(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to express my gratitude to all the honourable Members for supporting me. I will speak to my relatives about what you had written down for their support. Thank you. I would like to thank all the Members,

--- Applause

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In regards to the compensation package, I don't have very many comments on it.

But, as we have workers to help us out, to make decisions for us and to do research for us, I do not think we should blame them, because, if we tried to make our own compensation package, it would seem like we want to make more money rather than do our jobs. The usual complaint is for that reason.

I have no real concrete concerns with regard to the study. But, for the pension plan, there are many names in Inuktitut for it. I think I would like to have some comment on anyone who wants to contribute to a compensation pension package should have the choice as to how much they want to contribute to it. I think I saw in here, maybe about nine per cent of their pay. I think a person should be able to buy their own retirement savings plan. They should have the leverage to make their own decisions on what amount they want to contribute for the pension plan.

That's all I have to say. I think that we don't need to make such long considerations on this package, and if people want to point this out and hold us responsible for it, then they will. Thank you.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table Tabled Document 13-13(2) which is 14 motions passed by the Baffin Leaders' Summit at their meeting in lqaluit on January 12th and 13, 1996. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of An Act to Amend the Public Service Act, signed by employees at Arctic College in Hall Beach. Mr. Speaker, Petition No. 8-13(2) contains six signatures, and, Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request:

"We, the undersigned citizens of the Northwest Territories, do humbly petition the Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories as follows:

"That Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Public Service Act, be rejected outright by the Members of the Assembly as it implements an unfair regime of collective bargaining in the Northwest Territories; and further

"That should Bill 2 not be rejected outright, a minimum commitment to democratic action demands that the public be provided full opportunity to comment on the proposed bill; and further

"That Members of the Legislative Assembly who fail to act to prevent the travesty that the passage of Bill 2 would represent, especially if done without public consultation, be condemned for anti-worker and undemocratic conduct." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Premier tell this House whether the federal government has accepted the decentralized government model as

recommended by the Nunavut Implementation Commission? Thank you.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question will be directed to the Premier. Mr. Speaker, at the Baffin Leaders' Summit held in lqaluit January 12 to 13, 1996, the Baffin leaders discussed and endorsed the model for a decentralized government for Nunavut: proposed by the Nunavut Implementation Commission because that model will provide the most jobs for Baffin communities outside lqaluit.

My question to the Premier is whether the Government of the Northwest Territories accepts the decentralized government model proposed by the Nunavut Implementation Commission.

The Nunavut Implementation Commission proposed the model whereby 93.5 new jobs in Igloolik would be created after Nunavut and 77 new jobs would be created in Pond Inlet. If these new positions are to be established in 1999, there will need to be houses and office space built to accommodate them. I would like to ask the Premier if this government is now planning the infrastructure necessary to support these new jobs in Pond Inlet and Igloolik. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Hugh Lloyd, who used to be a teacher in the adult education centre in Igloolik. During a student exchange between Greenland and Baffin, he was the coordinator when we travelled to Greenland. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Welcome to the Assembly. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Six, support our MP, Jack Anawak, as he works to have the federal government deliver on a 1998 commitment to provide a new hospital for the Baffin region; seven, encourage the Minister of Justice to support community justice initiatives as alternatives to expensive court circuits and correctional facilities; eight, develop community-based plans to address community wellness issues; nine, have Nunavut Arctic College develop community development training programs; 10, petition the Government of the NWT to suspend the sale of staff houses in Nunavut until a strategy is put in place to address the future staff housing needs of the Nunavut government; 11, urge Cabinet and the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment to reinstate a suitable level of funding for public service training to meet the spirit and intent of article 23 of the Nunavut land claim agreement; 12, reform the system for providing student financial assistance in the Baffin region.

Mr. Speaker, later today, I will be tabling the resolutions passed at the Baffin Leaders' Summit. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Baffin Leaders' Summit met in lqaluit January 13th and 14th. As the chairperson of that meeting, I am reporting to the Assembly on our discussions. The Baffin

Leaders' Summit is composed of all MLAs and mayors of the Baffin region. The four executive members of BRIA are the three chairpersons of the regional health and education boards and the regional chamber of commerce.

During our January meeting we passed 14 resolutions which dealt with a range of topics, some of the more significant resolutions were, one, invite the Minister of DIAND to visit lqaluit, the future capital of Nunavut; two, endure the principles of our decentralized government for Nunavut based on the Iqaluit-as-capital model developed by NIC; three, pledge our cooperation and goodwill towards the leaders and residents of the Kitikmeot and Keewatin regions; four, support the maximum number of jobs in all communities of the three Nunavut regions through a highly-decentralized Nunavut government and through community transfers; five, petition the Minister of Health and Social Services to allow communities to take on the transfer of positions or programs without having to take over the entire departmental responsibilities in the communities. Mr. Speaker, I would like to have unanimous consent to continue with my statement.