Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I just wanted to know something about the position here in Yellowknife. Is this a reflection of the political reality in the works right now? What I'm referring to, Mr. Chairman, is I don't know whether there is going to be an increase in government programs in Yellowknife. I would think that it will start to be reduced, so that eventually you will have people in Iqaluit, Rankin or Cambridge Bay, or wherever the capital is going to be.

I thought the person would be in the eastern Arctic, as opposed to Yellowknife, because I would think that is where the PY should be. I may be wrong. I'm not on SCOF, but I just wanted to know if the department had that in mind when they were planning all these nice renovations and such.

Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee on Legislation has looked at the legislation and is not too sure which direction it will go, whether it will have the support or whether or not the public will have other concerns regarding the act. But it certainly hasn't gone ahead yet. There is nothing put into law with regard to this act, yet we're spending money as if the act is in place. I would like to know why.

Thank you, Madam Speaker, honourable Members. By providing this courtesy, we appear to represent the interests of the people who elected us to these positions and not to institutions that govern. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Madam Speaker, I would like to get unanimous consent to complete my last paragraph.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, every four years the people of the Northwest Territories exercise their democratic right and elect to this Legislature Members who they trust with the representation of their interests and matters that concern their welfare.

Upon entering these hallowed halls, each Member further serves the public by participating in the deliberation of standing and special committees. These committees are one of the means by which Members can hold this government accountable. Madam Speaker, it is my opinion that one of the most important obligations we undertake when we are elected is the responsibility of legislators. Making decisions about the laws that govern this territory is an awesome responsibility because a decision we make regarding legislation affects all people who must live under these laws.

In the past, decisions were made to create, for the purpose of reviewing important legislation, the Standing Committee on Legislation. This standing committee is committed to determining the will of the people with regard to proposed legislation, reviewing the legislation to ensure that laws of the Northwest Territories are not restricting upon the people of this territory and making recommendations to the House on legislation.

Madam Speaker, I was very disappointed that the debate surrounding Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Arctic College Act, was concluded in the absence of the chairman of the standing committee that reviewed the proposed legislation. The committee report on the review of Bill 7 did not recommend support for the proposed amendment. It is my belief that the committee report reflected the will of the people of the Northwest Territories. Further, the chairman of each committee of this Legislature receives information from the people who we were elected to serve. Although this information is not always received during deliberations of standing committees, a chairman can bring forward these interests during the debates on issues in committee of the whole.

Therefore, I feel it is important that Members ensure that the chairman of the standing committee is present during the debate on issues that have been before the committee. By providing this courtesy, we appear to represent the interests of the people...

Mr. Chairman, I just wanted to talk a bit on the student loan fund, mainly because just during the last several months I've been dealing with a student who had a loan, a status Indian who had a loan. I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with what he's done, but I guess there are certain conditions in which loans are forgiven. That is, if the person passes his course, or if he takes 60 per cent of his course. If the individual didn't complete his course and he didn't get 60 per cent, I presume that, as in a lot of cases, the student, even though he took a program, didn't have the necessary grades in order for him to take the program in the first place. So he's in a position now where the government is asking him to pay up, with interest, his loan.

I just wanted to bring that up because I presume that in a lot of cases you will see aboriginal people are the ones who will be put in that kind of a position. When loans are given to aboriginal people, it should always be clear that if they don't pass their course or if they fail because of this 60 per cent margin, then they're going to be in trouble. They should realize that even before they sign on the dotted line to get that loan.

In a lot of cases, the programs that a lot of aboriginal people are in are not considered educational programs, so their status doesn't really make a difference. In most cases, they pay for their education, but they don't pay for accommodation and meals. That's the part that students get loans for and that is the part that is quite a burden for them, even though it has nothing to do with their courses. It has more to do with accommodation and meals. I just wanted to make that point, Mr. Chairman, before we conclude this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee on Legislation has completed its review of Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 3. On December 8, 1993, the Legislative Assembly passed a motion that the Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission review the electoral boundaries of the High Arctic, Kitikmeot, Kivallivik, Nunakput, Sahtu and Tu Nedhe in view of conforming to the division boundary.

The commission completed its review and made recommendations for the new electoral boundaries, however, the commission settled all the settled land claims areas when making their recommendation. This, of course, affected other electoral districts than those indicated in the motion for review.

Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 3 amends schedule A of the act and redefines electoral districts of the High Arctic, Nunakput, Sahtu, Tu Nedhe, North Slave and the Kitikmeot. Those districts have been amended to conform with the boundaries to divide the Northwest Territories. The bill also provides a definition of the Inuvialuit settlement area and the Nunavut settlement area for the purpose of the schedule.

On November 8, 1993, a motion to redescribe the electoral district boundaries...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I will also be supporting the motion. I think the mover and the seconder of the motion spoke about the safety of air carriers, but it goes beyond just air carriers, Madam Speaker. A lot of the communities and major centres depend on weather. It doesn't matter whether it is for aircraft or boats out in the sea, rivers and lakes, weather conditions are always a factor. People up here are all aboriginal people and it is a way of life for them to go out on the land. The stations in the larger centres indicate for them what the weather patterns are. If they lose that, then a lot of people will be taking chances. It is going to be the safety of aboriginal people, I believe, that is going to be placed in jeopardy.

The other thing is medevacs. I think for most of the communities, medevacs are part of life in the north and if conditions are bad in Yellowknife, they might have to go on to Edmonton or another destination. Before a medevac takes off from a community in the east or High Arctic, they have to know what the conditions are and whether the medevac should go ahead. Again, of all the reasons that were mentioned, I think the most important reasons are life-saving reasons. Whether it is for a hunter, trapper, a person who is ill, or passengers going from point A to point B, it affects everybody.

For that reason, I support Mr. Ng's motion and I also want to thank him for introducing the motion. Mahsi.

Madam Speaker, I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Legislation has reviewed Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 3, and wish to report that the bill is now ready for committee of the whole. Madam Speaker, I request unanimous consent to waive rule 70(5) to allow Bill 17 to be placed in committee of the whole today.