Whitehorse, Yukon

Monday, December 9, 1996 - 1:30 p.m.

Speaker: I will now call the House to order. At this time, we will proceed with prayers.

Prayers

DAILY ROUTINE

Speaker: We will proceed at this time with the Order Paper.

Are there any tributes?

Introduction of visitors.

Are there any returns or documents for tabling?

TABLING RETURNS AND DOCUMENTS

Hon. Mr. Fairclough: I have for tabling the 1994-95 annual report of the Yukon Housing Corporation.

Hon. Mr. McDonald: I have for tabling the public accounts of the Government of Yukon for the year ended March 31, 1996.

Speaker: Are there any petitions?

Are there any bills to be introduced?

Are there any notices of motion?

NOTICES OF MOTION

Mrs. Edelman: I give notice of the following motion:

THAT it is the opinion of this House that the Government of Yukon should consult with all Yukon communities on decisions related to land development on the periphery of their respected boundaries.

Speaker: Are there any ministerial statements?

MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS

Community projects initiative

Hon. Mr. Harding: I rise to inform the House of the new short term contribution program being launched in January of the new year that will provide immediate assistance to Yukon communities. It will provide support for projects that are of a high priority for communities and it will also provide employment and training opportunities in a better way.

In A Better Way, our government committed to establishing a new community development fund in consultation with community leaders. Until the public consultations and CDF planning process is complete, an interim program is being launched to fill that gap.

The community projects initiatives is an interim response to meet community needs over the next few months. We want to use it as the mechanism to provide immediate support for community-driven projects that meet their needs and priorities.

We are confident that communities will identify many areas where this initiative can be applied. One key factor is that the program is flexible so that proposals will be measured by their merit, their value to the community and by the ability of the community to take ongoing responsibility for it.

Program funding is targeted at training and seasonal employment, building community infrastructure, and upgrading local facilities. The program is also responsive to the communities' cultural and recreational needs and will fund special winter events that have significant economic benefit to the community.

An amount of $500,000 will be made available this fiscal year, with additional funding for the completion of those projects planned for next year. Applications will be made to the Department of Economic Development. We plan to have information and application forms available almost immediately and we will accept applications until March 1, 1997.

Municipalities, First Nations and organizations are eligible for assistance, and applications will be assessed by their merit, economic and social benefits to the community, time frame, and by the community's ability to support and take ongoing responsibility for it.

This initiative will not support ongoing operating and maintenance costs. Commercial ventures are not eligible for this funding. Projects are eligible for up to $200,000 in assistance. Our staff will review the applications as they are received. Because the program is for the short term, we will encourage projects that can begin by the end of March 1997, and that can be well on their way to completion within six months. Projects that fall outside of this initiative would be possible candidates for the new community development fund program.

The department will coordinate and expedite reviews by other affected departments regarding budget, timing, scope and management to ensure a successful project. Funding decisions will be made by a panel of three Ministers and their deputies.

I encourage communities and groups to contact the Department of Economic Development with their ideas. We want to ensure beneficial work and training for Yukoners over the winter months through this community projects initiative. I invite all members of the Legislature to encourage good project ideas among their constituents.

Mr. Ostashek: Most people know that the community development fund is not a fund that is near and dear to the hearts of the Yukon Party. We believe that anything that is going to be done under the community development fund can be done through a line item in the budget and debated on the floor of this Legislature. We see the community development fund as a way of circumventing the public debate and scrutinization of projects that are funded under this fund, because only the terms of reference of the fund and the amount of money going into the fund will be debated on the floor of this Legislature.

After we eliminated the former community development fund, we did do projects. We did two in Old Crow - a skating rink and, in the last budget, a swimming pool, which has now been changed to a community centre. There was the flexibility and ability to do these things under a line item in the Department of Community and Transportation Services.

They need not have a special fund set up for this. We are very, very concerned about how the fund will be administered. The last fund was nothing but a slush fund for Ministers and political patronage - buy-outs. The Minister has said that this intermediate program will be targeted to - but he does not say that it will be limited to - training and seasonal employment, building community infrastructure and upgrading local facilities. The second point runs parallel to community block funding that municipalities get for community infrastructure, as well as for sports facilities and other local facilities.

The last community development fund that was in place under the previous NDP government saw monies go to, I believe, such projects as the Elsa curling rink, which never had a sheet of ice put into it; the Destruction Bay curling rink, which lasted, I think, for about one year and has not been in operation for several years now - hundreds of thousands of taxpayers' dollars. It also saw money going into healing centres that never did have a program operate in them, such as Cultus Bay on Kluane Lake. So, I am very, very concerned about how this program is going to be administered.

The Minister has said that, for the interim program, three Ministers and deputy ministers will be making the decision about what will be funded and what will not. I asked the Minister in his rebuttal if he could tell me why no outside representation has been included in the assessment of these projects; why has someone from the Association of Yukon Communities, or some other community body, not been included? I would also ask the Minister if he could tell this House if the decision of the board can be overruled by the Minister of Economic Development or either of the other two Ministers who will be sitting on that board.

One of the weaknesses we saw in the last program was that the decisions made by a board that was set up to administer it could be overruled by the Minister, and we believe that this leaves a lot of room for abuse and does not leave enough room for public scrutiny.

I also would ask the Minister, in his summation, if he could tell me which two other Ministers will be sitting on this board.

Mrs. Edelman: I was most pleasantly surprised to see the ministerial statement on the community projects initiative. The Town of Faro have been very clear that they need help with recreational projects for this winter. Most Yukon communities will be rushing their applications in to the Department of Economic Development as soon as humanly possible, and this money will only help the Yukon.

My concern is the way in which funding priorities will be set. If three Ministers and three deputy ministers are the ones making the funding decisions, there is a possibility that people will perceive that decisions for funding will be made in a purely political fashion. It is my hope that this is not the case but, if there is that perception out there, perhaps it might behoove the government to appoint some less partisan decision makers to review and make recommendations on funding for the community projects initiative.

It is my hope that the funds from the community projects initiative will help strengthen Yukon communities, but what is going to happen if applications are filed for twice the amount of the current year's fund of $500,000? I know it is not the Minister's intention to have Yukon communities competing against each other and thus dividing Yukon's community fabric. Perhaps there are guidelines being developed as we speak to help the communities understand what the priorities are for the fund.

The Minister has done a good thing this Christmas.

Hon. Mr. Harding: I thank the Members for their comments - their constructive criticism.

I would say that this is not a huge allotment of money. It is significant, but is intended to deal with applications or projects on which there has already been a considerable amount of work done by many people in the community who have not had other ways of accessing money in the past.

I would like to say to the former Government Leader that all projects under this fund are debatable in this Legislature. The former Minister talked about a swimming pool in Old Crow. I would point out to him that we debated a swimming pool for Old Crow in this Legislature, and the Yukon Party then changed the project.

The Ministers are accountable to this Legislature. Both the Minister of Renewable Resources and the Minister of Education will sit on the subcommittee of Management Board, and I expect many projects to come up for debate on the floor of this Legislature. We realize that there have been a number of concerns developing in the communities over the last four years that have not had any funding grants. The Yukon Party government had its own version of CDF, which was the centennial anniversaries program project. Unfortunately, it was much over hyped, but under funded. We decided to try and respond in a positive way to some of the community-driven initiatives, not politician-driven initiatives, which have been out there in the Yukon for the last couple of years. It is not a huge amount of money and we will not be able to accomplish everything for everyone; however, when we work and move toward the creation of a new community development fund, we hope it will be able to encompass a lot of the requests from Yukon communities to undertake initiatives that could create good jobs and socio-economic benefits.

The former Government Leader reeled off a litany of projects. I can tell Members that when people in Pelly go and play on that ball field, they thank the CDF. When tourists walk through historic buildings that have been renovated, in many cases they thank the CDF. When people go to view wild sheep in Faro in the Mount Mye area, they thank the CDF as well for the viewing facilities and sheep enhancement work that has been done to improve the habitat of sheep in that area.

I would just say that I thank the Opposition Members for their comments. I hope that the fund lives up to its legitimate expectations.

Family group conferencing for "under twelves"

Hon. Mr. Sloan: I am speaking today in my capacity as the Minister of the Department of Health and Social Services.

I rise today to inform my colleagues in the House about the introduction of a new program that will benefit those children under the age of 12 who are at risk of becoming young offenders later in life.

The family group conferencing model was introduced this fall by the family and children's services branch and was designed to deal with the delinquent behaviour of children between the ages of six and 12 years old. It is one of the ways that the Department of Health and Social Services continues to bring about early interventions where there are children at risk.

Under the Criminal Code of Canada, children under 12 years of age cannot be charged with criminal offences; however, as we are all well aware, that does not mean they do not commit offences. Because very young offenders cannot be charged does not mean that they do not need or deserve help.

The family group conferencing model provides the opportunity for the offending young person to recognize how the crime has affected others, apologize to those who have been harmed, work to repair the harm, possibly be forgiven for the crime and begin the process of restoring trust. Victims of very young offenders may also be involved in the process if they wish to do so, and, in fact, I think that is something that should be encouraged.

The program operates on some very simple principles, one of which is involvement - that the child is part of a family and that the family be involved in the process, that the community be involved and that victims be involved. This is not a process that happens in isolation.

The immediate focus will be on the offending behaviour, but family group conferencing will also address broader family issues such as discipline.

Realistically, we all know that crimes - some that are very serious - are committed by children under 12 years of age. Until now there was no formal way of dealing with these children or providing them with the kind of support and assistance that they need to prevent their actions from becoming part of a pattern. This program is another tool that we can use to help our young people.

The family group conferencing model is not limited only to the "serious" crimes of the young, but will also deal with behaviours that may lead to more serious offences, such as bullying and fighting.

It is a way to make families stronger and make sure that there is early intervention in a child's life to prevent further offending behaviour. The family group conferencing model is an addition to the portfolio of existing programs and services currently being delivered by the Department of Health and Social Services, to provide support to individuals and families who require help and support.

I anticipate coming back to this House to announce additional preventative programs that will continue to support families in the coming months.

