Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize my constituency assistant from Deline, and John Kenny, sub-chief, wise man and he is helping out with my office this week. Also to Gina Dolphus from Deline who is president of the Native Women's Association. Fred Rabesca who is with Henry's group there, and Barry Harley who is the superintendent of MACA and Tony Grandjambe from Norman Wells. These are the guests from the Sahtu. Mahsi.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the construction of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline seems to be inevitable. This will be the largest capital project in the history of the Northwest Territories. We have an opportunity as legislators to ensure that we get it right from the perspective of the best interests of our people. Communities, regions and land corporations up and down the valley have titles to the land which are along the pipeline right-of-way. The rights of these lands were hard

fought for. The fact that the main proponent of the pipeline that will cross these lands needs to negotiate access and benefits is one of the prime differences of why a pipeline is achievable today and wasn't 25 years ago. Fort Good Hope and Colville Lake, which I represent, are examples of two communities who are prepared to come forward with a position on access and benefits. This government should show leadership by entirely supporting the successful negotiations of access and benefits.

They also need to support aboriginal land owners as they pursue other commitments which to date are unfulfilled, such as the final agreement on protected areas. These outstanding areas are integral to the early development of the oil and gas sectors and the transportation of these resources to market. They're not optional topics for discussion. Agreements must be in place prior to construction.

I would like to see this public government take a leadership role in supporting these goals. In doing so, they will send a clear message to industry. It will set a precedent for other communities along the pipeline right-of-way.

So how does this government demonstrate this leadership? Recently we learned that a special ministerial committee struck by the Prime Minister of Canada, naming Ann McLellan, the Deputy Prime Minister, as Chair, specifically to deal with the issues related to the development of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline. The federal government sees the importance and merits of this project as a priority to the extent that this committee has been appointed with such a high profile Chair. Surely this government sees it necessary to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, during question period I'll have questions for the Premier relating to what this government is doing to support our constituents to ensure that benefits from the pipeline are accrued to northerners, not just through ownership, but on many fronts, including the immediate financial impacts from access and benefits agreements. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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I apologize, Mr. Speaker, for using my questions up. I will keep it to language this time. Mr. Speaker, the language programs are key to the survival of the aboriginal people in our communities and I want to let the Minister responsible for language know that I want to keep in close contact in terms of the availability of our languages in the Sahtu region and in other small communities. I am not too sure if I am going to end up with a question here, Mr. Speaker, I think it is just a comment so I apologize.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I ask the question again to the Premier. He may refer me to the Minister. However, Mr. Speaker, the other part of my Member's statement has to do with the culture and we have a lot of people from outside the Sahtu that come into the Sahtu from the southern parts of Canada to work in their profession such as policing, nursing, teachers, social workers and other workers that come into the Sahtu region. I want to know what the government is doing to support those workers in terms of doing some cross-cultural training. There are some agencies doing it voluntarily, some doing it in terms of it being good for the people. Is there any policy or mandate that people who come into a small community do a cross-cultural training or is it done just on a voluntary basis? I wanted to ask the Premier that question in terms of what this government is doing to support cross-cultural training.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned in my statement about March being the month to recognize aboriginal languages, my question is to the Premier, the leader of the Government of the Northwest Territories. I'd like to know what the Premier is doing in terms of the government in the direction of all the departments that he works with in terms of strengthening and respecting our languages in the Northwest Territories, especially in the Sahtu where our older people have the access to speak freely in their languages, rather than to run around and look for translators here and there. In all departments our people, it seems, have to always wait for a translator. I guess the question for the Premier is what are you doing to direct your Ministers to ensure that all the aboriginal languages are easily used in the communities?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. March is Aboriginal Languages Month. In celebration of that fact, I would like to speak today on the importance of language and culture in providing a definition of who you are as a person. Mr. Speaker, I ask also just to have initiatives towards language and culture in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, as an aboriginal person, I can say that I've applied and understand the heart of the language and have close ties to the land and the laws of the Sahtu; they clearly define who I am as a person. These laws were taught to me by my elders and when you know who you are and where you're from and the history of your people, you have received a great gift. Mr. Speaker, when you have pride in your language and pride in your culture, you can have pride in everything that you do.

You can succeed on all levels when you know who you are, where you come from and where you're going.

The Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker, is a vast land with many languages and cultures. Some have been here for thousands of years and some languages and cultures are newly arrived. Whatever your language, whatever your culture, celebrate it, cherish it and seek to understand it. It will keep you strong in times of trouble and free your spirit in times of joy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated in my Member's statement, I have a question for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment with regard to the future of our youth in the Sahtu region. I wanted to ask the Minister if he would enter into a discussion with the Minister of MACA to create opportunities for our youth, between education and MACA, for after-school programs to support our children and to get them off the streets and to give them an opportunity to have a good, positive life and all the good things that go along with the Minister's statement?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to acknowledge the contributions that the people in my region have made to youth and to sports and what a positive difference they have made in our communities. Many people donate their valuable time and talents to children who need support and encouragement so that they can have the opportunity to excel in their sports.

Today, Mr. Speaker, I wish to acknowledge the many coaches and athletes from Deline for reaching out on both regional and territorial levels. Also, I would like to acknowledge the athletes from Tulita who have competed with a lot of other children in the Dene Games. Just recently, Mr. Speaker, the communities of Fort Good Hope and Norman Wells increased their support to assist youth so they could compete at regional games like the ice hockey tournament last month. I join with those communities and applaud the hard work which goes into such events. I want to send my heartfelt thanks to the school of Colville Lake for sending their children to Tulita last November for the volleyball tournament.

Mr. Speaker, for our youth, hockey tournaments for regional games and competition at all levels are so important and this means that we have to acknowledge those who make it happen, either with or without government support. Sports are very important in the communities; they help produce successful people like Mr. Roger Allen, Mr. Ernie Lennie and the late Mr. Floyd Kelley. Today I want to celebrate all northern athletes who put our territories on the map, both nationally and internationally. So my statement is to look out for our future northern athletes. Mr. Speaker, I do hope that as a government we can continue to support and promote sports within and outside of our schools and keep our athletes striving to attend competitions down south, to reap the rewards so that we can sponsor the next generation of great northern athletes.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if he intends to work with the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs to create more athletic opportunities for our youth in the Sahtu. Mahsi cho.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess on the short-term notice here, would the Minister consider dealing with the losses in the Sahtu region with our communities? I understand the long-term goals and aspirations are the separate health board for the Sahtu, however, when we're looking at losses such as what we're having in the Sahtu and how it contributes to many other areas in someone's life, we're looking for some guidance on this issue from this government here to take the measures to deal with it as soon as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.