Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon, colleagues. This past weekend the honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. James Rabesca, invited MLAs to his home community for a feast to celebrate the election of Mr. Joe Rabesca as chief. Mr. Speaker, the hospitality shown to myself and Mr. Seamus Henry, the MLA for Yellowknife South, on our visit to Rae was exceptional. The food was second to none and I thoroughly enjoyed the short tour of facilities by the mayor and Deputy Commissioner Dan Marion. Mr. Speaker, I also had an opportunity to meet elder Elizabeth Mackenzie and Chief Rabesca.

Mr. Speaker, these types of events give many of the MLAs a chance to visit and see different communities, East and West. I would like to thank the honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. James Rabesca, for the opportunity to visit Rae and partake of the feast. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Iqaluit has been selected as the capital of Nunavut. While in my riding over the last couple of weeks, several of my constituents had asked me what the infrastructure plans are for the capital, when will it begin, and what are the logistics that will be put in place to make this happen. Mr. Speaker, my question is either for the Finance Minister or the Premier: Will they inform this House what logistic plans are on the table for the new capital of Nunavut?

A new question, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, while in my riding over the past couple of weeks, several GNWT employees were given eviction notices as the GNWT was giving up housing leases. By not renewing leases, in many cases the evicted tenants are having a difficult time finding alternate and affordable accommodations, especially young families. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Housing: Is the Housing Corporation helping evicted tenants find alternate accommodations? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a long-time Iqaluit resident and a supporter of mine during the last election, Betty Boreham.

--- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to start off by saying hello to Floyd Roland, his wife and kids up in Inuvik, and my wife and kids in Iqaluit.

--- Applause

Mr. Speaker, I presented myself to be auctioned off for one hour of my time listening to any constituent who would buy me. Yes, Mr. Speaker, I was bought and sold. To keep Ed Picco quiet for one hour cost a well-known Iqaluit businessman $1,000. I would like to thank Mr. Kenn Harper for that.

--- Applause

Mr. Speaker, I am today inviting the Honourable John Todd to come to the next Nunavut Trade Show so that he can finally say that he kept me quiet and we hope it is for more than $1,000, as all the money raised goes to Iqaluit day cares and the Baffin Chamber of Commerce for charity. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the government knew last summer that it was facing a severe budget shortfall. It is my opinion that the government should have begun discussions with our union and our public servants at that time, to work out common solutions to the fiscal situation. This was not done and now the 13th Assembly is put in a very difficult situation.

Mr. Chairman, the window of opportunity for the 13th Assembly to balance this budget and to get our fiscal house in order is narrowing. Mr. Chairman, I realize this and I also realize that the changes in the Public Service Act are to make this so. Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Public Service Act, being introduced before the public service bargaining units sit down to negotiate with the government sets out a dangerous precedent for the collective bargaining process in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Chairman, the process does not allow for the input needed. I will vote against the bill, as I have stated from the beginning of this debate, because of the process. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of An Act to Amend the Public Service Act, signed by the employees at the Baffin Regional Hospital and residents of lqaluit.

Mr. Speaker, Petition No. 5-13(2) contained 42 signatures and, Mr. Speaker, the petition requests the following:

"We, the undersigned citizens of the Northwest Territories, do humbly petition the Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories as follows:

"That Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Public Service Act, be rejected outright by the Members of the Assembly as it implements an unfair regime of collective bargaining in the Northwest Territories; and further

"That should Bill 2 not be rejected outright, a minimum commitment to democratic action demands that the public be provided full opportunity to comment on the proposed bill; and further

"That Members of the Legislative Assembly who fail to act to prevent the travesty that the passage of Bill 2 would represent, especially if done without public consultation, be condemned for anti-worker and undemocratic conduct."

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with An Act to Amend the Public Service Act, signed by the employees of Baffin House in Montreal. Mr. Speaker, Petition 6-13(2) contains 11 signatures, and, Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request, "We, the undersigned citizens of Montreal, do humbly petition the Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories as follows:

"That Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Public Service Act, be rejected outright by the Members of the Assembly as it implements an unfair regime of collective bargaining in the Northwest Territories; and further

"That should Bill 2 not be rejected outright, a minimum commitment to democratic action demands that the public be provided full opportunity to comment on the proposed bill; and further

"That Members of the Legislative Assembly who fail to act to prevent the travesty that the passage of Bill 2 would represent, especially if done without public consultation, be condemned for anti-worker and undemocratic conduct."

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of An Act to Amend the Public Service Act, signed by the residents of lqaluit. Mr. Speaker, Petition No. 7-13(2) contains 22 signatures, and, Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request:

"We, the undersigned citizens of the Northwest Territories, do humbly petition the Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories as follows:

"That Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Public Service Act, be rejected outright by the Members of the Assembly as it implements an unfair regime of collective bargaining in the Northwest Territories; and further

"That should Bill 2 not be rejected outright, a minimum commitment to democratic action demands that the public be provided full opportunity to comment on the proposed bill; and further

"That Members of the Legislative Assembly who fail to act to prevent the travesty that the passage of Bill 2 would represent, especially if done without public consultation, be condemned for anti-worker and undemocratic conduct." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the House on Monday, the Minister of Education said that the Lloyd report on the transfer of Arctic College programs is available to the public at Nunavut Arctic College's headquarters in lqaluit. Mr. Speaker, media and some of my constituents have requested copies of the report, but were denied by staff in lqaluit. Mr. Speaker, the Minister did assure this Member and this House that copies were available to the public. Mr. Speaker, my question to the Minister is why can't the public get copies of the stated report, as stated by the Minister. Thank you.