Good morning, colleagues. Welcome back to the House. Orders of the day. Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Youth, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning. Northern Youth Abroad, or NYA, is a non-profit, non-government organization founded in Nunavut in 1997. The NYA program encourages the development of northern leaders through an extensive program of activities and challenges that help young people from the NWT and Nunavut to grow. Participants learn in a supportive environment, both in their home communities and while on volunteer job placements in southern Canada or Africa.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment has been a supporter of the NYA program since it began in Nunavut. The first pilot project was held in the NWT in 2005. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has also been a significant partner.

Mr. Speaker, some of the challenges participants face include learning to live in a different environment with a host family. Another challenge is learning to deliver public presentations on topics related to their community and territory.

To date, in both Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, participants have mainly come from smaller aboriginal communities. Some of the successes of the program are that very high percentages of past participants begin to contribute as volunteers when they return to their home communities. Also, there is a secondary school graduation rate of over 90 percent of our northern youth who have completed the NYA program.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, many alumni have gone on to post-secondary education.

In 2006, nine youth from the Northwest Territories were placed in the Canadian phase summer placements with host families in southern Canada. Five youth were involved in the international phase in Botswana, Africa.

This year, more than 60 applications have been received for the Canadian and international phase spaces reserved for NWT youth. For the first time, applicants come from every region of the Northwest Territories, but still mainly

from smaller communities. Mr. Speaker, this represents a record level of interest.

Every applicant to the NYA program is interviewed. For many, this is the first interview they have ever had to prepare for. It is a great opportunity for applicants to develop new skills even before they begin the program. Final selections have been made and I was pleased to note those chosen come from 13 different communities representing all regions of the Northwest Territories. I will write to Members to share the names and success of program participants over the next year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. My apologies for recognizing you as the Minister of Youth. The Minister of Youth is actually Mr. McLeod. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my Member's statement is about the community of Colville Lake. Residents of Colville Lake believe the time is right to start looking after the interest of its residents by having accessible RCMP presence in the community.

RCMP bring a sense of safety and comfort for the people they serve. Communities across the Northwest Territories should have access to this service, so we can all feel safe knowing there is law enforcement present who will not tolerate the types of behaviours that plague small communities without RCMP officers. This is why RCMP is needed to have a distinct presence within our communities, especially those that are isolated.

Mr. Speaker, having an RCMP detachment in Colville Lake would prove beneficial to this community providing this essential service, help decrease crime rates, and help address safety concerns people in my constituency have voiced. Mr. Speaker, since crime and criminal activity already negatively affect our smaller communities, it's fair to say with increased resource development crimes would be worse from a result of increased alcohol and drug use and other family problems.

Mr. Speaker, recently the community of Sachs Harbour was given a detachment to address the needs that this community has voiced, just like the Member for Monfwi expressed the need for an RCMP detachment in Gameti during this session.

Today, Mr. Speaker, I am voicing the same concerns for my constituents in Colville Lake. There is a need for the same amount of protection and safety in all communities of the Northwest Territories. The people in Colville Lake deserve those types of services like any other community the Northwest Territories has just like RCMP, nursing and other issues that I have brought up over the life of this government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk about the state of sexually transmitted infection, including HIV/AIDS in the Northwest Territories. As Members know, the Northwest Territories has the highest rates of sexually transmitted infections in Canada. This is particularly troublesome, not only because of HIV infection, but if an HIV/AIDS virus is introduced into small communities where the rate of STIs is already high, there is a good probability that this deadly disease, for which there is no cure, Mr. Speaker, could become a major heath and social problem; this at a time when our health care suffers from frequent gaps in staffing at our health centres, with the number of nurses and doctors that we need.