Mr. Cable: Let me say first that the emphasis on crime prevention that comes out of this statement in dealing with offenders before they hit the courts is much preferred to dealing with offenders after they reach the courts and patterns may have set in. Early intervention and family and community involvement were themes throughout the community consultations that lead to the Talking About Crime report and the theme in the report itself. The statement is not terribly explanatory and it would be useful for the Minister to table the terms of reference of the program, in a formal sense, so that the public can see them.

In particular, it would be useful for the Minister to comment on how the family and the young offender will be brought into the program - whether it is anticipated there will be some legislative backdrop, whether it will be mandatory or whether it will be simply through optional participation.

It will be useful also for the Minister to tell us what type of evaluation he anticipates will be carried out - whether he anticipates collecting statistics on the re-offence rate and just what sort of statistical backdrop he does anticipate. It would also be useful for the Minister to let us know whether this program has a definitive term and whether it is due to expire. If it is due to expire, what sort of evaluation will be carried out at the end?

Mr. Jenkins: The Yukon Party supports this type of program in principle. We would like to know the cost of implementation and administration of this program, the terms of reference of this program, how the performance evaluation is going to be done and what the time lines are on this program.

Hon. Mr. Sloan: I thank the Opposition Members for those comments. Certainly those are some things that I will be bringing forward and I can bring them forward to the Members. I think there are some important points here in terms of evaluative criteria that I think are worthwhile in me bringing to department's attention.

Speaker's ruling

Speaker: Before proceeding to Question Period, I will provide the House with my ruling on the point of order raised by the Member for Riverside on December 5, 1996.

The Member for Riverside raised the question of whether the Members of the Liberal Party caucus or the Members of the Yukon Party caucus should be the Official Opposition in this House. I thank the Member for Riverside and the Member for Porter Creek North for the advice they provided to the Chair on that question.

The Chair has relied on the following rules, precedents and laws for this ruling:

(1) the Standing Orders of the Yukon Legislative Assembly,

(2) the precedents of the Yukon Legislative Assembly,

(3) the relevant Yukon Statutes, and

(4) the precedents of the House of Commons of Canada.

The reason for using the precedents of the House of Commons is that Standing Order 1 of the Yukon Legislative Assembly states: "In all cases not provided for in these Standing Orders or by sessional or other orders, the practices and procedures of the House of Commons of Canada, as in force at the time, shall be followed, so far as they may apply to this Assembly."

The first basic issue to be addressed is whether there is a requirement that an Official Opposition be recognized in this House. The Yukon Legislative Assembly has given recognition to either the Official Opposition or the Leader of the Official Opposition in several places in the Standing Orders and in the Legislative Assembly Act. The Chair, therefore, must assume that the Assembly intends that there should be an Official Opposition. This is backed by Speaker Parent of the House of Commons in a ruling he made on February 27, 1996. Speaker Parent said: "The position of Leader of the Official Opposition is firmly anchored in our parliamentary system of government through practice and the implementation of various statutes and rules of procedure. The importance of the Official Opposition and its leader has been commented on both in Canada and in other countries with Westminster-style parliaments for well over a century."

The second basic issue is who makes the decision as to who the Official Opposition will be. There seems to be no disagreement that this is the responsibility of the Speaker. Both the Member for Riverside and the Member for Porter Creek North indicated they felt the Speaker should make the decision. Also, again referring to his decision of February 27, 1996, Speaker Parent said: "The designation of the Official Opposition has never been decided on the floor of the House of Commons. As Speaker, I am entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring the orderly conduct of business in the House. To do so, I must now determine, in light of the tie situation and the point of order raised, which party shall form the Official Opposition."

The Member for Riverside did qualify his remarks by saying that the House was not required to leave the matter up to the Speaker. He quite correctly said that the House could either deal with the matter directly or refer it to a committee such as the Standing Committee on Rules, Elections and Privileges. However, he also said that the Speaker had the option to follow the 1963 precedent of the House of Commons and to refer the matter, on his own initiative, to the Standing Committee on Rules, Elections and Privileges. This is a misinterpretation of the 1963 precedent as it is only the House itself that can make such a reference. Speaker Macnaughton, the Speaker of the House of Commons at that time, did suggest that a certain matter be referred to a committee but that reference did not occur until the House passed a motion to that effect.

The Member for Riverside asked that consideration be given to setting up a rotation of Official Opposition status between the Liberal Party caucus and the Yukon Party caucus. He went on to suggest that the Speaker should broker a rotational arrangement between the two caucuses.

The Chair would agree to respect an arrangement made between the two caucuses but it would be up to the two caucuses themselves to come to an agreement - it would not be appropriate for the Chair to take an active role in negotiations between the caucuses. During the time that the Member for Riverside and the Member for Porter Creek North were discussing the point of order on December 5, the Chair did not hear either Member indicate that they had reached or were working to reach an agreement on rotating Official Opposition status.

To repeat, if the two opposition caucuses make some kind of arrangement that does not violate any rules of the House, the Chair will respect that arrangement. However, no Member should expect that the Chair will take on the role of a negotiator.

The result is that the Chair must select one of the opposition caucuses as the Official Opposition.

The problem which arises is that there are few criteria for making such a decision.

The standard deciding factor, of course, is the number of seats; however, here both parties in opposition have the same number of seats.

Another factor sometimes relied on is party status - Members who were elected as nominees of a registered political party are more likely to receive Official Opposition status than a group of independents. In this case, both the Yukon Party caucus and the Liberal Party caucus are equal.

Assessments of party policies cannot be used to make this decision. Speaker Parent of the House of Commons was very clear on this point when asked to select the Reform Party over the Bloc Quebeçois as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons.

Popular vote has been suggested by some as being a logical factor for the Chair to consider. It has been rejected by most Speakers required to make rulings similar to this one. For example, Speaker Parent quoted Speaker Dysart of New Brunswick. On December 16, 1994, she said: "Basing a decision on factors outside Parliament opens the door or invites future decisions with no basis in parliamentary precedents or practice. With the one noted exception, the Official Opposition has been determined by the number of seats held by the party, not by the popular vote."

The exception was a decision of Speaker Amerongen in Alberta in 1983 when, immediately following a general election, he paid some heed to popular vote in making a decision about who would be the Official Opposition. Although popular vote has been rejected as a factor in every Speaker's decision after 1983, there are some who say it may have its place. For example, Professor Stewart Hyson, in the Autumn 1996 edition of the Canadian Parliamentary Review, wrote: "But popular vote is limited at best to the start of a legislature following a general election and then only as a supplemental factor. That is, if two or more parties are tied in standing, the Speaker may turn to the popular vote as the tie-breaker."

The Chair cannot take popular vote into account because the direction to the Chair is that, in the absence of Yukon rules or precedents, direction should be taken from House of Commons practices and precedents. If the House wishes to develop any guidelines for future Speakers to follow in similar situations it might give consideration to whether, as a last resort, popular vote could be considered as a deciding factor when a decision is required immediately following a general election.

There are a number of other factors which have been suggested for the Chair to consider, including the gender of the Members in each caucus, the mixture of rural and urban members and the presence or absence of leaders of registered political parties in the opposition caucuses. These kinds of factors cannot be relied upon by the Chair because their use would mean making political judgments about the qualities of various members and that would endanger the impartial position of the Chair.

In many other jurisdictions, including the House of Commons, incumbency has been a key factor in Speakers' decisions. The difficulty in applying it to the situation now before the Yukon Legislative Assembly is that these precedents are not totally comparable. They deal with situations in which a party with Official Opposition status falls into a tie with another party during the lifetime of a Parliament or Legislature.

In the Yukon Legislative Assembly today, there is one opposition party caucus which, prior to the election, formed the government. There is another opposition party caucus which, prior to the election, was a third party in the House. Neither are incumbents as the Official Opposition.

The Chair, then, has determined to make a decision in this matter which reflects the spirit and intent of the House of Commons' reliance on incumbency as a deciding factor. It is the Chair's judgment that that spirit and intent is best satisfied by selecting an opposition party caucus which formed the government prior to an election to be the Official Opposition over an opposition party caucus that was a third party in the House prior to the election. That means that the Yukon Party caucus will be the Official Opposition and that the Member for Porter Creek North will be the Leader of the Official Opposition.

This decision is made in respect to the proceedings in this Chamber. Decisions on matters such as caucus funding and space allocation are made in another forum.

The Chair wishes the House to recognize that, although the Yukon Party caucus is now recognized as the Official Opposition, it still must be kept in mind that there are two caucuses in opposition with three Members apiece. The Chair will ensure that both opposition caucuses and all Members in both opposition caucuses are treated appropriately in such matters as order of speaking. As an example, during Question Period, the Leader of the Official Opposition will continue to be given the first two questions each day but the leader of the third party will now be given the next two questions rather than just one.

The Chair urges the House to give consideration to certain Standing Orders which clearly do not reflect the current makeup of the House. In particular, Standing Order 14.2 must be reviewed and amended to ensure that both opposition caucuses receive equitable treatment on Private Members' Day.

That concludes my comments on the point of order.

This brings us to the Question Period.

QUESTION PERIOD

Question re: Land Claims Secretariat, negotiators removed

Mr. Ostashek: I would like to say that our caucus realizes the great difficulty Mr. Speaker had in making that decision. Before the next election, I hope this Legislature will address that part in particular so we do not have to go through this again.

My question is to the Government Leader in his capacity as the Minister responsible for land claims. On Thursday in this House, the Government Leader stated that only the chief land claim negotiator had been removed from his job and had not accepted another position. He also stated that two other senior negotiators remained in their positions. Yet he told a reporter earlier that, "In terms of two people, one is voluntarily leaving, the other has been reassigned."

Now that the Government Leader has had the weekend to reflect, could he tell the House which version of his two statements is the truth?

Hon. Mr. McDonald: First of all, I would like to congratulate the Leader of the Official Opposition on his new status on behalf of the government caucus. I am certain he will perform his task ably.

In answer to the Member's question, both statements are true, because the two individuals the Member is referring to remain in their positions. They are in their positions today and will be until such time as they leave, if and when they do. I understand one is requesting to leave and the other is being reassigned by the department. They will certainly be in their positions until that occurrence takes place.

