Mr. Speaker, if the community is able to hire qualified, properly trained recreation professionals, that usually means the individual will be hired from outside the community, in many cases from the south. Because of this, sometimes problems can arise because of cultural differences between the new employee and a community and its residents. It would be ideal to hire local individuals who work with recreation professionals and the community. Would the Minister commit to developing standardized job descriptions and pay scales for these local recreation positions?

Mr. Speaker, today I talked about the importance of hiring qualified, properly trained recreation staff in our communities and the struggles many of our communities are experiencing with this. My questions today are directed toward the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Geographically the North is unique in many factors, and these factors include the cost of living in each community. Taking this into account, can the Minister commit to taking the lead in developing standardized pay scales and job descriptions for recreation professionals?

Mr. Speaker, today I wish to acknowledge an educator in my riding, Moh Odeen, principal of the Deninu School in Fort Resolution. Recently Moh was recognized as one of Canada’s Outstanding Principals.

South Slave Education Council Superintendent Curtis Brown said that “Principal Moh Odeen is an inspiration and role model to students, colleagues and community members…his unwavering dedication to education and to young people cannot help but make a difference….”

Originally from Guyana, Moh’s perspective on education, in his own words, are “From the time they arrive in school, I want the students to dream of all the things they want to be so that they realize the world is theirs.”

Please join me in acknowledging and congratulating a very dedicated and passionate educator, Principal Moh Odeen of Fort Resolution.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize some interpreters and elders that have come in from the riding. They are Terry Villeneuve and Bernadette Lockhart.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker; thank you, colleagues.

Are we doing all we can to support our communities? It’s true the government has a number of recreation and youth programs available. What good are they if the communities cannot take advantage of them because they do not have qualified, properly trained recreation staff? Healthier individuals, healthier communities, are only possible if we have the right people working to deliver these programs.

Later on I will ask the Minister of MACA questions on this.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk about the importance of getting and retaining good, qualified recreation workers in our communities. As you know, recreation staff play an important role in the positive development of our youth, as well as contribute to overall community wellness with the delivery of effective sport, culture and recreation programming.

Mr. Speaker, many communities struggle to find and retain good, qualified recreation staff. Often they hire unqualified local individuals. Often these individuals, who have the passion and athletic skills, lack the theory and practical training needed to effect the delivery of programming to the youth. Some of the reason is pay. There is no secret that many of our community recreation staff earn far less than what they are worth — or, for that matter, often earn less than many other community staff positions. For example, in Fort Resolution the starting wage for a recreation worker is $15 an hour, and in Lutselk’e a recreation worker makes $18 an hour. That’s about 30 per cent less than what other community workers make.

With the booming diamond industry to compete with as well as higher-paying jobs elsewhere, communities are constantly struggling to find and keep good, qualified recreation staff. We all know about the benefits of good sports and recreation programs. We are healthier individuals and healthier communities. We hear this from time to time in MACA’s “Recreation and Sport in the N.W.T.” report, and again in the “Northwest Territories Sport Direction 2000” and yet again in their “Partners in Action: Sports and Recreation Direction for the Nineties” — and any other reports since, Mr. Speaker. Are we doing all we can as a government to back up our words?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Unanimous consent granted.

Today I wish to acknowledge a health care professional in my riding, Gail Beaulieu, Acting Nurse in Charge of the Deninu Ku’e Health Centre in Fort Resolution.

Gail started her nursing career at the Montreal General Hospital School of Nursing. After graduating she attended Dalhousie University and studied public health as well as an outpost nursing program that included midwifery skills, one of the highlights of her education.

She was recruited to work in Fort Resolution in 1975. After a lengthy break to raise three children,

much of which was spent on Taltson River, she returned to work in 1990.

Recently she completed the Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Program at Aurora College here in Yellowknife. Fort Resolution is fortunate to have somebody dedicated to helping others, and today I am honoured to acknowledge Gail for her nursing achievements.

Mr. Speaker, environmental and natural resources is an important issue in each of our ridings, and collectively it continues to be a critical issue across the N.W.T. Exploration and development of minerals seems to be gaining unstoppable momentum, and our once-plentiful clean water now faces questions of sustainability and even scarcity. A whole new industry has been started in environmental monitoring, in environmental assessment, in environmental impact and use. Additionally, we cannot forget about the traditional cultural practices with respect to the aboriginal people and the impacts on trapping and harvesting.

In my riding, Mr. Speaker, there’s a flurry of activities that is impacting the environment and natural resources. Uranium, precious metal exploration, plans for additional hydro infrastructure, water contamination from the mammoth Alberta power plant project, the reopening of the Pine Point Mine, and renewable resource development all contribute directly and indirectly to the permanent disturbance of the natural order of ecology and wildlife patterns.

Mr. Speaker, before it gets too late, we need to review the direction we are going with respect to environment and natural resources in the Northwest Territories. We need to develop a comprehensive strategy for the Northwest Territories that will not only effectively address important environmental issues today but guide us down the road to responsible and sustainable resource development. The people of Tu Nedhe are not opposed to resource development but would like to see development that does not have an adverse impact on the environment or on their traditional pursuits.

I propose that the government commit to establish-ing a committee to facilitate and guide the process of developing a comprehensive environmental natural resource strategy.

Can the Minister provide the cost of the transfer from the N.W.T. Housing Corporation to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, including new positions, when the report is given to the Social Programs Committee?