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the Department of Health and Social Services has developed a strategy to deal with STIs and has significantly increased resources to regional health authorities to establish public health units. For this, the department and GNWT is to be highly commended, Mr. Speaker. However, despite all of these new resources and dedicated work of our health care professionals across Northwest Territories who have been trying to lower the rates of STIs in communities, the rates have continued to remain very high compared to a decade ago. I believe that this is because STIs are not just health care issues, but a community issue as well, Mr. Speaker. This is a community dimension to a problem that cannot be addressed by traditional medicine approach to STI prevention and treatment. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Mahsi.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi, colleagues. In my region, the Tlicho Community Services Agency has been trying for the past year to address this community dimension as well as providing traditional medical approaches to prevention and treatment, Mr. Speaker. Groups of elders and youth have been trained by health care professions in our region to carry the message of STI prevention to every household and to work with the families to help change the social behaviour that leads to such infection and illnesses. The agency is currently working with the university-based researchers from the University of Ottawa to implement a community-based research process which is intended to help understand why our communities have high rates of infection. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time. Mahsi.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to raise the constituency issue that has very many of the characteristics of the discussion of the courthouse in Yellowknife. Mr. Speaker, in my constituency for the last 11 and a half years, there has been a lobby intent to relocate the Fire Centre that is currently residing in the federal building in Fort Smith into its own northern-built, northern-owned operation.

Mr. Speaker, we have been spending, and we continue to spend, over $300,000 a year to the federal government for lease and rent in this office. It is a key piece of our government infrastructure. I know the department has supported this over the years too, but unsuccessfully to date.

As we look at the rationale for the courthouse where they are already spending money on leases that they want to convert to a building, the same rationale should apply to those projects outside of Yellowknife and specifically, in this case, relocating the Fire Centre out of the federal building into a northern-owned and operated building. This would also give us the added benefit, Mr. Speaker, of freeing up federal office space in our community that would be filled by the federal government either through Parks or other federal positions. I know that we made the case and it is somewhere on the capital plan, but in this House, I want to raise the issue. I want to give notice that it is still a fundamental unfinished piece of business in my constituency and we look forward to seeing this project advance as fast, if not faster, than the courthouse as we proceed in the coming years with the 16th Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have spoken often in this Assembly on the plight of injured workers in the Northwest Territories. One of them, Mr. Ivan Valic, came to this country as an immigrant and 19 years ago suffered an injury while working on a construction project here in Yellowknife and has been, up until recently, Mr. Speaker, battling our WCB in an effort to secure fair treatment and compensation for his injury.

Within the ranks of injured workers in the North, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Valic is an inspiration because of his enduring fight for proper treatment with the WCB and for compensation for his chronic pain condition. He persevered even though he lost everything except for his belief in his cause against an organization with

tremendous financial and legal resources, unlike his own. It was a tremendously unequal battle against a bureaucracy that trampled his rights and denied him justice, as shown last December when Justice Virginia Schuler of the Supreme Court of the NWT ruled that, indeed, Mr. Valic's Charter of Rights had been violated and his right to natural justice denied.

Mr. Speaker, part of Justice Schuler's ruling was that Mr. Valic should have a new Appeal Tribunal hearing. Ten months was taken to put that together for him. In early December, Mr. Valic invited me to attend this tribunal hearing, but the following day I was told that the issue was concluded. I can only take from this that a settlement was reached with Mr. Valic and I am pleased for him that his case had finally been resolved.

I understand that there is a confidentiality agreement in place. Of course, I will respect this agreement. However, other injured workers continue to have cases before the WCB and, in fact, before the Human Rights Commission in the NWT. I am very interested and concerned, Mr. Speaker, to see just what we have learned in the case and the example that Mr. Valic has set for us and how are we applying this to the case of other injured workers. There must be accountability, Mr. Speaker, for the actions of the WCB in pursuing these cases for those injured workers whose lives continue to be affected by their injuries. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I stand today again to speak of an issue that I have become quite passionate about in the last little bit as the more research I have done and the more that I have seen with the royalties from our resources leaving the NWT. The Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker, is rich in resources. We have it all. Mr. Speaker, what is next? Is it our water? Are they going to build a pipeline for our water next? We have resources like caribou. We have resources like the oil and gas, diamonds. We have it all, Mr. Speaker. I think many will agree with me that the main beneficiaries of these resources should be the people of the Northwest Territories. Yet, the Government of Canada continues to make decisions on our behalf and they reap the rewards of our resources. Mr. Speaker, enough is enough.