Mr. Ostashek: I guess that is his story and he will stick to it.

Can the Government Leader advise the House if the two senior negotiators asked, or volunteered, to change their positions, or were they requested to do so?

Hon. Mr. McDonald: I do not really entirely understand the Member's question. Is he asking me if the two individuals volunteered to change their positions? As I indicated, one person requested to leave, and the other was being reassigned. With respect to the reassignment, I am not certain how mutually acceptable that is to the department or to the individual. I was not involved in either decision. My primary goal is to ensure the Land Claims Secretariat is staffed with capable people and is able to perform the functions assigned to it to ensure that the land claims negotiations proceed at a greater pace than in the past, as we run up to the very significant deadlines in February.

Mr. Ostashek: I would like to ask the Government Leader whether or not it is true that the two senior negotiators were told by the Deputy Minister of the Executive Council Office that they were being removed from their positions because they were identified as being too close to the policies of the previous government? Is that not true? And, did the person volunteer to leave before or after that discussion?

Hon. Mr. McDonald: I do not believe that is true. Both of the individuals involved are capable public servants. They will continue as public servants performing functions for this government to ensure that the broadest mandate is fulfilled.

They are certainly in their places now. Negotiating sessions are being scheduled as we speak. They are sitting at common tables acting fully on behalf of the Government of Yukon. There are some closures to land claims agreements that are now taking place - negotiations that are coming to an end. The two individuals are very ably performing their tasks and will be until changes are made.

I have every confidence in their abilities to continue speaking for and acting on behalf of the Government of Yukon.

Question re: Land Claims Secretariat, negotiators removed

Mr. Ostashek: The further we go with this the more confused the public gets. People are told that they are going to be removed, yet they are negotiating on behalf of the government.

Now that it has become patently clear that the Government Leader and his Cabinet had a hit list when they came into office - and three senior Government of Yukon negotiators were on that hit list - can the Government Leader explain to this House how he is going to go about replacing these three key positions? Are the positions going to be advertised and filled in the normal fashion through the Public Service Commission or are they going to be further political appointments?

Hon. Mr. McDonald: I simply cannot accept the Member's basic proposition that people were told that they were going to be removed from their positions and that the government had a hit list.

In the case of the chief land claims negotiator, he was asked whether or not he would perform another task at a deputy minister level for this government.

To put a person's name on a hit list and offer that person a very significant job with this government is the act of a very incompetent hit man.

With respect to the other personnel that the Member has identified, as I have indicated, they are capably acting in the Land Claims Secretariat for the government as we speak and are actively engaged in negotiations for the government.

The government has no hit list. In fact, of the 17 deputy ministers who were in place, including many who were recruited by the Member himself, 15 of those deputy ministers were offered assignments; we were unable to offer assignments only to two. There was no hit list, of course. There was a very significant agenda, and a changing of the guard in various portfolios, which is not uncommon when new governments take office.

Mr. Ostashek: I do not think there is any doubt about the incompetence of the hit man - none whatsoever.

Can the Government Leader explain to the House how he is going to fill the positions through the Public Service Commission, and at the same time meet his commitments to speed up land claims? Most recruitment programs under the Public Service Commission take about three months. Land claims are to be settled by February 14.

Hon. Mr. McDonald: No one has to tell me that the land claims have to be settled by February 14. No one has to tell me that we are about to enter into a negotiating environment where there are seven tables, all of which have to be undertaken at once. There will have to be simultaneous negotiations on many different fronts. No one has to tell me that this new government is under the gun when it comes to meeting very significant deadlines. However, he cannot lay the responsibility entirely on this government for perhaps not being able to meet those deadlines, after the previous government sat on the negotiating process for four years, and only with a flurry of activity near the end did they actually accomplish anything. That would be the logical reason for determining what we are faced with.

There is no hit list. The Member opposite has identified two people in the Land Claims Secretariat who continue to work, and will remain there until they are replaced. The same is true for any other person who wants to transfer out of land claims to any other section within government. They will be replaced by people - there will be no vacancies - because this is a priority of the government.

Mr. Ostashek: I see we are starting to get under the skin of the Government Leader. If he did not have anything to hide, I do not think we would be getting under his skin.

It is quite clear that media pressure has come to bear on the Government Leader and his incompetence in handling these dismissals because he is now starting to change his mind. I would not be surprised to see these people remain in their positions. However, that is certainly not what he said in the press last week.

Does the Government Leader intend to speed up the land claims process by politically appointing land claims negotiators who are going to be instructed to say yes to every demand of the First Nations? Is that how he is going to speed up the land claims process?

Hon. Mr. McDonald: I have to again say to the Member that when he makes statements that people were dismissed, he is not stating a fact. I will repeat that for the Member's information.

I suppose that the Member appears to be concerned that any change of personnel may be the result of a government that wants to capitulate at the land claims table. I would point out to the Member that that is a nonsensical statement, because it was the New Democratic Party government that negotiated the umbrella final agreement. The NDP government negotiated the first four First Nation final agreements and self-government agreements. These were the self-government agreements and final agreements that the Members opposite endorsed. If anyone wants to know what our land claims policy is, they can look to the very good record of the NDP government in negotiating with First Nations from the years 1985 to 1992. Our position at the negotiating table is that we will act consistently with the umbrella final agreement. We will seek negotiated arrangements with First Nations that respect not only third-party interests and the general public's interest, but will also ensure that First Nations get a fair settlement. That is our position. That will be the position that negotiators will take to the table, and I am certain that it will get results.

Question re: Crown corporations, removal of presidents

Mr. Cable: Just before I ask my question of the Government Leader, I would like to thank the Speaker for his ruling. I know that he put considerable thought into that. I appreciate the comments on the speaking roster, the motion day rotation, and the suggestion on rule changes.

The question that I have for the Government Leader concerns the deputy ministers of the two Crown corporations.

Last Thursday, I asked the Government Leader questions relating to the deputy minister shuffles, and about the removal of the presidents of the two Crown corporations - the Yukon Development Corporation and the Yukon Housing Corporation. I was left with the impression that in the Government Leader's view, he could shuffle the presidents around without consultation with the respective boards. It was his sole prerogative. The president of the Yukon Development Corporation and the Yukon Energy Corporation is appointed by the Cabinet on the recommendation of that board.

Was there a recommendation that the previous president be terminated and the new president appointed?

Hon. Mr. McDonald: When the Member suggested that the personnel were removed, I did not want him to leave the impression that the personnel were removed from government because that seems to have been a theme from his colleague to his right. The personnel that he is referring to are, of course, transferred from one deputy minister assignment to another deputy minister assignment. He is quite right, of course, in saying that the appointments to all deputy minister assignments are made by Cabinet, not by Government Leaders.

In the case of the two corporations that he speaks of, the Yukon Housing Corporation and the Yukon Development Corporation, there was no recommendation from the two corporation boards on new personnel for those corporations. As I understand it, the Deputy Minister of the Executive Council Office did speak to the chair of the Yukon Housing Corporation Board, did not seek an opinion but rather informed the Yukon Housing Corporation Board chair as to the decision of Cabinet.

Question re: Crown corporations, removal of presidents

Mr. Cable: Let us talk about the Yukon Housing Corporation for a moment. It is my understanding in the Housing Corporation Act that it is the board that in fact appoints the president. It appears to be clear from the statute. Is the Minister saying that the board's participation in the appointment of that president was non-existent - that that was solely carried out by the Cabinet?

Hon. Mr. McDonald: That is correct. I am not a lawyer, but I will - if the Member wants me to - seek a legal opinion. I can certainly do that. In all the time that I have been in this Legislature, I understand that it has been the practice that the presidents of the corporations are assigned, not by resolution of a board - in the case of those two corporations - but by a decision of Cabinet. The only board that must decide the question, in the end, is the Workers' Compensation Health and Safety Board.

Mr. Cable: Is the Minister making a commitment to seek and table a legal opinion? If he is, I would ask that the legal opinion cover the fact that the Government Leader apparently made the appointment to the Development Corporation Board without consultation and the fact that the Government Leader made the appointment to the Yukon Housing Corporation rather than to the Yukon Housing Corporation Board. Is he prepared to seek and table that legal opinion?

Hon. Mr. McDonald: I will let the Member refer to the Rules of the Legislature with respect to tabling legal opinions, but I will seek a legal opinion on the subject because I am certainly aware of the long-standing traditions of the Legislature and government with respect to these appointments and I am well aware that I am acting, and the Cabinet is certainly acting, within the confines of that tradition.

Question re: Deputy commissioners, status and salary of

Ms. Duncan: Last week I asked the Government Leader questions regarding the pay packages for deputy commissioners. The severance policy for deputy ministers states that, at the time of initial hire, deputy heads, as a condition of employment, will be required to enter into a severance pay contract in accordance with the provisions of the policy. The severance package for deputy commissioners, then, must have been negotiated by the Government Leader. Is he prepared to provide this detailed information today?

Hon. Mr. McDonald: Yes, indeed, and I thank the Member for the question.

Just a correction: the negotiations do not occur between the Government Leader and the people involved but between the Public Service Commissioner and the people involved. There is only one person who is operating under the protection of the deputy head severance pay policy and that is the commissioner responsible for the energy commission, a long-standing deputy minister in this government. The other three deputy commissioners are term positions and consequently there is no severance pay out when the term position concludes and the project is complete.

In one particular case, a person who is a long-standing public servant will be returning to their job inside the public service. In another case, there is no severance provision whatsoever at any time. In the final case, there is a severance provision of three months' pay if the person is terminated prior to the project being completed. Those are the terms of the severance for all four deputy commissioners.

Ms. Duncan: I thank the Government Leader for that response.

Related to the work of the commissions, I would like to ask about the applicability of other legislation. With respect to the work of the commissions, the Government Leader indicated to me that the deputy commissioners were to be considered as deputy heads. Are the Cabinet commissioners to be treated as Ministers in some respects? If so, has the Government Leader ensured their compliance with the conflict-of-interest legislation governing Ministers, as opposed to Members?

