Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is addressed to the Premier. Considering that the government has been considering the amalgamation of a number of government departments for the past several months and considering that this would likely cause a redundancy of deputy ministers in our government who have to be compassionately treated, as all staff -- using the words of the government and the Premier -- why did the Executive Council publish a public competition for two deputy minister positions in the January 27th and 31st issues of southern issues and the News North?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to say a few words about the celebration we had here at the Legislative Assembly at 1:00 today to mark National Citizenship Week. It was a very meaningful ceremony for me. I came to Canada as a young boy in the early 1950s with my parents when they emigrated from our native Holland after the Second World

War. Over the decades, my family has really learned to appreciate the wonderful country that Canada is.

In order for us -- my family, that is -- to become Canadian citizens, we had to be resident here for four years. On the very day of our fourth anniversary my father filed application forms for all members of our family to become Canadian citizens. People from around the world want to emigrate to our country to become citizens here.

To celebrate National Citizenship Week, the federal government has distributed an activity guide with ideas on how we can celebrate this special week. It's called "Canada - Take it to Heart." All of us here should encourage our citizens and organizations in our communities to participate in some of these activities suggested in the guide so that we continue to build on our unique heritage and identity. All northerners should be encouraged to participate in ways that are important to them and, in the process, continue to build this country that remains the envy of the world.

National Citizenship Week is a very special week for us all. This week is also the 31st anniversary of the unveiling of the Canadian red maple leaf flag; I believe it was today. I am very proud to say that I was on Parliament Hill when Prime Minister Pearson declared that the maple leaf be Canada's official flag and as it was raised on the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill. Our red maple leaf is recognized and respected around the world. I want to ask all of us here who represent many different cultural, aboriginal and ethnic backgrounds to think about the strength of Canada this week and to look up with appreciation at the Canadian flag on the standard flying outside this building. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Today I had an opportunity to appear before the Commission on MLA Compensation. I addressed many of my constituents' on the way we pay ourselves. I made reference to the confusion of the present system of compensation. Do you realize we have 13 different accounts under which we are paid? One is a salary for sitting in the House; a further for constituency work; an extra remuneration for committee work, et cetera.

I addressed this confusion, as well as the issue of pensions. My constituents really feel that the pension provision is far too lucrative. I emphasized the need for the commission to recommend changes and not to accept the status quo. However, I suggested that they take into account a number of considerations; these included the fact that this is a demanding job which to me, so far, has been quite full time. There is no job security in this and the job of an MLA must be made financially fair so that knowledgeable and capable citizens in the North want to represent us in this Legislature.

My major suggestions for change to the commission were that MLAs should have one basic salary based on the assumption that we do attend all the meetings demanded of the job; that constituency/Legislature business is intermixed and cannot be easily separated; that we should be penalized for absences in our duties in the Legislative Assembly and lack of attendance at committee meetings; we should get extra, but equal compensation for chairing any of the committees; and finally, I asked that the pension system be changed to conform with comparative standards in the rest of Canada.

I am disappointed that more Members did not make statements to the commission and am especially disappointed that only one former Member of this House made a presentation. I hope that we can expect the comprehensive and complete report from this commission. Thank you.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Rule 35 and 34(5), I move, seconded by the Member for Thebacha, that Minister's Statement 1-13(2), Sessional Statement, be moved into Committee of the Whole for discussion tomorrow.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate this opportunity to reply to the Opening Address. There are several topics on which I would like to comment. These are also issues raised during my election campaign. These issues are the constitutional process; division; the deficit; and, job creation.

With respect to the CDSC, today we are at a crossroad where we seek to establish two new territories. While Nunavut has been the subject of attention and funding support by the federal government for many years, relatively little federal intention nor support has been given to the constitutional process here in the Western Arctic. As an MLA, I'm now a participant in the constitutional process. I resolve to develop a new constitution for the Western Territory and to design a system of government that will suit all people will require foresight and careful decision-making. Those decisions will affect future generations and must be just and fair for all peoples of this Territory.

A number of people in Yellowknife have commented to me that they are not familiar with the reasons for designing a new constitution. These and many other such questions need to be answered for the general public. It is therefore essential that work be done on public awareness so that all northerners are comfortable with the CDSC process so all northerners have an opportunity to have input.

To help this process along, it is important that the federal government acknowledge its responsibility and provide the necessary funding for this process. While the time frame must be met, in order for us to succeed, we must remember that it will be easy to be pushed by events and circumstances placed on us to make decisions that are rushed and not well thought out nor have the support of the public at large.

I, for one, will attempt to do my level best to integrate the desires of all peoples of the North; for example, the desires of the aboriginal people for self-government which I feel a number of us in my constituency have little understanding of and which must be explained if we are to succeed in our process. It must also be understood that it will be my effort to have in the end a constitution that is ratified by the general public on the basis of one person one vote and that there be a strong central public government for the whole of the Western Territory.

