Thank you, Madam Chairperson. The special committee on Nunavut Legislation reviewed Bill 15, Nunavut Statutes Amendment Act, at its meeting on November 23 and 26, 1998. The committee would like to thank the Honourable Goo Arlooktoo and his officials for presenting the bill and responding to wishes raised by the committee.

Bill 15 amends the Nunavut revision of eight acts that will be duplicated for Nunavut. The amendments will come into force April 1, 1999. The NWT has the legislative authority to amend laws for Nunavut under section 76.05 of the Nunavut Act. However, as Members know, the NWT may only do this on recommendations of the Interim Commissioner of Nunavut. After consultation with NTI, the OIC has recommended this bill to the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly. NTI has confirmed that it was consulted with respect to the bill and the bill is appropriate for Nunavut.

The bill amends the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act to ensure the act complies with the Nunavut Act and orders made under the act. The amended act will provide that there are 19 electoral districts in Nunavut and will set out a new schedule for the Nunavut electoral boundaries. As well, a Nunavut Assembly may continue for up to five years. The bill also updates the references to the amounts of Members' indemnities, allowances, expenses and deductions and sets out a schedule of maximum permissible constituency expenses for Nunavut.

The Western Canada Lottery Act is amended to allow Nunavut to make agreements with the NWT and the Yukon, as well as the provinces, to carry out western Canada lotteries. It also allows Sport North to continue to manage the lotteries for Nunavut. Amendments are also made to several other acts to ensure that the provisions are appropriate for Nunavut.

Madam Chairperson, some technical amendments were made to the bill in the committee, otherwise the standing committee was generally satisfied with the amendments proposed in this bill and they are appropriately made in preparation for division. Madam Chairperson, Members of the committee may have additional comments on the bill as we proceed. This concludes the special committee's comments on Bill 15, Nunavut Statutes Amendment Act. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee on Government Operations reviewed Bill 17, Division Measures Act, at its meetings on November 16 and 17, 1998. The committee would like to thank the Honourable John Todd and his officials for presenting the bill and responding to the issues raised by the committee.

Bill 17 would amend several acts and regulations so they may be duplicated in effect for both the Northwest Territories and Nunavut after division. The bill also amends some acts that will not be duplicated. Instead, a new act for Nunavut, corresponding to the NWT act, is included in Bill 16, Nunavut Statutes Replacement Act, together with the amendments in the two bills allowing several existing professional associations to continue to regulate their professions in both the Northwest Territories and Nunavut after division. The associations may choose to divide at any time. Any assets and liabilities at that time will be divided as set out in the act, unless the Nunavut members and the NWT members agree otherwise. Generally, the divisions of assets and liabilities will be based on the ratio of members in each territory. As well, this bill would amend the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act to allow Nunavut and the future Northwest Territories to establish an advisory body to make recommendations to the management and services board of each territory with respect to the administration of the Retiring Allowances Funds. That act and the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act will be amended to clarify that Nunavut members have the same entitlements to pensions as the western members.

As well, under the proposed amendments to the Statute Revision Act, the Statute Revision Act will be moved back to include all acts enacted up to March 31, 1999, rather than those up to July 1, 1998. Mr. Chairman, some technical amendments were made to the bill in the committee. Otherwise, Members of the standing committee were satisfied that the amendments proposed in this bill are appropriate to be made in preparation for division. This concludes the Standing Committee's comments on Bill 17, Division Measures Act. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Government Operations has reviewed Bill 17, Division Measures Act, and wishes to report that Bill 17 is now ready for the committee of the whole as amended and reprinted. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 70(5) and have Bill 17 ordered into the committee of the whole for today.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek the Members' consent to extend the question period. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome a very good friend of Preston Manning's, and he is known to be a little further right than Attila the Hun, Mr. Dave McCann, a Yellowknife businessman. Thank you.

--Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as yourself, I would also like to recognize the four Pages who are present here today in the Assembly from Arviat. Mr. Speaker, they will probably be the future leaders of Nunavut no doubt. Mr. Speaker, Gloria Arnayuinak, John Niakrok, Brian Suwaksiork and Adrienne Pameolik, are probably the first Pages to be here in this Assembly in ten years or more. They will probably be the last group of Pages from Nunavut that will serve in this Assembly. Maybe the last few, Mr. Speaker, I am aware that there may be another group coming in next week.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the teachers at Qitiqliq school for helping the students prepare for the visit to the Assembly, First Air and Calm Air for providing travel arrangements for the students to come here, Cheryl Voytilla, a staff member here who helped the students get ready today along with Tony Whitford. Thank you.

--Applause

Mr. Speaker, thank you. I am asking the Minister of Education if he can provide assurances that employment records of all teachers will remain intact after transition or division occurs. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we all know, teachers work long and hard hours and have various responsibilities. Can the department provide any assurances that the records of employment remain intact after transition or division occurs?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, another issue that was raised was regarding the housing situation for the teachers. The fact that there are very few houses that are available for rent and if they are, the extreme cost of these houses for rent. Are there any initiatives underway to alleviate the housing situation that the teachers face in the communities?