This government is going to have to dig their heels in and tell Ottawa that they will not tolerate this injustice any longer.

---Applause

So much of the money that could be used could be used to benefit the people of the Northwest Territories. That is my problem, Mr. Speaker. The people of the Northwest Territories are not the main beneficiaries of the resources, the royalty from the resources. It has even come to a point, Mr. Speaker, where I have almost thrown up my hands and said enough is enough. What am I doing here? Time to throw in the towel. But I can't do that because I want to be here to remind this government, to remind Ottawa, that the main beneficiaries of those resources...Even Steven Harper said it and I hope it wasn't just talk because we are tired of talk. We have to have some action. We have to have it done soon because they will continue to negotiate for the next 50 years. In the meantime, they will continue to drain the Northwest Territories of all our valuable resources for the benefit of everybody else except the residents of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I will again stand in this House to discuss the issue of government spending as it pertains to the growth of our public service and the contracted services which we enter into as a government. I want to start with the public service, Mr. Speaker.

Since 1999, our public service has grown from 2,750 to approximately 4,700 in 2006. There are another 101 new positions included in this upcoming budget. Mr. Speaker, I will not debate the growth in areas where we desperately need help such as social workers, teachers, nurses, health care professionals. However, our growth is occurring in the absence of any long-range human resource plan. With the settlement and implementation of aboriginal self-governments here in the Northwest Territories, we will need to look at how our public service will fit into what will ultimately become a new political landscape here in the Northwest Territories.

I have been asking questions about this growth and lack of a plan since I walked through the doors three and a half years ago. It hasn't been addressed and it has plainly been ignored. If we continue to operate as a government without a human resource plan for the future, we are failing those who we represent. Let me be clear, Mr. Speaker, the level of growth is not sustainable.

Mr. Speaker, contracted services and growth in the use of consultants and the prevalence of reports, studies that just end up collecting dust has to be addressed. It has been my observation, Mr. Speaker, that not only are we paying over $500 million for the 4,700 employees that we have, but some of these employees are becoming contract administrators, hiring consultants or contractors to do the work that should be done by the various departments. Why do we sole source so many contracts? Why do these mostly end up in the hands of southern firms?

A case in point, Mr. Speaker, is the recent budget address delivered recently by Minister Roland. Why is it that his office had to contract via sole source contract to an Alberta communications company to write his budget address? The cost for this work was $15,000. Between FMBS and the Department of Finance, they have 111 employees. Why wasn't somebody there tasked with doing this budget address, Mr. Speaker? Mr. Speaker, I 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, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last summer, the Department of Human Resources sole sourced a contract for $550,000 to an American company. They were brought in to help straighten out the business processes at Human Resources. Mr. Speaker, what did Human Resources get for that money? The issues are still there. Things really don't seem to be improving any. Why can't our people in that department figure out how best to address the issues? Is that not what we pay the management at Human Resources to do?

Mr. Speaker, this government must develop a human resource plan for the future. What we require is a zero-based review of each and every position government-wide and a thorough analysis of our operation from top to bottom. Mahsi.

---Applause

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to use my Member's statement to talk about some issues of due diligence, respect and adherence to addressing concerns raised by First Nations organizations, groups or elders and many northerners when southern corporations or individuals come north looking for minerals or claims for their own benefits.

Mr. Speaker, we hear about southern exploration companies poking around in the North here every day, many times without the knowledge of locals or First Nations groups simply due to the fact that no one requires First Nations approval before being issued staking permits. The respect issue first lies with the federal government's hands, Mr. Speaker. Part of Indian and Northern Affairs' responsibility is to inform the First Nations groups of who they have issued staking permits to and why. How hard can this be? The second lies with the southern companies or the individuals who are coming snooping around on our First Nations lands without our knowledge or approval, whether they may be looking for minerals, wildlife or a place to put a tent frame, perhaps, or even plotting just a nature trail. It only makes sense to inform and inform and then inform.

