Thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues. This past weekend, on Saturday, I had the opportunity to represent the Honourable Richard Nerysoo at a retirement get together for Jean Paul Grimard. Jean Paul Grimard was a school teacher, very well-known in the Fort Smith area. He taught math, physics and computers at the JB Tyrrell School and the PW Kaeser High School. He's been a teacher in the north for 30 years. He came from Prud'homme, Saskatchewan. He is from a French-Canadian family, one of 11 boys and girls from that family.

He took up teaching and for his first teaching assignment, he was interviewed by Gordon Devitt to go teach in the Baffin. In the interview, Mr. Devitt asked him what religion he was and he said he was Catholic. He replied that he couldn't work in the Baffin because they were all Protestant and he had to go to the west, so he went to Fort Smith, which was our good fortune.

He was very well-known in the community and he tutored a lot of students in the off hours. He taught during the day but if you needed any help with math, physics or computers, he was always there to help. Mr. Speaker, you will probably recall that I was at the adult school there later on in my life, trying to get my grade 12 so I could go to university. I needed some help in math and Mr. Grimard was right there to pitch in. I had the pleasure of being a student of his for a short period of time and, just recently, my son was also tutored by him, too.

When I talked on behalf of the Minister, I told the people there about his life and there were a good number of people from Fort Smith at the reception. They rose to give him a standing ovation for his 30 years of dedication to the Government of the Northwest Territories and the people of the Northwest Territories as a teacher. These days, it's very rare to have that kind of commitment. I would certainly like to say, on behalf of the people I represent, thank you to Mr. Grimard for his long service.

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Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I apologize for having to speak after the mover of the motion but I did not catch your attention earlier on.

Mr. Chairman, I think the greatest fear in this amendment deals with the word "discharged." The way I understand it is that the key word in this thing is "convicted" and that the sentence that is imposed by the court later on is irrelevant. In certain offences, as some colleagues have pointed out, there may be extenuating circumstances and the judge may wish to impose a discharge. I think that in the categories that we were dealing with and discussing earlier on, sexual exploitation and extreme violence, things of that nature, I think once a conviction is there, I have no objections to seeing a person removed from their seat.

There is no question about the integrity of Members here, that we're not ordinary individuals when it comes to the public's opinion. Every move we make and everything that we do is under scrutiny continuously and I think that if we have Members convicted of offences regardless of the sentence and they are allowed to sit in here, it would bring disgrace on the Legislative Assembly. I think that if they didn't resign, then this would force them to do that. If they wish to run again afterwards, they can do so. There's nothing stopping them if they can convince the electorate in their riding that they are worthy of that continued support.

When I said that I would support this it was based, as I said once they're found guilty of this offence then I think it is the right thing for them to do to resign and if they don't resign then this act will permit this to take place. I support this. I'm not afraid of this in any form. Thank you.

Qujannamiik, Mr. Chairman. Yes, Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee on Legislation read the report in its entirety, for the record. There is nothing else to report at this time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just for the record, I would like to ask the Minister of Health if there has, as a result of this closure, been any change in service? Have there been any patients sent to Edmonton for surgery as a result of this closure?

Mr. Speaker, one other concern that I would like to clarify. Stanton Hospital is the largest and is the best equipped hospital north of the 60th parallel. In recent years, Stanton Hospital has been building a strong reputation and public image as a first-class health centre, and I am concerned that this closure may tarnish this reputation. Will the Minister assure us that she will work with the Stanton hospital board and administration to ensure that the public and health clients are kept better informed and that the reputation of this fine institution is well preserved?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During my last public meeting, a number of my constituents expressed great concern at this closure of this ward, and I've heard subsequent to my statement even more concerns. Even though there are excellent reasons for the temporary closure of the ward, and I think we can appreciate their reasons for it, many of the clients of Stanton Hospital were or are unaware of these reasons and they merely noticed the inconvenience of the closure once they Were there. Will the Minister consider directing the hospital administrator to provide better information to clients and to the public on these matters?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a question I would like to direct to the Minister responsible for Health. Last week I made a statement regarding the recent closure of the surgery ward at Stanton Yellowknife Hospital. As I said then, I was informed the ward has been closed since March and will likely be closed through the summer. I would like to ask the Minister of Health whether the hospital administrators gave notice of this closure to the Minister or to her deputy minister.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question I would like to direct to the Minister responsible for emergency measures. We have quite an emergency measures operation under way evacuating those two communities. A considerable number of them have been brought to Yellowknife. How is this project operated? When you get 200 extra people in a community, there are logistics. I understand that a number of them are staying at Akaitcho Hall. With Akaitcho being closed, who is taking care of this? How is this being operated?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize members from the NWT Council for Disabled Persons in the gallery. There is Lydia Bardak, the executive director; Mary Anne Duchesne, the national access coordinator; and, Ron Porter, who is our Yellowknife advocate. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly.

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