Hon. Mr. McDonald: That is a detail that we have covered. Under the legislation, the Conflict of Interest (Members and Ministers) Act, the conflict-of-interest provisions do apply to the commissioners. This was a matter that was checked with the Conflict of Interest Commissioner, who confirmed this particular case.

The commissioners do not sit in Cabinet, but they are essentially team leaders and have a responsibility for building consensus in the public to ensure that the significant projects that these four commissions will be undertaking have not only a face within the public service, but also will be a person within this Legislature, who, it is hoped, will be speaking for them.

Ms. Duncan: I thank the Minister for his response.

With respect to the opinion of Mr. Hughes, is the Government Leader prepared to table that information? Has a written opinion been sought and is the Government Leader prepared to table it?

Hon. Mr. McDonald: I understand that the information is coming. I presume that it will be in writing. But I would invite the Member to give Mr. Hughes a call. He would be more than happy, I am certain, to let her know what his opinion is.

Question re: Deputy ministers, replacement of

Mr. Phillips: I have a question for the Government Leader, as well.

Recently, four deputy ministers were let go or transferred to new jobs by this government. All of those deputy ministers were let go without having had the opportunity to show their stuff, so to speak. They were let go within days of the new government taking power and without sound reasons.

Deputy ministers are hired, usually, by a search and interview process. They must be highly qualified people. The government recently hired five new deputy ministers: Mr. Riedl, Mr. Zanasi, Mr. Stubbs, Mr. Klassen and Mr. Walsh. What procedure was used to hire these new senior deputy ministers?

Hon. Mr. McDonald: The Member raised a lot of issues in his question. First of all, I would point out to the Member that many deputy ministers were transferred from one position to another when the new government took office. Only two decided not to accept the appointments they were offered. There were only two other deputy ministers who were not offered assignments at all, which I believe compares favourably to the situation as experienced by the previous government where, within a couple of months of assuming office, the previous government let four deputy ministers go after a very short opportunity for those deputy ministers - who were long-standing government servants - to show their stuff, so to speak, as the Member has identified.

With respect to the deputy ministers of departments, I would point out that deputies are hired and released at pleasure under the law. In the case of the two deputy ministers the Member mentioned, they were hired at pleasure.

With respect to the deputy commissioner issues the Member has raised, some interviews were held by the deputy commissioners with respect to hiring these policy working group team leaders. Those appointments were made on the recommendation of the Commissioner.

Mr. Phillips: I have no quarrel with the Government Leader's argument that deputy heads are transferred from one position to another without having to go through a recruitment process. My problem is that five new deputy ministers have been hired, who are not within the civil service. These individuals are coming into the civil service.

I do not recall seeing any advertisements anywhere in the territory for these highly skilled and highly qualified jobs. Perhaps we advertised outside. I know one of the individuals is from B.C. Why were there no advertisements before these individuals were hired?

Hon. Mr. McDonald: In each case the reasons are different. With respect to the hiring of deputy ministers, only two were hired. Three deputy commissioners were hired. They are different. They are deputy level, which means they can sit in Deputy Ministers Policy Review Committee, but it does not mean they are necessarily capable of managing departments - they can be and are, in some cases. Consequently, I state once again that there were two deputy ministers hired.

With respect to the individuals involved, they were hired at pleasure, meaning that the government took the view that these people were competent and capable people, and able to do the work at hand. When we get to Committee of the Whole, if the Member wants to have a lengthier explanation about why the individuals were hired, I would be more than happy to provide it.

Mr. Phillips: We will take the Member up on that.

We seem to have taken a quantum leap in the politicization of the public service. I can remember the former NDP leader, Tony Penikett, firing deputy ministers for associating with political parties. This Government Leader insists that deputy ministers who are hired have to carry NDP cards. I think that is a quantum leap from the previous policy regarding deputy ministers.

For other senior civil servant jobs in the Government of Yukon, is the Government Leader going to require that people be of the NDP stripe before they are considered for a job?

Hon. Mr. McDonald: I do not think that a quantum leap has been taken at all. As a matter of fact, I would say that the actions of this incoming government are quite modest in comparison to those of our predecessor, which acted quite swiftly. In fact, they let go of a number of deputy ministers who were long-standing public servants, had been in the public service in the Yukon for a very long time and performed good service for the Yukon government, and so on. I do not know why the ex-Government Leader fired the four people within a couple of months. I do not know why that was the case. I do not think an explanation was ever offered.

The people who were hired are well-qualified people. No one should be actively engaged in any partisan activity at the deputy level. No one should be a member of any political party at the deputy minister level.

Fifteen of the 17 deputies that the Yukon Party had hired are being retained by this government. The Member conveniently ignores the fact that, besides the one deputy commissioner he cited as being fired, there were three others who are very well-qualified and not normally associated with the NDP at all. They were hired because they are well-qualified people and able to do the policy work that is required of them. Policy work in these four critical areas is important to this government.

Question re: PCPs in Carcross

Mrs. Edelman: My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services.

It is my understanding that the Minister's Department of Health has embarked upon a very labour intensive search of old health records in the community of Carcross to look for any anomalies or irregularities. Have there been any results from the Minister's search of Carcross' health records?

Hon. Mr. Sloan: I can tell the Member for Riverdale South that, yes, we have done a search of some of the statistics with regard to some possible problems surrounding the Carcross tie plant.

From 1986 to 1994, there were 16 deaths in Carcross, four of which were listed as cancer being the principal cause. This is not an anomaly. It is consistent with the national average in Canada. Currently, the Bureau of Statistics is working on producing data from 1994 to the present.

Mrs. Edelman: It is my understanding that the government is awaiting the test results from EBA Engineering on the presence of ferons and dioxins. Have there been any preliminary results from EBA on the presence of dioxins and ferons in the Carcross area?

Hon. Mr. Sloan: Yes. We do have some results back from the EBA Engineering drill site. There are also a couple of related issues.

With regard to such things as fish and water contamination, there are no significant amounts of PCPs in fish. This is possibly because the chemical is fairly quickly excreted by the fish, so there have been no significant increases in levels there. However, there will be some sampling of fish in Bennett and Nares lakes and at the Narrows. There have been some found, and it will have to be determined if it is a background level or if there are elevated concerns.

With regard to water, six water samples have been taken from DIAND and no PCPs were detected in four of the sites where residents draw water. The levels range from 0.7 micrograms per litre to 2.9 micrograms per litre. These were in the area adjacent to borehole 11. The current Canadian drinking water guideline for PCPs is 60 micrograms per litre, so this does not seem to indicate that there is an elevated level. However, we will be doing further studies in that area, particularly the area adjacent to the shore where there might be leaching.

Mrs. Edelman: I still did not hear anything about dioxins and ferons which, by the way, are by-products of PCP. They have been linked to birth defects. While the Minister was conducting his longitudinal study of the health records of Carcross residents, did he come across any trends in the number of birth defects present in the Carcross population in, say, the last 30 years?

Hon. Mr. Sloan: No, birth defects were not the focus of the study. The focus of the study was in trying to determine if there are any particular anomalies with respect to death rates. We were particularly looking for incidences of particular kinds of cancer that the residents of Carcross had indicated were of concern to them.

With respect to birth defects, I can see if vital statistics branch can find out if that kind of evidence is readily available, and get back to the Member.

Speaker: The time for Question Period has now elapsed. We will proceed to Orders of the Day.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

ADDRESS IN REPLY TO THE SPEECH FROM THE THRONE - adjourned debate

Clerk: Motion for an Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne, moved by Mr. McRobb, adjourned debate, Hon. Mr. Fairclough.

Motion No. 10 - adjourned debate

Hon. Mr. Fairclough: To continue my response to the Speech from the Throne, it is important to remember that physical improvements to things like roads and schools can be very expensive and place strict limitations on what government can do in other areas. A government cannot do everything at once, and that is why I think the Minister of Education's plan to try and reach an agreement on territorial priorities for school construction is a responsible approach.

I know that the physical condition of schools in my riding is not perfect and some, such as the J.V. Clark School in Mayo, has serious deficiencies. I will work to see concerns addressed, while supporting the efforts to establish a Yukon-wide set of priorities.

I would now like to turn my attention to my immediate priorities as Minister of Renewable Resources.

As noted in the throne speech, the Yukon has an environment second to none. My government has a trust responsibility under the land claims agreements and Environment Act to protect fish and wildlife and the habitat upon which they depend.

Thanks to the good work of past New Democratic governments, the Yukon Conservation Strategy is now in place to guide the protection of our environment, but we also need specific tools to do the job.

I have already mentioned two of the tools that are needed: the development assessment process and a made-in-Yukon forestry policy. People in the relevant sections of my department will assist with those initiatives in every way possible.

Public debate over the proposed Tombstone Park has helped to focus attention on my government's commitment to establish a system of protected spaces.

I will be working with the Government Leader to establish a park and park boundaries, which respect the interest of the Tr'ondek Hwech'in and all Yukon people with the protection of this area.

In doing so, we hope to develop approaches that will allow for the mediation of competing interests in future proposed protected areas.

Of course, protected areas alone will not ensure the health and survival of our ecosystem and wildlife. Careful management of both habitat and wildlife is necessary to meet our conservation obligations.

I intend to work closely with the Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management Board, renewable resource councils and First Nation governments, our partners in co-management, to develop measures to protect habitat and more conservative approaches to wildlife management.

As the Speech from the Throne indicated, proper stewardship is necessary to avoid future need for socially divisive crisis management measures, such as have been employed in the Aishihik-Kluane caribou recovery program.

Although the Yukon Environment Act still has limited applications because the Government of Canada remains the landlord for most of the the territory, I intend to proceed with regulations to give effect to the new sections of the act on territorial or Commissioner's land.

These will include contaminated sites regulations, which will allow our government to oversee a thorough cleanup of the Carcross contamination and ensure that the responsible parties are brought to account.

In closing, I would like to say that I am proud to be part of a government that has received such a strong mandate from the people of the Yukon. I believe we can do things in a better way.

I appreciate the trust that has been placed in me by the people of Mayo-Tatchun, and I will do everything in my power to live up to their expectations.