By informing First Nations people who use this land and know this land better than any one else, Mr. Speaker, many of these people and companies will realize what is acceptable and unacceptable and the reasons why prior to moving ahead on these projects. The adherence to recommendations received by the people who will be affected will avoid any confrontations or rejections by the First Nations people or the locals in many areas of development or exploration.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would just like to edify all of the potential exploration companies or the individuals who want to venture north and stake their claim and possibly make their fortune or misfortune. You need to consult the First Nations first and foremost. If you are unsure what the First Nations consultation is, it is whatever the First Nations say it is, Mr. Speaker, nothing less. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not sure what is happening and what all of the contributing factors are, but we are experiencing a protracted labour shortage. We have talked about the fierce competition for skilled tradespeople which is being fuelled by the unprecedented activity in the resource development sector. Yesterday, Minister Dent spoke of a program to get older workers into, or back into, the workforce. It seems such a short time ago that many sectors were downsizing, offering incentives and inducements to get workers over 55 to take early retirement. Now the 55 to 65 age group is being eyed as a potential source of valuable workers. Whether in Yellowknife, Hay River or Edmonton, almost every business has a sign posted for help wanted.

Although resource development is important, any and all new activity needs to be supported and services offered by sometimes small and medium-sized private companies and employers. To that end, in Hay River, our mayor will convene a meeting to discuss the need and shortage of workers in our community tomorrow. It is a problem that many employers are struggling with and need creative solutions. I believe our government has a role to play in helping find a solution to labour market shortages in the private sector. The unemployment rate in the NWT is very low, but surely there are potential workers in other parts of Canada, new Canadians and maybe even people who would like to come to Canada to find a better life for themselves and their families.

I look forward to the suggestions that will result from the meeting in Hay River tomorrow, but I would also welcome anyone else who has creative ideas of how we can address these challenges that are being experienced presently by small business to come forward with their suggestions and help to alleviate this problem which I believe for too long has been overlooked. Our government does have a role to play. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to respond to the story on page 3 of the Yellowknifer today about the teenage girls who were violently attacked by other youth. Mr. Speaker, I do this because I am concerned that the readers may mistakenly draw two conclusions from reading it. One is that if you mind your own business and do the right thing,

this could never happen to you. Two is that this is not a serious situation of youth violence that needs a real focus and action.

Mr. Speaker, I can tell you that I know the victim and her family very well. I have a first hand account of what happened. The victim was, in fact, minding her own business doing all of the right things. She was not alone. She was with her two close friends in broad daylight after school. They came out of Breakaway after exercising and decided to go to Reddi Mart to get a drink. They were followed by a group of three other girls. The victim was pulled out of the group by these girls and attacked. She managed to get away from them and ran into the store to escape them and seek protection, at which time the three girls followed her into the store where they continued to beat on this girl. It was also reported that the girls who attacked the victim smelled of alcohol. As the owner of the store said, if the people didn't stop them, they would have been even more seriously injured.

We should be very alarmed, Mr. Speaker, that such a brazen act of violence can be perpetrated by our youth against other youth. The fact is, Mr. Speaker, these girls who did this were completely unknown to the victim and the fact is they are still swarming the mall. They are familiar to the security and the merchants at the mall. In fact, they were heard telling others about how they beat up this girl, and they continued to cause trouble without any repercussions, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I don't believe these girls are an organized gang, but there are serious youth crimes being perpetrated by youth against other youth. This needs to be taken very seriously. The worst thing to do is to blame the victim as though she caused this to happen, or to underplay the seriousness of this situation. Mr. Speaker, I am aware that the RCMP is doing the investigation. I do hope that the charges will be laid and the girls who did this will receive necessary consequences and some help in order that they are not left to keep on doing this to other victims.

Ms. Lee, your time for Member's statement has expired.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. May I seek unanimous consent to finish my statement?

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is important that we take this seriously and have these girls account for their actions in order that they are not left to keep hurting others and hurting themselves, because obviously they are in need of help themselves to be that violent against others and that doesn't come from without having issues and having hurt themselves. Mr. Speaker, I call on the RCMP and the schools and parents and everyone involved to act on this so that we don't have this happening again. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. After listening to Members of this House talk about Alberta depleting our water resources, talking about the disappearing caribou, talking about our changing climate, we know that our resources are not endless. We know that we do not have a bottomless pit to draw from. We need to talk about conserving and protecting, Mr. Speaker, and we need our leadership to set the example and encourage everyone to follow.

