mr. Speaker, the honourable Premier Joe Handley; the Honourable Floyd Roland, Minister of Finance; Robert McLeod, MLA Inuvik Twin Lakes; and I were in attendance at the Beaufort-Delta Regional Council meeting from March 20th to 23rd, 2006, in Inuvik. In attendance also was medical staff from Inuvik Regional Hospital, as well as government staff from Yellowknife, to listen and answer questions from the Beaufort-Delta delegates. Mr. Speaker, the concerns raised by medical staff at Inuvik Regional Hospital and the Beaufort-Delta Regional Council involves the need for a ministerial director to allow the Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services Authority to staff specialists necessary for surgical and pay salary and benefits for specialists, including general practitioners with special training, surgeons, obstetricians, anaesthesiologists, nurse practitioners and registered nurses.

Mr. Speaker, the Premier and the Minister of Finance heard firsthand the concerns raised by the Beaufort-Delta Regional Council. I support the petition submitted by my colleague from the Beaufort-Delta Regional Council to have the Inuvik Health and Social Services Authority to hire these medical professionals. I encourage the Minister of Health and Social Services to immediately provide a policy directorate to allow the Inuvik Health and Social Services Authority to hire professional medical staff for the benefit of the Beaufort-Delta residents.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I will continue to lobby and raise this important issue on behalf of the Beaufort-Delta Regional Council and the Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services in their endeavours to address the medical services requirements for the Beaufort-Delta residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Members' statements. The honourable Member from Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the course of this Assembly, I have repeatedly sounded the alarm about the impending crisis in the frontline agencies brought about by the overwhelming administrative burden and a lack of adequate funding. During our pre-budget consultations last fall, I heard from many NGOs about their inability to offer competitive wages and benefits that are absolutely essential to recruiting and keeping qualified staff. I've also heard convincing cases from where many well-established organizations, that the time has come to recognize their long-standing contribution and financial responsibility by entering into a multi-year funding agreement with them.

Mr. Speaker, in the case of the Yellowknife Association of Concerned Citizens for Seniors, I don't believe I can speak about an impending crisis anymore. I believe we are here now. Negotiations with the union are about to start sometime this fall and the association finds itself in a position of being unable to offer its staff anything approaching wage parity that their employees deserve. The risk that these employees will give up and look for higher paid or I should say fair paid work elsewhere is a really, truly serious concern. I am sure it's very convenient for the government to look at accessing the pool of trained staff that they employ because we can attract them to government wages and benefits quite easily, but we're not helping this NGO get along. We cannot continue this if we expect these organizations to be sustainable and continue to provide the high level of services we have come to depend on. Part of the challenge of this association is their lack of multi-year funding arrangement that would facilitate long-term planning.

I would like to applaud the Minister although on his recent conclusion of a multi-year funding agreement with the NWT seniors, which I have pressured him for some time to take action on, but I think that there's another step to continue. I hope that he will be able to move quickly to work out a similar agreement with the YACCS, such as an agreement that needs to bring closure to, again, a wage parity and benefits problem.

Mr. Speaker, if this Minister is not prepared to move quickly on this issue of wage parity to ensure NGOs like YACCS have adequate funding, then I guess the next question is whether the Minister is instead prepared to take over the responsibility for these valued services directly, at truly what's probably a far higher cost.

Mr. Speaker, at this time may I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement? Thank you.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, colleagues, and thank you, Minister Miltenberger. I can see you wanting to nay this. Mr. Speaker, the truth is, we have to start honing up to our responsibility. The concern is out there; we have no

options. I expect nothing less than swift action from this Minister of Health and Social Services, because the continued survival of YACCS and other NGOs just like them are the backbone of our social infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, in closing here, this is something that has been a serious concern of mine, but I have to tell you it's been a serious concern of those directly affected for much, much longer. When I say directly offended I mean to say the residents who deserve to have the best quality of service provided to them and those professionals certainly who are being undervalued by this government and they should be paid what they fairly deserve. So this government needs to show that these services are valued and needed, they need to be able to count on them, they do not need lip service, they do not need to be told how heroic they are, they do not need to know anything other than a pat on the back, because these people do these jobs because they care about them. We need the commitment from this government...

Could you wrap up your statement, Mr. Hawkins?