Mr. Fentie: I am honoured to be here today as the elected representative for the riding of Watson Lake. As this is my first opportunity to deliver a speech in the Legislature, I want to take the time now to thank the people of Watson Lake for their very generous support and the confidence they have shown in me.

I can assure my constituents that I will make every effort over the next four years to ensure their voice is heard in this House.

It is also a pleasure for me to reply to the throne speech. I can stand proud in this House in support of this government's very positive message to the people of the Yukon. I am looking forward to working with Piers McDonald and my other colleagues in a thoughtful and diligent manner on behalf of Yukon people.

I will endeavour to earn the respect, trust and confidence placed in me by the people of Watson Lake and southeast Yukon.

Honesty, compassion and humility in dealing with Yukoners are important goals this government vows to aspire to, along with open communication, public input in decision making, consensus building and respect for our partners. The vision expressed in the Speech from the Throne promises a step toward a bright future for all Yukoners as we head into the 21st century.

The goals of this government, as outlined in the throne speech, clearly reflect the concerns and issues near and dear to the hearts of Yukoners. Our first priority is the settlement of land claims, which will go a long way toward rebuilding trust with our First Nation partners.

I was greatly impressed with the meeting on Friday between our government and the Council of Yukon First Nations. With goodwill and positive attitudes, I am optimistic that working on a government-to-government basis can only bring positive results to all our people.

The need for strong, safe communities, respect for working people, partnerships in education and, most important, an open and accountable government that will listen to and act upon concerns of its citizens, are all goals we intend to work toward over the next four years.

As you have heard before, how government does things is just as important as what government does. Yukon people want to have a voice in decisions that affect them at the most basic levels: decisions that affect the kinds of jobs available in our communities, the quality of life we seek for ourselves and our children, peace in our homes, our communities, our schools, a strong health care system, local hire, affordable energy rates and management of our resources. A fair, open, honest and accountable government will address these concerns and provide a better way of governing.

Yukon people have a right not only to be consulted, but to be involved in decisions that affect them from the beginning of the process until the end. I am pleased that this government has accepted the responsibility to serve all people of the Yukon by keeping them informed of what their government is doing and what it is planning to do, and encouraging input into the process.

One forum that will be used to ensure the public is involved is the setting up of four commissions to deal with specific issues of a high priority and that must be dealt with in a timely manner. Along with my duties as MLA for Watson Lake, I am enthused to take on the duties as forest commissioner. The Yukon forest commission has been established to seek consensus in building a comprehensive, sustainable, made-in-Yukon forest policy. First Nation, federal and territorial governments, along with industry, conservation groups and affected communities, will be working together to try to develop this policy.

A made-in-Yukon forest policy will strive to develop a viable forest industry that will maximize economic benefits for all Yukoners, while at the same time protecting this valuable resource for the enjoyment of all citizens and future generations.

For too many years too much of the resource has been accessed for too little benefit to Watson Lake or Yukoners as a whole.

This lack of vision and planning has caused division between all parties, and it is time for us to roll up our sleeves and begin to build a consensus regarding what kind of forestry management policy we want - one that will benefit all stakeholders.

The forest commission will consist of a deputy commissioner, who has been seconded from the Department of Economic Development, and two other staff members, seconded from government, who are already working on forest policy issues. As well, from time to time, we will be drawing on the expertise of employees of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and from various other government departments.

I am looking forward to this particular challenge to develop a made-in-Yukon policy on forest issues. Together, with hard work and cooperation, we will reach consensus on this very important issue.

As a rookie in this House, I want to tell Members a bit about myself and about my community of Watson Lake. I came to Watson Lake as a boy in the early 1960s. I attended Watson Lake Secondary School. After school, I gained on-the-job experience in various areas such as tourism, mining, transportation, fuel distribution and the forest sectors of Watson Lake's economy. In the last 10 years, the closing of Cantung and Cassiar mines, the opening and closing of the Sa Dena Hes mine, the closing of various sawmills, and the moratorium on logging have greatly impacted the economic and social stability of my community.

As MLA for Watson Lake, it is my hope that the southeast Yukon can overcome all the challenges it has faced in the past and anticipate a prosperous, stable and sustainable economic base for future generations.

During my short term as MLA for Watson Lake, I have quickly become aware of the steep learning curve that I am on. There are so many issues affecting the quality of life in Watson Lake and the southeast Yukon. The first challenge we face as a community is building trust among all levels of government: First Nation, territorial and municipal. For too long we have lived under a them-and-us type of relationship. Watson Lake and the southeast Yukon is too small an area, with too few people, to be divided. Strength comes from working together to find solutions to common problems. It is my fervent wish that the three levels of government in my riding can meet regularly to plan a social and economic strategy for the benefit of all.

The problems we, as a community, face daily and will face in the years ahead demand that we find ways to listen to opposing points of view, respect cultural differences and learn to accommodate deeply held and differing values.

As a community, we should encourage creative and innovative solutions to complex problems to create social and economic growth.

The people in Watson Lake and surrounding areas provide a diversity of knowledge and expertise that we can tap into to better resolve issues together.

As a community, we must keep in mind that the decisions we make today will affect the quality of our life and the lives of future generations.

The one promise I made during the election was that I would listen to what concerns the people in my riding have, and that I would work very hard to bring those concerns to the attention of my caucus colleagues and this House.

The throne speech addressed many of these concerns, such as jobs and the economy. With the great potential we have in southeast Yukon, as a government we are committed to sustain an environment that encourages development and growth in the mining, forestry and tourism industries, as well as small business in a variety of endeavours. A sustainable use of our resources will ensure that our economy will grow and Yukon jobs will be there for future generations.

I look forward to working with my colleagues, the Minister of Economic Development and the Minister of Community and Transportation Services, in planning how best to upgrade the South Campbell Highway to improve access for all stakeholders.

Tourism is another very important economic resource for the southeast Yukon. As a gateway to Yukon, Watson Lake has the ability to develop various tourism projects that may help keep visitors in the area longer, such as First Nation cultural activities and the development of wilderness-theme tourism packages.

The community development fund is going to be restored, and that is very good news for my community. I know that when the CDF was in place four years ago our community was able to take advantage of the funds to build Wye Lake Park. This park has been widely used for many community activities and is much appreciated by the people of Watson Lake and the many tourists who pass through there.

The community projects initiative announced earlier today by the Minister of Economic Development will be a most welcome boost to rural communities to help in the upgrading of local facilities and to fund some cultural and recreational programs over the winter.

As pointed out in the throne speech, it is indeed a sad commentary that women and children in our community are often victims of violence and must have a safe refuge to go to.

As the MLA for Watson Lake, I will encourage my colleagues to support me in ensuring that long-term funding for the Help and Hope Society is provided so that long-term planning and program development can take place.

My community is blessed with numerous people willing to volunteer their services to help each other.

Many of our organizations are run strictly on the goodwill of volunteers, and this government recognizes and appreciates their valuable contributions.

Another important priority that we face is ensuring that the youth has our support. In many of our communities, young people are facing problems that my generation did not have to face until later in life. We are all aware of the particular pressures faced by our young people today - lack of employment opportunities, violence in schools and peer pressure surrounding drug and alcohol use. Even in our small corner of the world, these are very real concerns. As a community, we must get involved. It is our responsibility to guide and support our youth so that they can make good choices when it comes to the decisions that they face. Peer mediation and programs directed by young people themselves may help to develop solutions to some of the challenges that they face. I will work toward ensuring that our government supports programs that help our community to become strong and safe.

Another topic that is very close to my heart concerns the seniors in my community. The Sign Post Seniors organization deserves our support, and I will strive to make it a priority. Our seniors have the right to stay in their homes as long as they can, and we must make sure that they have access to the best possible care that we can provide. We do not want to lose the tremendous knowledge and experience that our elders can teach us and our children. As the MLA for Watson Lake, I want the seniors in my riding to know that they have a strong voice on their side in this Legislature.

In closing, I would like to wish everyone in this House success as they carry out their duties over the next four years.

Ms. Duncan: I am deeply honoured to have been entrusted by the people of Porter Creek South with the responsibility of representing them in the Yukon Legislative Assembly. I thank the voters for their faith in me, and I congratulate my fellow Members on their election and, in some cases, their re-election to this House.

There are a variety of motivating factors that prompt one to run for office. The Member for Kluane noted that he had advice from the previous Member. I cannot say that I received that same advice; however, I was prompted to run by a number of issues. The issues in Porter Creek are no different from the issues everywhere in the Yukon.

Prior to announcing my intention to run, a number of people stopped me on the street and expressed their concerns about education and our public education system.

I am product of that system, as is my husband. In following these remarks, I was left to question what has gone wrong in the hallowed halls of the Takhini Elementary, Jack Hulland and F.H. Collins Secondary schools.

As I began my research into the whole idea of education, I found that there are a number of topics under this area. School busing is a good example.

Busing of students, especially in the Whitehorse area, requires a thorough review by knowledgeable individuals and an opportunity for the public at large to comment on the review.

I am pleased to say that, in raising this issue during my door-to-door canvass, prior to the election, the prompted review is now underway.

I strongly believe that this $3 million expenditure by the government requires that some common sense be brought to bear. I will be watching the review very closely.

The issue of violence within our schools was also raised prior to and during the election campaign.

As I began my work as the MLA for Porter Creek South, I noticed in a recent issue of Canadian Guider that there is a kit produced by the YWCA of Canada - that organization is no longer active in the Yukon - called "Taking Action on Violence in the Lives of Young Women". There is also a "Week Without Violence" kit that contains a pledge card. I will be forwarding these materials to the Minister of Education with a very strong recommendation that the kits be purchased for the schools, school councils and the Women's Directorate library.

I also attended a safe neighbourhoods meeting that was held in my riding - the Minister also attended this meeting - and I am awaiting the transcripts from that meeting, as are many of the other attendees.

In the interim, I reviewed the task force to promote safe schools report and I will be following up on those recommendations with the Minister responsible.

I was pleased to note that the government indicated in its Speech from the Throne that it will work with the partners in education to ensure that the highest possibly quality of education is available in an atmosphere free from violence.