If Canadians eliminated inefficient lights, in eight years we could save enough energy to heat 100,000 homes and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by an amount equivalent to the annual emissions produced by more than one million automobiles. Compact florescent bulbs use 66 percent less energy than standard incandescent ones and last as much as 10 times longer. In your home, the toilet uses the most water, accounting for approximately 30 percent of indoor water use, while many first generation six-litre toilets did not perform well, today's six-litre toilets have been re-engineered to flush, in many cases, better than the 13-litre counterparts.

Energy efficiency saves consumers money, helps the NWT maintain a competitive economy and reduces the impact on our environment. Most importantly, energy conservation is easy to practice. However, our stores hand out plastic bags by the ton, our downtown streets are littered with plastic bags and disposable coffee cups, but, Mr. Speaker, the B.C. government has come out and made the commitment to meet half of the province's future energy needs through conservation by 2026. Australia has announced that it will make it illegal to sell items that do not meet energy standards, citing incandescent light bulbs as the prime example. By 2010 they will have banned and replaced them with florescent. The Aussie Environment Minister says that the move could cut the country's greenhouse gas emissions by 800,000 tons by 2012. California is looking into this and so are Canadian provinces like Ontario and Nova Scotia. Even the state of New Jersey, where in a few years Edison, New Jersey, will have made the change.

It's the little things that make the difference. Massive strategies take time and money to enact. We need to promote simple and constructive things everyone can do in their daily lives to help save the planet. The government has produced what I would call an energy savings strategy, but has done little to strongly encourage consumer businesses to implement energy conservation initiatives. Mr. Speaker, at this time may I 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, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. What I'm saying is where is the discussion about replacing plastic bags with canvas bags or reusable bins? Where is the discussion to say the sale of florescent light bulbs is to be no longer legal? Where is the discussion about banning certain non-recyclable containers? Energy conservation is about a practice about decreasing your energy use. It's not about losing anything; it's about conserving it and using it wisely. Mr.

Speaker, in closing, if the Governor of California is moving in this energy solution direction, why aren't we? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Members' statements. The honourable Member from Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Mr. Speaker...(English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honour the passing of a well-known elder, Vedor Poncha -- Victor Boots -- of Willow River, at 90 years old. Vedor was the last of the Boots brothers who lived in the small community of Willow River along the Mackenzie, 70 kilometres south of Wrigley. The family has a long history of hunting and trapping and living throughout Wrigley, the Willow River area and in the mountains west of the Mackenzie River. Joa Boots, an older brother who died a few years ago, said from the time they were very young they built and lived in 18 different houses in the bush before they settled in Willow River. Vedor was a quiet, gentle man who stayed close to home looking after wood, water, snare lines and generally doing chores around the house. In the last year, up until his death, he cared very much for his pets, Pusia, his cat, and two dogs.

Early in his life, once while he was visiting rabbit snares, he came upon a moose. He had only a 22 and one 22 short shell, Mr. Speaker. He shot the moose in the heart and ran home to get a bigger gun. When he returned, the moose was dead. So with a 22 short shell he killed a huge moose. So was life then tough, but simple. Today I'd like to send my blessings out to his family, his cousins and his loved ones that took care of him up until his passing. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Yakeleya on February 15, 2007, regarding the Canada Winter Games hockey team that held a clinic in Fort Good Hope. Mr. Yakeleya had asked for information on the support the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs provided for this event.

Mr. Speaker, Fort Good Hope hosted the Canada Winter Games NWT men's hockey team on February 2 to 4, 2007, as part of a celebration marking the involvement of a young man -- Mykle Grandjambe -- on the team from Fort Good Hope. I am pleased to advise that the department has provided funding of approximately $7,500 from the NWT Youth Corps Program to support this event.