Mr. Speaker, we need long-term security because these organizations benefit all our people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member from Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The AFS International Exchange Student Program involving some 52 countries has been active in Yellowknife since 1982. Students come here for a 10-month visit. It has a major impact in their lives and in the lives of the volunteer families who host them. Mr. Speaker, I and my family are proud to be involved with this program and pleased to welcome to Yellowknife four students who have been here since last August. Three of them are in my riding of Great Slave. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to welcome to the House Ms. Michaela Klein of Austria, hosted by the David Livingstone and Lynn Hjartarson family.

---Applause

Joakim Todnum is from Norway and he is hosted by the Greg and Mary Ann Miller family.

---Applause

Maria Capillano is from Argentina, hosted by the Wes and Sylvia Siemens family.

---Applause

Welcome to the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd also like to recognize two constituents, James and Sheila Anderson from Weledeh, who are hosting...

---Applause

one of the AFS exchange students, Ms. Phee Sunantarod. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member from Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's wonderful to see a gallery almost full today and I am sure they will all be recognized in due course, but I just want to say a special congratulations to the grads of community health representatives work.

---Applause

I admire and congratulate all women, but I just want to read a note that was sent to me by a husband of one of the graduates who asked me to read this, but I didn't get to read it in time and I just want to say it's for Anita Pokiak from Ernest Pokiak. "Tell her I love her and she's a wonderful wife and the greatest cook. Even when she's away there's always prepared food to eat. It's a wonder I don't get too fat. She's a kind-hearted person and a great asset to the people of Tuktoyaktuk. She will make a great advisor to any organization head. Ilanilu, quyanainni. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Laughter

---Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member from Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Aurora College, through the Aurora Research Institute, has been asked by the Government of Canada and NRCAN and the Japanese Oil Gas and Metals National Corporation to assist with the delivery of a major research project in the Inuvik region. This is called the Mallick Gas Hydrate Research Program. With us today in the gallery we have a number of key players as we try and move this project towards fruition. I'd like to recognize the leaders of each of the parts of the team. The Japanese scientist team is lead by Mr. Kenji Ohno, who is the general manager of research and development for Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation.

---Applause

The Canadian scientist team is lead by Mr. Doug Ashford, who is from Schlumberger, the project manager responsible for the integrated project management services.

---Applause

The team leader from NRCAN is Sandy Colvine who is the acting director general of the Geological Survey of Canada, and from the Aurora Research Institute their team is lead by Mr. Andrew Applejohn who is the director.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, I'd also like to recognize Mr. Maurice Evans, who is the president of Aurora College.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Recognition of visitors in the gallery, the honourable Member from the Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I also want to recognize these amazing CHRs that were just honoured today this afternoon. I would like to give special recognition to an amazing woman from Deline. I think Sandy already read out the good things that the woman can do, so I want to recognize Ms. Betty Tsetso who has graduated from Deline.

---Applause

Also to support Betty in her achievement and the backbone of the family I think is her husband Joe Tsetso. Joe is up there.

---Applause

Their son is also there and Laura's sister, all from Deline. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, community health representatives provide very critical services to help prevent illness and promote good health. We have with us today seven community health representatives that just finished a 10-course, 30-credit university level certificate program in the area of community health representative work. They have graduated with the highest marks ever recorded in this Keyano College program.

---Applause

We have a very good cross-section from across the Northwest Territories. We have Alice Kimiksana from the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Authority.

---Applause

Anita Pokiak, as well from the Beaufort-Delta.

---Applause

Ann Pischinger, from Fort Smith.

---Applause

Betty Tsetso, from the Sahtu Health and Social Services Authority.

---Applause

Monique Laing, from the Tlicho Community Services Agency.

---Applause

Virginia Sabourin, from the Deh Cho Health and Social Services Authority...

---Applause

...and Winnie Greenland, from the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Authority.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize Cathy Davis-Herbert, the dean of Keyano College.

---Applause

Vicki Jacobs, the instructor for this course.

---Applause

Last, but not least, two constituents, Diana Korol, and Maurice Evans. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Miss Virginia Sabourin, the CHR for the Nahendeh region in Fort Simpson.

---Applause

I believe with her is her daughter, Joselyn Kierstad, who is a graduate this year, and as well as her sister, Miss Judy Sabourin.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize constituents of mine, Winnie Greenland from Fort McPherson, who is the CHR based out of Fort McPherson. I would like to congratulate her on her success in achieving her credits for today. But more importantly, I would like to recognize her daughter, who is also accommodating her, Joyce. Along with her is her mother, Mary Effie Snowshoe. Welcome to the House

---Applause