We, in the Liberal Party caucus, intend to monitor the government closely on this issue and will be eagerly awaiting the required review of the Education Act.

The throne speech indicated that the government accepts acting in a manner that merits public trust and confidence. Trust and confidence must be earned. My suggested method for the government - one method of earning this trust - is the method by which the government manages its financial affairs. Part of this financial management is reinstating collective bargaining, and I am very pleased that the government has tabled the required legislation that was also mentioned in the throne speech.

Another part of financial management is the contracting and purchase of services by the government and of course, local hire. I will be reviewing the work of the Minister responsible for Government Services and the Cabinet commissioner with the responsibility for local hire with a great deal of interest.

Financial management is also about providing economic opportunity and I believe it is most unfortunate that this government has paid such scant attention to the tourism industry in a major address to the Yukon public. I trust this is not a reflection of the value that the government places on tourism.

I also noted the absence of the Government Leader's previous commitment to not raise taxes. All the Yukon public will be watching the Government Leader to honour his campaign commitments and the trust and confidence of the Yukon public in this regard.

Part of my political training prior to seeking public office has been in the service as an appointment to a number of government boards, committees, agencies and in a variety of government levels. I enjoyed this service and I believe it is a very valuable part of political life, and it is something that should be open to all Yukoners. I am deeply committed to the principles that there should be all-party committee appointments and that they should be representative, and I am disappointed that the House Leader is not here to listen to me say that.

As I have said, I am deeply committed to these principles that the all-party committee appointments should be made and that they should be representative. I was pleased that the government shares this belief and that it intends to pursue implementation of this recommendation in its first term.

The cooperation that will be required of all-party committee appointments is just the beginning of what I hope will be a better Legislature than Yukoners have experienced in the past. Interestingly enough, I have a calendar on my desk that contains quotes from life's little instruction book. The day that I was working on my notes for this speech, the comment was to remember that "nothing is ever lost by courtesy". I believe courtesy is allowing everyone a chance to be heard. In my commitment door to door in Porter Creek South, I personally pledged to myself and the voters that my children would never be embarrassed that mommy was a politician.

The throne speech tells that all Yukon children, women and men look to the Members of this House for inspiration. I trust that all of us will not only serve as an inspiration by the manners we exhibit in this place but that we will also serve as an example to all who enter here.

Again, I pledge and my response to the government's address is to make certain that I afford this House the respect it so richly deserves. I look forward to working with all Members for the good of the Yukon in the next four years.

Hon. Mr. Sloan: Before responding to the Speech from the Throne, I have a couple of comments I would like to make with respect to our new Members here. I am particularly pleased to be working with the new Members of our caucus. I think they will be a valuable adjunct to a team that is already well established. With respect to our friends in the Opposition, I am very pleased to have them join us. I have not heard the Member for Klondike speak yet, but I am sure that he will bring forward some interesting ideas from a rural perspective, and I welcome those. With respect to the Member for Riverdale South, I think some of the observations brought forward regarding the problem of alcohol, and the particular scourge of FAS/FAE in the Yukon, are comments that I have welcomed, and I am encouraged by her support for those kinds of initiatives.

The Member for Porter Creek South brought forward very valuable comments with respect to the role of women in politics. I was pleased to see that. We have a staunch feminist on this side - a woman who never fails to remind us of our need to include the considerations of women in all of our deliberations, and particularly with respect to my portfolio. I am becoming increasingly aware of issues surrounding the feminization of poverty and families living in poverty. I welcome the input of another feminine voice in this House, and I think the Member's contributions will be welcomed.

I would mention, however, that, when it comes to children and how they perceive one's role, I visited my son's class shortly after being elected. The first question asked was if I could declare war on somebody. I said no. Sometimes children perceive one's role in much different ways.

It is good to be standing on this side of the House for a change, and it is certainly good to be part of an Assembly that has what I consider to be a good spirit, a good tone so far, and I hope that we can continue that level of amicability in this House.

I am proud to be part of this government and I am proud that the people of Whitehorse West saw fit to instill their confidence in me, and I think in many ways their votes did tell a bit of a story, that they were interested in a better way of getting things done in the Yukon. I have promised to listen to my constituents and help them work toward resolving some of the solutions to their problems. That promise is essentially the reason I am here, and I want to assure this House that I take that role very seriously.

Whitehorse West is a very interesting riding. In many ways, it is a microcosm of the whole territory because we have in Whitehorse West not only urban and suburban neighbourhoods, but also rural residents along the Alaska Highway, Squatters Row and out as far as MacRae. So it is a fairly diverse riding in terms of how people live. We have new homeowners up in the Granger-Logan-Copper Ridge area and Arkell; we have a number of single parents living in mobile homes; we have a number of seniors living in the established neighbourhoods of Hillcrest and, certainly in Squatters Row, we have a very diverse population of artists and people living their own particular brand of the Yukon experience. We have First Nations people, we have people who came here during the Second World War and who have stayed, and we have many new immigrants. So it is a very diverse riding.

It is also one of the fastest growing ridings in the Yukon and if many of the plans for expansion of Copper Ridge go through over the next few years it will be a very fast-growing area indeed.

There are, along with these changes, a number of concerns that people have, and I find that in my role many people come to me with concerns that probably are more properly municipal in nature, but I believe I have a role to act as an advocate on their behalf, particularly with regard to some municipal changes.

I am committed to the process of working with people, consulting with them and working through community discussions to find ways to bring these changes together.

One of the priorities of this government is collaboration. I am pleased to say that I will be working with my colleague, the Minister of Justice, to consider some changes with regard to the Landlord and Tenant Act in order to enhance and protect the quality of life for people living in mobile-home parks. There needs to be some modifications to allow these people to have a decent standard of living in their mobile-home parks.

I will also be working with the Minister of Community and Transportation Services on the question of road maintenance along the Alaska Highway. A number of people living along the highway have had some concerns, particularly in view of the tragedy that occurred last year. I will be working to make sure that maintaining the highway in top shape is a priority.

There are some changes occurring in the area of Whitehorse West. Probably the most notable one that we will hear about over the next while is the White Pass tank farm and the area just above Hillcrest. There are a number of issues surrounding that. There are concerns about contamination and other issues that we have already heard in the House. We will be working with the community association to make sure that its concerns are represented and that, if the development does happen, it is done in a way that is sensitive to the concerns of the residents of Hillcrest in particular. There are other impacts resulting from a development of this size, such as effects on the school and on the question of the Hamilton Boulevard corridor.

I am sometimes called upon to be a voice for my constituents in other areas. I have worked with the office of the Member of Parliament, Audrey McLaughlin, to ensure such things as postal service. This is one problem that we have up there. As the new subdivisions are completed, Canada Post seems prepared to cease the installation of the mailbox kiosks. This leaves a whole group of people - particularly the residents of Arkell - without the adequate level of service that other people have.

There are a number of issues that will be happening over the next little while, such as the proposed changes to Hamilton Boulevard, and changes with respect to green spaces and the use of snowmobiles.

Primarily, my background has been in education, and it has always been one of my great pleasures in life to work with parents and children. If you are a teacher, I think you never truly leave the classroom - it always stays with you. When you attend an event you find yourself immediately going to the children and trying to get involved with them. On a few occasions I have caught myself doing that principal-type organizing that one sometimes does at public gatherings, but that is just force of habit.

I have the privilege of having the Elijah Smith Elementary School in my riding, and I have enjoyed working with the school council and staff of that school. I hope to continue to represent these individuals in an effective way, particularly when there are major changes coming about, such as the grade reorganization.

One of the advantages of being a teacher up here is the experience it has given me in rural Yukon. When I first came to the territory, I worked in Pelly Crossing. That was an experience that I have always valued. I spent 11 years in Watson Lake. I learned to work effectively with all aspects of Yukon society.

I also gained a great deal of appreciation for the efforts put forth by the First Nations to play a fuller part in Yukon society. It is my commitment to try and work with the First Nation governments in a true government-to-government fashion.

My riding, Whitehorse West, borders the lands of Kwanlin Dun, and it shares a number of issues in the areas of justice, education and municipal resources with the First Nation. I will be working with the Kwanlin Dun and also with my colleague, the Government Leader and Member for McIntyre-Takhini, in areas of mutual concern.

On the issue of commitment to the First Nations, this government made a commitment to work with the First Nations of this territory in a meaningful and respectful manner. One example of that was the meeting that was held between the government caucus and the First Nations leadership on Friday. Many of the participants who attended the meeting commented on the historic nature of that meeting. I think it was truly historic, and I hope it will form the basis of a good, positive working relationship with First Nations in the future.

I look forward to working with my colleague, the Commissioner for the Development Assessment Process, to develop this process and enter into fruitful negotiations with the aboriginal people of this territory for economic and social development.

I also look forward to working in the two areas that are my particular responsibility: health and social services, and government services.

We promised to bring Yukoners a better way. Good government essentially means listening, consulting and asking questions of the people who are closest to the issues at hand. Good government also means careful use of resources within YTG's systems.

As the Minister of Government Services, I will work with the department to ensure our programs are cost effective and meet people's needs. I think it is essential that government keep costs down. For the money we do spend, we should try to maximize the greatest local benefit.

We will be moving toward a Yukon-people-first policy when it comes to government contracts. We will consult with our local businesses, First Nation governments, community agencies and non-governmental organizations for the best way to achieve this goal.

We are committed to partnerships with the private sector and existing small businesses. In order to support the Yukon business community, we will strengthen our local purchase policies within government. One of the things I heard most frequently from small Yukon businesses was the difficulty in getting started and the difficulty in trying to establish themselves, particularly businesses in a creative or innovative area. These businesses seemed to have the most difficulty. We will do what we can to support these businesses and facilitate their development.

We intend to implement a government-wide energy management program for public buildings as one aspect of our plan to use resources well. We need to make sure our government buildings are energy efficient. In particular, one thing we will be faced with over the next little while are some rather startling increases in the price of propane, which will add significantly to the cost of operating government buildings. We already experienced an increase on December 2, and we are anticipating another one in January, which will significantly increase the cost of operating government buildings. That is something we have to be aware of.