The NWT Youth Corps Program provides funding to community governments and organizations for programs that offer a structured and varied program of outdoor, cultural, or related personal growth experiences that challenge, engage, reward and recognize youth.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today it gives me great pleasure to recognize Superintendent Tom Middleton. He will soon be the new commanding officer for G division in the Northwest Territories. His last posting was Edmonton. Accompanying him, as well, today is Superintendent Rick Roy, who filled in ably after the retirement of Pat McCloskey a couple of months ago, and, as well, Bronwyn Watters, ADM of Justice is with them today. I want you to welcome Tom Middleton to the gallery. Thank you.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's my pleasure today to recognize in the gallery Mr. Jerry DeMarco, who is our representative of Tamerlane Ventures, who is looking at getting some economic mining activity going on in our area again. We welcome him to the House. Also, my constituency assistant, Wendy Morgan.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs Groenewegen. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I recently met two wonderful people from Montreal, Quebec -- they are here visiting in the Northwest Territories -- Celine Goulet and Albert Brierley. I apologize if I said the name wrong, but they were here, physically. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Superintendent Rick Roy. He's not only a constituent but he's also an excellent neighbour. Thank you very much.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. 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 the chair of the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Denny Rodgers; the interim president, Mr. John Doyle; and Mike Triggs, the corporate secretary and legal counsel, along with them, Jeannee Johnson. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd also like to recognize Mr. Denny Rodgers who's a constituent of mine from Inuvik Twin Lakes. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize a constituent, Mr. Bronwyn Watters, assistant deputy minister with the Department of Justice, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we've missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the House. I hope you're enjoying the proceedings. It's always nice to have an audience here. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in keeping with my Member's statement, my questions today are for Minister Dent, responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, with the emphasis on employment. I'd like to ask Minister Dent if in any of the meetings that he attends with his counterparts from provincial or territorial jurisdictions, has the issue of labour market shortages in the private sector, retail service and hospitality industry ever been discussed as an issue? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

It has, Mr. Speaker, particularly at the meetings of Ministers responsible for Immigration.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you. Did those discussions with Ministers of Immigration have any initiatives in them that might be a solution to any of our labour market shortages here in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are looking at, in terms of immigration, perhaps working more closely with the federal government. We don't currently administer immigration programs ourselves in the Northwest Territories. What we have done, though, is started to look at what territories like the Yukon have done and what some of the provinces are doing. We've asked the federal government if we could participate with them on one of their committees in Alberta to get some experience and understanding as to how we might work more collaboratively with them, and we intend to take a look at whether or not that will work. One of the things that's happened recently is the federal government has just announced an extension in the temporary Foreign Worker Program, and workers who are now in that program can have their stays extended to two years from one year. I understand that workers who are currently here on one-year permits could seek to have those permits extended for a second year.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's an interesting piece of information and I'm not sure if we have an immigration office here in the Northwest Territories, but it might help if we did if we were going to actually realize any effects to benefit the employers in the North. I would like to ask the Minister does he have any other ideas of any other initiatives that could be undertaken by this government, through his department, to alleviate this pressure on the private sector? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have, as I said, a number of initiatives that we're taking a look at in terms of immigration. We're also, of course, working with partners in aboriginal governments and the federal government to make sure that we train more northerners. We know that we have people who are capable of taking more jobs. Often literacy is a challenge and that's one of the areas in which we have tried to focus. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister responsible for Human Resources. I'd like to start off by saying that the

unprecedented growth in the numbers of our public servants has gone from 2,750 in 1999 to over 4,700 today. That's over 43 percent, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to ask the Minister who's responsible for Human Resources what the government's game plan is to address the increase and whether or not this is sustainable over the long haul. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Two questions there. The honourable Minister responsible for Human Resources, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The growth in the public service over the period that the Member talks about has largely been driven by growth at the front lines. So we have seen a tremendous increase in the numbers of teachers. We reduced the pupil-teacher ratio over the last six or seven years significantly. We have increased the amount of money that we're putting into supporting students with special needs. We have hired a lot of social workers and nurses. So most of the growth is actually in front-line services. The departments have to come forward with their request for funding to increase staff to the FMBS and only those cases where it is clearly necessary are those requests being authorized. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's been a lot of occasions over the past three and a half years where the justification for increasing positions has always been something that's been approved. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister how can a government continue to operate over the past seven years, and I'll use that as a baseline, how can a government operate? This Minister is only responsible for the last three and a half years. How can a government operate without a comprehensive human resource plan? How is it possible that we do that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Actually, I've only had the department for three and a half months, not three and a half years. The department and the government have government-wide policies that cover hiring and, as always, the Financial Management Board has the overall decision-making power when it comes to departments coming forward and asking to add persons onto the government payroll. So every time we were looking at hiring new staff, if there's an additional expenditure, it has to be approved by the Financial Management Board, and one of the things that has to happen there is a clear justification for the need for the position. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand the Minister's only been there for only three and a half months and maybe he wasn't listening when I was asking questions to the former Minister about this situation.