There are some pragmatic steps we can take immediately. For example, let's proceed with selecting a name for our territory. Our Premier has already suggested this be done in the next six months and I concur whole-heartedly.

With respect to division, the creation of Nunavut and a separate government for that territory in 1999 will have significant impact on the shape and size of the present territorial government. This will likely have more impact on the city of Yellowknife than any other community in the Western Territory, and my constituents are extremely concerned about those impacts. It was originally envisioned that to fully establish the government of Nunavut, the new government would be phased in over a period of many years. The signals now are that there is a desire to speed up the transfer of government operations to the new territory. It was also originally envisioned that the federal government pay for the infrastructure costs of such a new government and the incremental costs of operating two governments.

One of the issues the people of Yellowknife are particularly watching out for is how its MLAs deal with how the East/West split will affect the constituencies they represent. I would like to see a comprehensive plan prepared for division so that we can see what and where impacts will be. I would also like to have the details of that plan made available to the public as soon as possible.

With respect to the deficit, many of the issues we are facing involve money. One such issue is how do we deal with the deficit. The Premier stated yesterday that next year we will be short by over $100 million. There are two main options to address this problem: raise taxes or reduce spending. My constituents made it clear that they do not want taxes raised in any way, shape or form. For me, the answer, therefore, comes back to reducing spending.

I would like to make reference to a Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce fax survey conducted last summer to which the Chamber received a large response. The most common comment was that the government should become more efficient in their spending practices, giving more value to the people's tax dollars. Among the expenses the survey showed its membership would like to have reduced were: travel expenses, office expenses, wages and benefits, spending on public buildings and grants to other agencies.

I'm quite prepared to support the tough decisions that need to be made to eliminate the deficit, provided everyone shares the burden and that Yellowknife not be singled out. I agree that these cuts should not unreasonably threaten essential programs and services, particularly for those who need them the most. And that the very small communities in our North, where there is absolutely no local economy, should be treated with consideration.

I am in favour of eliminating the projected deficit quickly. It is my opinion that the cuts should be done in one year simply because we don't know what federal financial cutbacks face us, or disasters face us, or what we may face down the road. My motto will be short-term pain for long-term gain.

At every level of government there are people with very good ideas who feel constrained about using them. It would do our government well to obtain the papers produced by three economists from the University of Calgary who conducted research on the Alberta government cuts and how the civil servants reacted. Among the questions that absorbed the researchers was how civil servants behave when they are ordered to make cuts. Do they make more drastic cuts in areas sure to cause the most embarrassment to the government? That was one question. Do they make the cuts in such way that their own power base is affected the least?

The answers varied according to department. Some entrenched their power while others were only too eager to make changes. Nevertheless, the researchers found the civil service rife with entrepreneurial spirit and a wealth of great ideas about how to conduct government business more efficiently. That is the bottom line, after all. We need to make our civil servants understand that this government must operate more efficiently.

Finally, on the issue of job creation. We must diversify the northern economy. Dan Marion, the mayor of Rae-Edzo who is now also the Deputy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, spoke this past spring in his community and illustrated the need for economic diversification. He said, and I quote, "The reason is starkly illustrated by a single number -- 42 -- 42 is the official rate of unemployment in Rae-Edzo." That figure is representative of most of the aboriginal communities in the North. Approximately one of every two members of the workforce cannot find a job. With that kind of unemployment it is impossible to have a vibrant economy. What we have instead are incredible social problems. We must create jobs to get people out of that social malaise.

The mainstay of our northern economy for the past 25 years has been government. The GNWT is the main economic force in the North, now to the tune of $1.2 billion per year, funded in large part by the federal government. Shrinking federal budgets mean we can no longer rely on the Government of Canada to foot the bill for the NWT forever. We need jobs and we need revenues created from some source other than government. That means we need to diversify the northern economy and we need to do that quickly.

In the North there is only one sector that can provide large-scale jobs and dollars in a short space of time; that industry is the mineral resource industry. Mining can kick-start that diversification. Mining, operated in a responsible way, can help solve many of the North's problems. I am not advocating the development of mines at all costs. I am acutely aware of the need to ensure that mines create a minimum of environmental damage and that the industry demonstrate its willingness to give its majority of jobs and business opportunities to northerners.

Also, the aspirations and desires of the aboriginal people affected must be met as much as possible. When I visited Rae-Edzo last spring, I heard many elders speak about the importance of the land and their spiritual and subsistence relationship with that land and the animals on it. The message I got was that for those people who wish to use that land, to respect that spiritual and subsistence relationship. The other message I got was best said by Dan Marion, the mayor of Rae-Edzo, and I quote again, "Young men and women who have grown up in a vastly different world from the one their parents knew have neither the desire nor, indeed, in many cases, the ability to engage in hunting, fishing and trapping full-time." In fact, many, if not most, would, frankly, prefer employment in the modern economy. I know this because I know 448 Rae-Edzo residents, 42 per cent of our working-age population, told the labour force surveyors they wanted a job last year but couldn't find one.