In some areas in Government Services and the question of special operating agencies, we are going to be proceeding with the implementation of Queen's Printer as a special operating agency, to try and provide better, more businesslike service to consumers and government. For the provision of services, we have to know what people really need. I believe in the importance of listening to people on a wide range of local issues. For the past number of weeks, I have been meeting with community organizations. I appreciate the input I have received, and I look forward to working with these groups. It has been an interesting experience, receiving very diverse views on a whole variety of issues. In particular, some of the voices I am committed to listening to are the voices of women, who have identified their priorities around action on gender equity, which I think we could almost be committed to. I have met with representatives of the Yukon Council on the Status of Women, who spoke to me not only about questions surrounding equity, but about attendant issues affecting women, in particular - questions of poverty, violence, safe and secure housing for teens, and others. I am committed to working with Yukon women, to find some practical solutions for those issues.

Community involvement could be strengthened by the use of new information technologies to help us keep in touch. My department is planning to make government more accessible by helping rural communities use the technology in ways to meet these needs. I do not think we are kidding ourselves when we say that meeting people's needs is going to be difficult, in the present economic climate. We will be working with community groups to look for some creative ways to provide programs needed by people. Quite frankly, however, it will be a real challenge to provide the levels of service at a time of cutbacks and layoffs.

This is very, very obvious in the Department of Health and Social Services. We have seen a national trend - to some degree, we have been somewhat insulated from it - to cut money for services to these areas. Frankly, I am very concerned about the level of reduction in federal spending on vital programs to help people with some basic needs such as food, housing and health services. Studies show that cuts to social programs mean increased poverty and deprivation. Quite frankly, I find it somewhat offensive that in a year where five of Canada's major banks have posted profits in excess of $1 billion, we have 1.3 million children in this country living at a poverty level. That is up by 400,000 children from 1989, when the federal government of this country made a commitment to eliminate child poverty. We have increased the number of children living in poverty in this country to 19 percent. Quite frankly, that is not acceptable.

One of the things I did recently was travel to Toronto to meet with provincial and territorial jurisdictions, with the aim of trying to achieve an integrated child benefit package, the aim of which is to try and direct more resources toward children, who are the future of this country.

We talk about deficit in this country. The real deficit we are going to experience - the real deficit - is going to be a social deficit in the next few years unless we address some of the problems facing Canadian society. Quite frankly, the gaps between rich and poor, the employed and unemployed, are growing wider in this country, and in a country that ranks where it does in terms of United Nations standards for living quality, I think that is unacceptable.

I see a crucial part of my job as working with some of my colleagues across the country with similar portfolios, as well as working with national and regional coalitions, to change a political climate that sees only cutting as the bottom-line. We will actively resist federal cuts to health care programs. My government is committed to a single-tier universal health care system with equal access for all Canadians.

Working with the Department of Health and Social Services is a big responsibility but I believe that society is strongest when it helps those most in need. I know that Yukoners have given our government a clear mandate to protect the health services and social safety nets to make this a good place to live.

I am quite pleased to be responsible for programs that have a direct impact on the lives of Yukon people. Because these programs protect the daily life of hundreds of people, I think it is important that change happens carefully. I want to work with the people who receive these services and the people who deliver them to make sure that we hear their ideas for change. We also want to make sure that changes are carefully explained to the people involved, that communication is clear and programs are effective.

Over the next few years, a number of health and social services initiatives will take place. I have met with the Grand Chief of Yukon First Nations to discuss the future of health care programs. We are working cooperatively to see that the transfer of health services from federal to territorial and First Nation governments happens in a manner that benefits all Yukon peoples. We have formed a working group to work in phase 2 transfer and provide recommendations that reflect the concerns and interests of Yukon First Nations.

The health transfer will be an exciting time for all of us in the Yukon, and I believe we have an opportunity to build a health care system that effectively meets people's needs. We are committed to ensuring the Yukon public has a say in the redesign and delivery of health care services.

I am pleased to report the Whitehorse General Hospital will celebrate the official opening of phase 1 of the hospital on December 13. The patients will be transferred to the new facility in early January. My government is working in a partnership with the hospital board, and we are pleased to offer our assistance as the board works to resolve outstanding staffing and operational concerns.

The Yukon government will be following up on community concerns about dental programs for children. We have received a report back on that issue and we are moving in that direction. We will also be working in cooperation with other departments on initiatives to keep children safe - for example, the announcement made on family conferencing. We are also making numerous efforts to improve our services to address the needs of high-risk children, and our emphasis will be on early intervention.

As Minister of Social Services, I am the Yukon government representative on the National Council of Ministers on Social Policy Reform. As I indicated earlier, one of our goals will be to create a unified national children's benefit.

Our government is committed to a review of social assistance rates and eligibility to ensure greater equity and more effective service to those people who need the support. We believe in protecting the dignity of people who need extra help in society. We will work toward finding ways to provide training that will keep them as integrated, useful, and productive members of a community.

I have already directed the department to revisit the policy related to lone parents and look for ways to increase flexibility in this area.

My department will be faithful in its promise to ensure that safe places are available for women and children who are victims of abuse. We are committed to building or securing a shelter for homeless men - a transient shelter - and we are presently working with non-profit groups to find an interim solution against the cold of this winter. We are also looking at providing a long-term solution to this problem, which we hope to be able to announce in the spring.

We will need time to listen to concerns of Yukon men, women, First Nations, young people, seniors, and people living with health problems and physical challenges. We need time to absorb their stories and develop beneficial ways to help them access the help they need.

We also want local non-governmental agencies to provide essential services in the community. We want to give them time by working to develop formulas to provide stable, multi-year funding to foster their stability and strengthen their presence at the grassroots level. We have already begun meeting with non-governmental agencies to listen to their concerns. A recurring theme I have heard from many of them is the fact that so much of their energy is tied up not in delivering services but in working on trying to secure funding for future operations. We believe these groups need to be given a greater security of funding so they can do the job they are intended to do.

We have also given some directive to the Department of Finance to look at some formulas in this regard.

I am pleased to indicate that, as the first step toward this commitment, I can confirm that funding for Kaushee's Place will remain at its present level without funding reductions.

The departments of Health and Social Services and Finance will also be working with these community groups to help them develop business plans to ensure that the funding is effectively utilized for the benefit of all Yukoners.

This government believes in planning for the future. As a principal, I was privileged to talk to a lot of parents about their kids. I heard people worry about their children and talk about their hopes and dreams. Parents tend to think about the future and feel responsible to do all they can to provide good options for their children. This government is made up of women and men who feel responsible for the future of the Yukon. We want to make it a place where the natural environment is protected. We want to make it a place where industry and employment levels can make healthy contributions to our local economy. We want our children to have access to good education and be able to raise our grandchildren in strong, safe communities.

I am particularly grateful to the people of Whitehorse West for allowing me to represent them as we plan for the future. I urge my constituents, and indeed all Yukoners, to keep in touch with me and make every effort to be involved in the governing of their neighbourhood, their territory and their city.

Mr. Speaker, I want you to help me in the task of making our home a better place in which to live in the future. Thank you.

Hon. Mr. Harding: It is indeed a great pleasure to be speaking today in reply to the Speech from the Throne. A lot has happened since September 30 and the election campaign. It is the first major opportunity I have had to stand and speak a bit about it.

On October 30, the people of the Yukon elected our party to form the government and lead the territory to the next millennium. I want to thank the people of Faro for putting their confidence in me as their representative for the next four years. It is indeed a great honour. I will never forget the night of my re-election. I always used to worry about being a one-term wonder. I figured anyone could do anything for one term, but to get elected twice means something. I felt very honoured by the people and what was bestowed upon me. As I went door to door and spoke to them about the issues, it was a very gratifying experience. We do not do a lot of polling in the Yukon, so one does not always know how one is doing until one sees a sign on someone's lawn or hears people saying, "You do not have to spend any time here, Trevor, you have our support." I just want to say from the heart that I thank the people for that. I also want to say that I thank my opponent in Faro and the people who supported him, as well. I never got into one harsh argument with anyone during the campaign; I thought that was great.

I believe that the decisions that face our government will shape the direction of this territory for years to come in a critical way that has not been seen before. I know that is kind of a cliché that politicians love to say, but, in this case I really believe it is true.

We are now dealing with the final settlements - the deadlines - of land claims. We are dealing with time lines that are very pressing. We are dealing with issues of devolution of federal powers to this territory in important resource areas, such as mining and forestry. I believe that if we can come through this time together as one Yukon people, with a greater understanding of each other's values and cultures, we will have a tremendous opportunity to build the future of this territory, both socially and economically.

We can use the economy as a vehicle to achieve a greater social and economic framework for this territory, and I want to put a lot of effort, as do my colleagues, into seeing that happen. It will take a lot of work. We will have to measure our progress in small, little baby steps, but that is something we are prepared to do. We want to remain focused on a vision. We do not want to be a herky-jerky government that sort of reacts to all of the brush fires that come up. We want to pay heed to the concerns of Yukoners as they arise, but we cannot lose sight of that big picture.

That is what the Government Leader is up to now as he puts together a team to deal with the tremendous challenges of settling land claims. We have tremendous challenges but we also have tremendous opportunities. The proof in the pudding will be in the eating and when all is said and done, we will see a settlement of claims, and we will see a new society fostered on a basis of greater mutual trust and understanding.

This is an awesome responsibility and we take it very, very seriously and very, very humbly. We have an agenda that is ambitious and we have an agenda that is aggressive and, throughout all this, we want to make sure we conduct our government in a better way.

We are committed, as a fundamental principle, to involving people in decisions that affect them. We are committed to healing and to restoring some of those wounds that have opened up over the last four years - the broken and damaged relationships in the communities, the partnerships that have been broken down. We are going to work very hard to try and patch that up and put things together - get this ship back on the right course.