---Laughter

But, Mr. Speaker, I'd like a better explanation from the Minister if indeed we're letting departments come up with their own human resource game plan when we've amalgamated that whole HR function in our government. So are we still not coordinated in the area of human resources? Is that what the Minister is telling me today? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Human Resources is responsible for frameworks for overall management of the public services. That means that each department uses those frameworks when they come forward to apply for positions. I guess one of the steps that I've omitted to mention to this point is that every time that we're talking about increasing staff of the government, whether it's on the front line or an administrative position, that's reviewed also with Members of the Legislative Assembly through the business plan process and here as we go through the budgets. So the Members of this House have a clear opportunity to talk about those issues. The bottom line is that there are government-wide programs or government-wide policies that are administered by Human Resources, but each department is free to work within those frameworks and make sure that they can deliver the programs and services that they are mandated to deliver.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like my questions directed to the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services. I would like to know would the Minister please outline for this Assembly what action the department is taking to deal with the high levels of STIs in the Northwest Territories, especially the communities, and any plans they have to deal with an increase in potential HIV and AIDS infection? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member in his Member's statement, by raising this issue, has brought some very important facts to the table and sad ones, I must say. The fact that in the Northwest Territories we are 10 to 15 times above the national average when we talk about STIs or sexually transmitted infections. One of the things that the

department started doing, along with Members of this Assembly, is the STI Prevention and Control Strategy that was launched back in 2005, the strategic direction document entitled The Naked Truth was launched in 2005 with limited resources. One of the things we have started doing through our chief medical health officer is working with authorities to help deliver the enhanced awareness program in trying to make people more aware of the dangers in this area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as you know, in small isolated communities such cases can spread rapidly once it's passed on. That's a huge fear in the small communities, especially in the North. Considering the epidemic levels of ST infections, does the Minister believe that enough resources have been provided by this government to both the department and authorities to make the necessary difference? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the area of having the necessary resources is always a challenge when you look at the whole area of health and social services and the need to deliver that. But over the years we've added substantially earlier the questions about the growth in employees. When you look at the health and social services side, we have brought in, through a number of initiatives, a substantial amount of new employees to help around the delivering of the message out there, whether it's public health workers or social services workers in communities across the Territories. Always more can be done. Mr. Speaker, this is one area, when we talk about these infections, that is absolutely preventable. The biggest prevention can be abstinence. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Yes, there's been discussion on the growth of the GNWT public service, but at the same time we must keep in mind that these kind of issues are highly regarding the communities. We need staffing to deal with them in the professional areas, health and social services specifically. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister my final question. Will the Minister commit to working with this Assembly to find additional resources for the department and authorities to mount a major campaign to try to resolve this largely preventable health problem in the North? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will commit to work with Members of this Assembly to try to come up with the resources necessary, as well as just getting the campaign and the message out about the issue of STIs. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to address my questions to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. It's in follow-up to my Member's statement. This capital plan clearly doesn't contain the project to relocate the Fire Centre, but I'd like to ask the Minister, given the fact that shortly after we finish passing this budget the preliminary work on the 2008-2009 budgets and business plans will commence. I'd like to ask the Minister whether he intends to bring forward that project again for consideration in that process. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I recently had some discussion with my staff on this issue of relocating the Fire Centre in Fort Smith and we have some more discussion that is warranted to take place. We have to take a look at the cost-benefit analysis of relocating the facility and also the convenience and access to the offices. So we are reviewing it at this point. I can't make a commitment that we will include it in next year's plans, but it's in the works and that's something we were considering at this point.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In terms of following up on my Member's statement, I'll ask the Minister of Justice, can he tell me why Colville Lake residents still do not have an RCMP detachment? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think we had a good discussion yesterday about the policing budget in Committee of the Whole and obviously we would like it as the end desire, the main desire is to have detachments in every one of our communities eventually. We can't do it immediately, Mr. Speaker. Unfortunately, we don't have the resources. About a year and a half ago I sat down with the RCMP and talked about our small community policing priority and agenda, talked about the need for new detachments, asked them for some operational priorities in terms of greatest need, and three detachments were identified. They were Sachs Harbour, Gameti and Wrigley. We've been working very hard to try to get detachments there. Mr. Speaker, obviously we will

