(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A few weeks ago, through a Member's statement, I brought up an issue regarding some formula for infants. For ladies who are single and are bringing up their family or for families that don't have a regular income...Mr. Speaker, I made a Member's statement regarding infant formula and the high cost of having to acquire infant formula. A lot of mothers don't choose to breastfeed. My question is to the Minister of Finance. I apologize for not directing my question to a Minister before hand. However, my question is to the Minister of Finance. Can he give me a response as to what could be done regarding this matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members of this House. I will not make a lengthy statement, but I just want to thank the Members, especially seeing as this is our last session. I would like to thank the Members of the Legislative Assembly for assisting me and for helping me with whatever I need.

I would like to thank all the Ministers as well for being able to respond to the numerous requests that I have made. I would like to thank the previous Speaker and the present Speaker for allowing me to speak. I would especially like to thank the staff of the Legislative Assembly for assisting me, even though I cannot speak English. I would also like to thank the people in my community who assisted me. I would like to thank my constituency assistant in Lake Harbour. She's always available whenever I need some assistance. I would especially like to thank the interpreters because I have to use them on a day-to-and I day basis during the session. They were able to accompany me whenever I had to go travelling with committees or on other assignments I had to attend to. So I would like to say thank you very much to the interpreters for helping me and assisting me for almost four years.

I know we have met numerous times in the House this year, because we have to deal with legislation for the betterment of the people in the Northwest Territories.

Also, I would like to thank the people on the Legislation and Finance committees. Lastly, I would like to thank every one of you. I will see you again tomorrow. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am standing up today to thank some people. I don't usually ask much from you, Mr. Speaker, and I will thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that I am going to be here today and tomorrow during the session. From then on, I will not be attending the rest of the session and this is the last time that I am going to be able to stand up and say what I have to say.

I would like to thank my children, my wife and my relatives, because they have waited and were patient with me while I have been a Member of the Legislative Assembly.

I know that my constituents are not very close; Sanikiluaq is pretty far away. Some times a was very difficult for me to visit my constituents there.

For almost four years, the people I represent have supported me and I would like to thank them. Especially in this year, 1995, I was away from my constituents for a long time dealing with important stuff such as preparation for division and helping out my constituents and I have tried very hard to represent the wishes of the people who elected me. I would like to thank them for being able to support me while I have been a Member of the Legislative Assembly.

I will be here tomorrow in the House, but from then on, I will not be attending. Maybe because we are going to be finished this week. I would also request, Mr. Speaker, to conclude my statement.

(Translation) Just a brief question on clause 27.(2). In the school year now, a student will obviously have to come to school on time, but students have different attendance patterns and that's something that will probably be a reality for the rest of time. If a student continues to be tardy, who will enforce the punishment? How many times do you plan on contacting the parents regarding their child's tardiness? How much time would be provided to ensure that this tardiness problem is alleviated and you contact the parents as well as the education bodies? That was my question, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

(Translation) Mr. Chairman, I would like clarification on clause 12.(2). There was a response saying that before parents are given penalties, they could use other means; or there will be penalties before a parent is given a fine. I wonder how that would be done. Would there be community service available, or what process would be used if a parent is not fined but they have to pay a certain amount for not sending their children to school? What kinds of penalties would there be? I wonder if there would be community service, or would they always have to pay cash? I just want to get clarification on that area. Thank you.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table Tabled Document 145-12(7), a report titled, "The Loss Of Sales of Fur in the European Market Due to Use of Inhumane Traps and the Need to Ask for an Extension of Currently-Used Traps for Another Year." This will soon be livelihood of many of our people, and it is a request made by the Canadians, Americans and Russians. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will direct this question to the Minister of Health and Social Services. Last winter when we had our session here, I requested a birthing centre for the Baffin region. I spoke on that as a Member this winter, and I asked whether this was going to be invested, to see if they could establish a working relationship with the Baffin Regional Health Board to establish a Baffin birthing centre so that the people in the Baffin region can exercise their cultural rights as Inuit. As well, in Quebec, I know that is how they have always used their culture. How is this procedure going, this far, with the Baffin health board discussions? Are there any discussions going on between the government and the Baffin health board? Thank you.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In this House, we have heard a lot in the past few years about the subject I am going to be talking about. I want to bring this up again while I am still a Member of this Assembly.

There is a very short airstrip in my constituency. It's in between hills and mountains. As we all know, Mr. Speaker, we are aware that there was going to be an improvement there in 1987 when we still had the BRC in the region at the time. There was going to be an improvement made to that airstrip.

I think this is very important to the safety of the community and to the aircraft that travel to and from the community. We are all aware that there has been no major mishap, but when the windis blowing from the south, you have to go straight towards a hilly area to take off and to land.

Mr. Speaker, I want to remind this government that they owe these small communities and my community of Lake Harbour for improvement of airstrips and to remind the Minister of Transportation that they have to service all of the communities, even if they are small and poor, to prevent mishaps or accidents in the future.

There have been funding cuts. We all know that, but I think that we owe our people good facilities so that they'll be safer and so we don't have to spend further money in the future. I just wanted to remind the Members that this is still a concern in my constituency. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just have a short comments, Mr. Chairman, it's not a question, but a comment. Mr. Chairman, I know that the Education Act took a lot of time to put together and a lot of people worked on the act. It took very long but it is completed now, and we have dealt with it in the Standing Committee on Legislation. I'm grateful to the Department of Education and to our committee and the staff who have worked very hard in dealing with this act. I congratulate the Minister and his staff.

I am grateful that the department and our committee were able to travel to the communities for hearings. We heard earlier today some concerns of Members on Bill 25 made on the floor of the House. When we went to the public hearings and heard from the people and students, we were given a lot of support. Perhaps the legislation, in it's present state, won't be approved by everyone but I feel that, by working together, we can resolve some of the concerns that are still in this legislation. I know we can't make everybody happy by dealing with every section of the act, but I was involved with the discussions of this legislation and I feel very confident that we should be able to resolve some of the concerns that the Members might still have.

These are the shortcomings that I would like to note, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank the Minister, his staff, our staff and the committee for dealing with the legislation during the public hearing. I know this legislation will help students and education officials achieve what they want to achieve for the betterment of the people. When there has to be some amendments to the legislation later on we will be able to deal with it in the future.

This is just a comment to thank the Minister and his staff. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.