Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to address my question to the Minister of Health and Social Services. I would like the Minister to describe for me what his department's policy is with respect to the payment of rental arrears of social assistance clients who owe money to local housing authorities in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Supplementary question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is the price of alcohol standardized throughout the Northwest Territories regardless of the location at which it is sold? If so, I would like to know how much the Government of the Northwest Territories, how much of that budget from liquor sales is actually spent on equalizing those prices at the retail level? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll be directing my question to the Minister responsible for the Liquor Commission. Based on some research that I had the research department undertake for me -- which indicated that per capita, residents of the Northwest Territories consume more alcohol than anyone else in Canada -- based on their statistics, I have learned that the vast majority of residents of the North who are incarcerated in the corrections facilities are there on alcohol-related offences. I would like to ask the Minister responsible for the Liquor Commission if this government subsidizes the distribution of alcohol in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize in the gallery today, Mayor Jack Rowe from Hay River; Deputy Mayor Ray Young; councillors Rick Connors, Mansell Grey, Robert Bouchard, Dean McMeekan, and the longest-serving municipal councillor in the Northwest Territories, Councillor Red McBryan. I would also like to recognize James Cayen from the West Channel First Nations Band Council; Charlie Scarborough, Hay River's town manager, and also Jeff Griffiths from the Community Futures board of directors. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had a prepared text today for a Member's statement, but I've decided to diverge from that and wing it, so to speak, on another subject.

I was at the Environmental Review Panel hearings just before I came here today, and a presenter went before the panel and made a very passionate plea on behalf of the land, the wildlife and the environment of the Barren Lands. It was a very passionate plea and it resulted in the presenter breaking and becoming very emotional, and people in the audience also breaking down and becoming very emotional during his presentation. But when I heard that, I wanted to stand in the House today to say that I haven't heard all the other presentations to the Environmental Review Panel, but I hope that someone has stood before that panel and made an equally impassioned plea on behalf of the youth of the Northwest Territories who are without hope, in many cases, of finding employment in their home territory. I guess it's my hope that we will find a balance between protecting our beautiful land and our wonderful wildlife, but also taking care of our very most valuable resource, that being our young people in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is going to be addressed to the Premier, who is also responsible for the portfolio of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. Hay River, as a community, had made quite a bit of effort and hard work in the last few years to try and attract people who were working in the North in the mining industry to consider Hay River as a viable and economic community to live in.

We were very pleased when we were successful in having the Colomac Mine choose Hay River as a point of departure for their employees. At first there was not a tremendous response by the employees to live in Hay River and many travelled from quite a far distance to catch the plane out of Hay River into the mine. However, over the last several months, the idea of living in Hay River has started to catch on and the research department tells me that presently half of the employees of Colomac Mine are now northern residents. I can't tell you the exact number of those 50 per cent that actually live in Hay River but I know that it is a significant number. We were very disheartened to learn that there has been a tentative plan now made by Colomac Mine to make Edmonton, Alberta, their point of departure for employees working in the mine.

It would also seem that another prospective mine is also looking at bringing people straight from the South in to work in the North. This is very discouraging. I would like to ask the Minister what can this government realistically do to stop this kind of thing and prevent this from happening more in the future. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In response to the Premier's statement and his remarks with respect to, and I'll quote, "and the fly-over economy of some who come here to remove resources needs to be challenged and managed in a manner that makes sure that northern residents benefit the most."

I would like to say that the Premier is well aware of a situation in my riding which has recently come up and that in his role as Premier and as Minister of Energy Mines and Petroleum Resources, I would like to say how much I appreciate his commitment to making sure that northerners are the beneficiaries of the removal of our resources. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS section 55(1) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act requires that there shall be an Executive Council of the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS Members of the Executive Council are appointed by the Commissioner on the recommendation of this Assembly;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Iqaluit, that this Assembly recommends to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories that the following Members be appointed to the Executive Council, Cabinet: Mr. Antoine, the Member for Nahendeh; Mr. Arlooktoo, the Member for Baffin South; Mr. Dent, the Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake; Mr. Kakfwi, the Member for Sahtu; Mr. Ng, the Member for Kitikmeot; Mrs. Thompson, the Member for Aivilik; Mr. Todd, the Member for Keewatin Central;

AND FURTHER, confirm that the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Morin, has been chosen to be Premier by the Legislative Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll be seeking unanimous consent, Mr. Speaker, to deal with my motion.