continue to work to see improved policing solutions in all of our communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've asked the Minister to go back to his colleagues and look at the urgent need that Colville Lake is asking for some presence and consistent presence of an RCMP detachment in Colville Lake. Production of the oil and gas is going to happen and Colville Lake is sitting on billions of barrels of gas and oil and that is going to happen shortly. So could the Minister again commit to the people of Colville Lake that he would take their strong concerns and their arguments to his Cabinet Members to put it on the high priority list in terms of getting a detachment in Colville Lake as soon as possible? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can tell the Members that Cabinet has been very receptive to finding new policing resources. Of course, it also must involve the federal government. It is the federal government that will make decisions about new detachments. They provide the capital funding; we're responsible for O and M and continued operations of those facilities. So, yes, as I sit down with the federal government and the RCMP and we move forward and talk about the business plan and new resources required, I will talk about additional small detachments and, of course, his community of Colville Lake will be involved in that discussion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, people in the Northwest Territories want to ensure their safety and comfort by this government in terms of our living standards today. There's no difference in Colville Lake. I ask the Minister to look at the various options, that he commit his officials to look at the various options how to create some safety and comfort for the people in Colville Lake by having an RCMP presence or detachment in that community over the next few months of this government to ensure that we do care as a government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Mr. Speaker, absolutely we care as a government and, yes, I can commit to doing that. We are currently doing that. We're sitting down to talk about increased patrols in all of our smaller communities without detachments. I went through the list yesterday of the number of patrols in 2006. I have agreed to provide more information to the Member about the patrols. We're looking at other options, other ways. Members know Canada Labour Code requirements mean that we need two-member detachments now, even for our smallest detachments. We're talking about options and possibilities that might see one full member and another member who would be a special constable or a part-time parks officer. There are many, many options. We are looking at all of them, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Villeneuve.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just have a couple questions today for the Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation with regards to the pilot projects going on in Fort Smith. I would call it a long delay in assessing what we could do with the excess power that we have at the Taltson today. Mr. Speaker, I just want to ask the Minister, my first question is, with the distribution system that has to be upgraded in order for this interruptible power or for these pilot projects basically to become viable and maybe for the whole town of Fort Smith to become viable and maybe Res and Hay River to follow, why has the Power Corporation, in all their wisdom, only decided to consider using interruptible power today? The Power Corporation has been making money for years and years and years. Why haven't they put some of that money, I know a lot of it goes to subsidy programs, but why hasn't a lot of it gone into upgrading these systems for this very reason and why are we only doing it now? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a government, we have been looking at different initiatives over the years and, again, this is a pilot project. It's to see exactly the feasibility of providing electric heat to public facilities in our communities. In the case of the pilot project, it's going to be laid out in Fort Smith to look at certain facilities there and to see exactly if the technology is there. More importantly, to ensure that we have the capacity by way of the power source itself, by way of the hydro surplus that is presently there, almost eight megawatts from the Taltson hydro system. So again, it is a pilot project and until we figure out what these results are of this pilot project, again, if the results are positive, we will look at the possibility of implementing this program in other communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister why we haven't taken on this pilot project back in 1983 when Pine Point mine shut down and we had 10 extra megawatts of power. I thought that would probably have been a good time to look at this initiative. Thank you.

Mr. Krutko.