Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I spoke earlier that my understanding is the level of morale amongst public servants is low in this government and there is a need for us to address this. It is an important resource that we have and one that if morale continues to be low, our policies and programs are going to suffer as a result. They are a big and important element of implementing the programs and directions that this government sets. I wonder if the Premier, as Minister of Personnel, could tell us what his understanding is of the level of employee morale within the GNWT.

Good morning, Members. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak today about employee morale amongst the public service. In large organizations, employee morale is the subject of ongoing attention and devotion by the senior managers. We know how hard it is to keep up

employee morale in the best of times. We are certainly not in the best of times now. I am told that employee morale amongst the public service is very low.

We aren't going into any better times for the next few years. It may be difficult for us financially for a few years to overcome our financial deficit. It will be harder and harder for us to keep up employee morale amongst the public service. We have in excess of 4,000 public servants. They are an important element to the success of how well this government does or how poorly it performs.

They are a very valuable resource and they are the mechanism by which we drive our programs. Cabinet is the driver. They are the ones that steer the wheel, take the curves in the road and shift the gears. The public service is the engine and the tires, Sometimes they have to have fuel and the tires have to be inflated or deflated, depending upon the weather.

While I like many aspects of the budget and the Minister is to be commended and complimented for the many initiatives that have been made, I disagreed with certain aspects. I look forward to addressing that next week in a statement.

In the meantime, what concerns me is the subject of the morale in the public service and the importance of the public service was not addressed in the budget. Specifically, I am concerned that the government has no central Personnel department to address employee morale on an ongoing basis. It is an area I would like to ask questions in during question period. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table Tabled Document 28-13(3); a number of letters I received regarding the proposal to choose a new name for the Western Territory. The letters in the package are from W R Powless of Yellowknife, Bruno Jaurnell of Yellowknife, Erik Watt of Yellowknife, on behalf of Spirit YK. There are three letters. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a constituent of mine, someone who is a great volunteer in the community and who volunteers for storefront and mental health; Kathryn Youngblut.

--- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During this past winter, Yellowknife schools held science fairs. This past Monday, a regional science fair was held at the William

MacDonald Junior High School where the winners from the individual school fairs were able to demonstrate their science projects.

The regional science fair has been held for a number of years and the sophistication of the projects is increasing each time. There is a certain cost to running science fairs, however. Unfortunately, this year, the fair lost its funding from the NWT Science Institute and was nearly cancelled as a result. However, through the efforts of teachers from various schools who did not want to see this valuable and worthwhile learning experience disbanded, the science fair was held.

I would like to commend and congratulate those teachers and acknowledge the efforts of all staff from all schools; the volunteers from the community who were judges, including a number of staff from the public service, some of whom work here at the Legislative Assembly; the territorial Department of Transportation, who printed certificates for the entrants; and, the many Yellowknife businesses who donated prizes.

I would like to mention the first prize winners in each grade: grade 4 was Elliot Nguyen; grade 5, Kristy Colman; grade 6, John Zaozirny; grade 7, Becky White; grade 8, John Seeton; grade 9, Ricky Chan. Unfortunately, there were no funds to send the winners to the Canada-wide science fair and I hope this can be rectified in the future. I would like to congratulate all those students who participated in the 1996 science fair.

--- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table Tabled Document 26-13(3), a number of letters I've received from the Northwest Territories business community regarding their opposition to the proposed transfer of occupational health and safety programs to the Workers' Compensation Board. Letters in the package are from individuals representing the Sheet Metal Workers' International Association Local Union No. 8, Braden Burry Expediting Ltd, the Alberta and NWT District of Mackenzie Building and Construction Trades Council, the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Asbestos Workers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 424, Hay River Mechanical Limited and ADCO North Limited. There are seven letters in total included in this package. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table two petitions. I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of the transfer of occupational health and safety to the Workers' Compensation Board. Mr. Speaker, Petition No. 10-13(3) contains seven signatures and, Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request an immediate halt should be put on the process, an in-depth public review involving both business and labour should be initiated and an actuarial review should be undertaken.

Petition No. 11-13(3) deals with the matter of the transfer of occupational health and safety to the Workers' Compensation Board. Mr. Speaker, the petition contains seven signatures and, Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request that the Legislative Assembly stop the transfer immediately and direct the Minister responsible for WCB to conduct a bipartite public review of the outdated 1977 Workers' Compensation Act, current administration and the proposed transfer of safety functions.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to state that 1, like many other non-aboriginal people, are supportive of many of those aspirations of the aboriginal people. However, my constituents hear statements that Cabinet is developing protocol agreements with aboriginal leaders, yet no information is provided to the public as to what these protocol agreements mean.

What my non-aboriginal constituents are concerned about is how can they participate in this process to the same degree. The list of concerns by my constituents is longer. They are concerned about division, the security of their jobs, the financial impact on our community, etcetera.

In conclusion, let me tell you about the closing remark at my constituency meeting by one of my constituents. It was a public servant of this government, a person I have a lot of respect for and whom I appreciated coming to my meeting. He and I have philosophical differences on the approach to governing, but I will always protect his right and his privilege to state his point of view and protect his right to tell me that. He said to me, always remain what you are; the independent elected person. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.