In my opinion, the benefits of proceeding with resource mineral development, done in a responsible way, far outweigh the detractions. This government has a role to play in establishing a supportive atmosphere for responsible mining development. It also has a role to play in maximizing northern jobs and benefits. The health of the North is extremely sensitive at this time. Jobs, or the lack of jobs, reflect the vibrancy or the recessionary state of the whole of the North.

There are a number of private citizens in Yellowknife who have formed a group called, "Committee for Support of BHP," with a common view to seek support for responsible mining development. They are circulating a petition in which they state, "Interest groups which do not support the project have made lengthy submissions to the panel, and in some cases have urged the panel not to approve the BHP development permit. We are writing to ask for your support in our efforts to influence the BHP environmental assessment panel to reach a favourable decision on the approval of the NWT diamonds project." I understand that, to date, they have in excess of 1,000 signatures and are seeking 10,000. They will submit their petition to the EARP panel, which is scheduled to hold final hearings at the end of January.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, there were many other issues of concern to my constituents which were raised during my election campaign and many more issues that I have been made aware of since my election. I will be working on all of these in the coming weeks and months.

At this time I would like to express my wishes for a good Christmas and new year to all my constituents and to the Members of this House, and to thank the staff of this House for this capable and excellent work they've done for us. Thank you very much.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Finance. The Government of the Northwest Territories' policy on affirmative action is subject to review during this year. A multi-departmental task force, under the direction of a steering committee comprised of deputy ministers and regional directors, was given the responsibility of doing the policy review. The review's final purpose was to examine what the future direction and implementation of the affirmative action policy should be.

Upon completion, the findings of the review were to be forwarded to Cabinet. Can the Minister of Finance advise when the findings will be forwarded to Cabinet?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to give notice that on Monday, November 27, 1995, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that this Legislative Assembly adopts the policy that alcohol should not be used at government or Legislative Assembly events and no public funds should be used to purchase or provide alcohol.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize the former Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Brian Lewis, and thank him for the dedicated years that he spent in this House; that's one person.

I would like to also recognize several of my constituents who were great supporters: June Greenlaw and Wendy Colpitts; and a real precious person to me -- I'm not sure if she's still in the gallery, but someone who is very dear to me and is my biggest support -- my lovely wife, Margaret. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you for this opportunity to speak today. First of all, I want to express my gratitude for the privilege given to me to be able to serve in this, the 13th Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories. I also want to congratulate the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Morin, on his election as Premier, and I wish to congratulate those who were elected yesterday to be our representatives on the Executive Council.

We are a historic group, the last leaders of the Northwest Territories as it exists today. In four years' time, some Members of this joint body of individuals will become responsible for the political leadership of Nunavut in the East, and the other Members will become responsible for the political leadership of the new territory in the West.

I am, personally, very pleased with the leadership that we have chosen and I am impressed with the capability of the individuals. We have the leadership and experience of Mr. Morin; the administrative skills of Mr. Todd; the capable abilities of Mr. Ng; and the wisdom, strength and forthrightness of Mr. Kakfwi; and, we have the freshness of new ideas in the new Members of Cabinet: Mrs. Thompson; Mr. Arlooktoo; Mr. Dent; and, Mr. Antoine.

We all have big responsibilities to fulfil and the challenges are tremendous. We have spoken together over the last few days about the heavy workload facing our Premier and the Ministers, the demands on their time and the stress on their jobs. It is important, therefore, for those of us not on Cabinet, to offer our time and to offer to share the workload, and it's time for us to all dig in. We want to be part of the team; that is what consensus is all about: It is about teamwork. The success of consensus government will be measured in the years to come by how well we all participated in the decision-making process.

We will face momentous changes in the next four years. Let us make solid and sound footprints in new snow -- if I may be permitted to borrow a phrase from the Nunavut Implementation Commission's report -- so that in four years we will have achieved responsible division of the NWT and created two new territories to the complete satisfaction of all northerners; that our young people can see a bright and healthy future with lots of job opportunities; that our communities and people are more successfully empowering themselves to find solutions to their drastic economic and social problems; that we have a balanced budget and put our financial house in order; and, demonstrated to our residents that we, too, have been financially responsible by having reduced our own salaries and benefits.

Northerners are looking to us for direction and example. Let us be healthy and responsible leaders, especially for our young people. Being a great role model is our collective responsibility. This is what I will do for my leaders, the people who were elected by us yesterday and the day before. If I am asked, I will help you make collective decisions so that your duties...and we can make the decisions not in isolation when it comes to major and difficult decisions. I will promise to be available, I will live by the code of conduct and I will work hard. Thank you.

---Applause