We are committed to responding to the people in an effective way that maximizes our resources and uses them for maximum benefit in terms of job creation. We want to support companies that are clear about the agenda this government has, which says "Yukon people first". It says "socio-economic agreements with the First Nations in the areas affected". It says "hire Yukoners". It says, "We are going to have the training, we are going to have the skills necessary to do the job and this government is going to work in partnership with the private sector to ensure that is happening." We are saying to companies, "Conduct yourselves in an environmentally responsible manner and you will have no problems with this government. We will support you. We will foster your industry. We will work with you. We want to get those jobs created in this territory."

We are committed to a government that is open and accountable, and responsible for the decisions it makes. We are committed to balancing economic development and environmental concerns, and we believe there should not be so much differentiation between the two. For the long-term sustainability, it is important that both concerns are identified first and foremost. We believe there are acceptable compromises. We believe there are ways through which we can see a future for the Yukon that has a lot of emphasis on economic diversity, uses our resource sector as a building block to see that happen, and we believe we can do it while protecting our environment.

This government sees not only intrinsic values in parks, wilderness protection and the environment, but we think there is also tremendous potential in this territory for long-term, sustainable benefit from good environmental policy. It does not always have to collide with the economy, as some people like to phrase the equation. Above all, we have to remain a compassionate government that understands the difficulties faced by working men and women in their daily lives in the territory.

This brings me to the subject of my riding, which is the note I opened on. The effect on working families was sudden and it was very shocking for many people on November 20, when the news hit that there would be approximately 300 workers laid off at the mine, a temporary mine shutdown. There were always rumours that things were not going that well, but I heard that for seven years when I was working for Curragh. It eventually hit, and we lost Curragh. However, in this case, I do not think that anybody could really claim that it was not somewhat of a surprise.

Two days before the election, I was at the board of directors barbecue at the guest house in Faro, and it was a very exciting, exuberant feeling. There was a $7 million profit announced for that quarter at low metal prices. It was full speed ahead with big things to come in the future. There was a good exploration program underway. They were spending millions. At that barbecue, I was having discussions with some of the directors of the board. I was talking about some of the rumours about how things were not going well. Some of the directors seemed really surprised that these rumours were out there. They immediately called over to the general manager and said, "We should be talking to the people about how optimistic we are about the future, and it looks good." I think they were very sincere.

I say again, it was a bit of a shock. On November 20, when the announcement came down, two constituents came into my office, and they said, "Trevor, what is happening? What is all this news?" I explained it to them, and they said, "Well, it is a good thing that we found out today, because we were just on our way over to Whitehorse Motors to purchase a new $40,000 pick-up truck." In that sense, there were a couple of lucky people; however, there are a lot of people who were not so lucky. There are a lot of people who invested in the Yukon, purchased goods and services, restarted lives, had children, and looked at Faro as a community to live in for a long time. I think that those people are now feeling a great amount of anxiety as we look toward the future and hope that the temporary, partial shutdown, as it was announced, plays out to be just that - a temporary, partial shutdown.

It has been tough. A lot of people have talked to me. Just this weekend I was home in Faro, where I played a couple of games of hockey, talked to people in the dressing room and in the local watering hole and on the street. I attended a community meeting with some of the groups in town, and people were asking me a lot of questions about what the future holds.

Quite frankly, I wish I could have given them some better answers at this point. It is still too early to tell. The company is still in the process of restructuring. A board of directors meeting is to take place in Toronto tomorrow, as I understand it. I am sure that financing options and a new mine production plan will be discussed. In addition, there will probably be some discussion about the effect of the mine closure on the people of Faro. I think, too, an assessment will be done on the company's credibility in the financial markets - all of those questions. I intend to be as diligent as ever in trying to get that information. I will be letting the people in the communities of Faro, Ross River and in the rest of the Yukon know what I know about the situation. There is, however, room for optimism, as I stated before in this House.

This company has virtually no debt, as opposed to Curragh Resources, which had some $300 million of debt, which was staggering. Anvil Range has an exposed ore body, for the most part. There is some stripping to be done, but it is not the same situation they had when they took over in November 1994. It has invested over $100 million in capitalization and upgrading, so that there is a significant desire on their part, as a result of this investment, to make this project go - their one mine project. They also do not have the albatross of Westray coal mine around their neck, as Curragh did. That, with all of its - perhaps deserved - connotations, made it incredibly difficult for that company to survive.

For the people of my community, this is a very tough time. Some of them have been through it before and know the drill. They are not as nervous as they were before. They are going to take more of a wait-and-see approach. For others, it is very, very tough.

I believe that this community will survive. Many said it would not when the mine shut down in 1992. They thought the place was going to clean out. The government actively supported that notion. We never went below 100 kids in the school. I think the lowest number we had was 110, when stripping re-started in November 1994.

People have asked me if they should stay or leave. I have said that I do not want to tell anyone to leave Faro because I like the community. It is my home. However, I have also said that they have to make some personal choices about that. I know how tough it is on them, anxiety-wise, as they have bills to pay and do not know what their prospects are outside.

They have to consider that. Some have jobs elsewhere and are taking them; however, some people will never leave Faro, no matter what. I respect those who stay and I respect those who leave.

Young families are particularly vulnerable right now. We have concentrated our efforts on dealing with Faro as a community, first and foremost, and a mining camp second. It is a living, breathing Yukon community where citizens pay their taxes and contribute tremendously to the economy. Therefore, we have targeted the shutdown because of the sudden great impact on the community of Faro. We have specifically targeted it so that we can address the needs out there as best as we can in this interim period.

We have sent a senior team into the community to discuss with many community groups and citizens the priorities people have. We want to keep the tax-paying group there who have worked hard, so that there is a skilled workforce available for when the company rebounds - which I hope it will - and the people can be there ready to go back to work.

We have tried to concentrate on key areas, such as college courses designed to fit a 13-week period. We have tried to look at recreational events that provide some opportunity for skills upgrading in all different aspects of recreation, arts and culture. Many of these programs are ongoing in the Yukon but do not often come to Faro. We are trying to increase the availability of these programs to the community of Faro.

We are also trying to deal with the dark side of this situation. It will be a long, cold, dark winter. It is tough for people to be out of work. We want to ensure that the youth

and families of the community have access to good counselling services on the ground. We have set up a working group to discuss with all the different agencies in the community what factors might come up in addressing them and what difficulties they might have. We are trying to deal with this tough situation.

We are going to continue to respond in that manner. I had a meeting on Saturday morning with a number of community groups. We are putting more work into the planning and will have the unemployment insurance people in Faro over the next couple of days to organize a clearing house for claims, so that the turnaround is fairly quick. We will try to do what we can with the resources we have and with the municipal government to try to mitigate the effects of this shutdown as best as we can.

We are also assessing the effects on the people of Ross River who had some economic interest in the mine at Faro and some jobs in the community. We have begun some dialogue with that community.

There are also other people in the Yukon who have felt some impact, such as the Lomak truck drivers. They are obviously feeling some anxiety, although they are still hauling right now. I think it is important that we respond quickly and with compassion. I believe that must be the hallmark of this government.

I want to talk about some of the issues in the community of Faro that I will be trying to address through my position as a Cabinet Minister and as a colleague of the fine Members who have been elected to our government caucus and of whom I am extremely proud. We have a fine group here and one that I think really reflects the diversity of the Yukon. We have people from all around this territory who have very different backgrounds and, in some cases, very different views, which makes for some good dialogue, good discussion and good argument in caucus. I think this also serves us well in making solid, well-founded decisions for the future.

The community of Faro does have a long-term vision for a more diversified, long-term economy. This is very tough to do, but we do have some plans. We have been trying to diversify the economy with regard to wilderness tourism.

We have set up some meetings with the community of Ross River. Chief Sterriah and I have been working together and I must say that I commend him for his approach in trying to work out some of the long-standing grievances between Faro and Ross River. I get the impression that he has a deep feeling of commitment and that he is very interested in resolving these grievances. Conversely, I share his desire to see that happen.

It is also tough to be leaders in that respect. It is always easier just to stand back and complain about the other community, but what is really tough is to try to resolve some of these long-standing disputes. However, there are a number of people in Faro and Ross River who are keen to resolve these disputes and I look forward to continuing that work.

I also want to say that I am grateful to my colleague, the Minister of Health and Social Services, to ensure that we have long-term and stable physician care in the community of Faro. The Minister has been working with the two physicians in the community to ensure that the physician care is there.

We have also had a commitment from the federal medical services people that there will be no reduction in the amount of services that they are providing to the community during this temporary, partial shutdown of the mine.

The Opposition Members have heard from this Member time and time again about the need to invest some money, slowly, but surely, to upgrade the Campbell Highway. Members have also heard me say that when the ore trucks are on the road there has to be significant maintenance expenditure on that road, because it does take a pounding.

I am going to be working with my colleagues to try to ensure that we can get some investment on the Campbell highway. If one looks at the makeup of the commission, there are the Member for Ross River-Southern Lakes, the Member for Watson Lake and the Member for Faro. We all have a keen interest in the Campbell highway; it is near and dear to all of us. Therefore we are going to be trying to ensure that we put the resources in the right place in that respect.

I also have a number of constituents who are keen on developing affordable recreational lots at Little Salmon Lake because, as I have said before, Faro is a community first and foremost to them. They have their cottage out at the lake, just like people in Whitehorse do at Marsh Lake. Little Salmon Lake is our equivalent to Marsh Lake. They want to build out there and in some cases even live out there and commute back and forth to Faro or Carmacks. Those are a couple of the communities that they do their shopping in. I am going to be working with my colleague, the Minister of Community and Transportation Services, who has to liaise with the federal government in this initiative and we have already started some efforts to that end.

Again, I want to say that we want to undertake efforts to support small business and economic diversification in the community. There are a couple of vehicles in existence right now. One was started by the previous government that there has been some application under. We are currently reviewing the long-term future of that program, but in the meantime that should be able to help the people of Faro and the rest of the Yukon, those who might be looking to try to develop their small business. Although given the lightening quick turnaround in the Faro mine's fortunes this time, it is going to be even increasingly tougher to get banks to come on side in any substantive way to invest in the community. That is something that we are going to have to come to grips with. I do not have an answer to that readily at hand today.

I have often stood up in this Legislature and talked about Mount Mye and the need to see some kind of a limited-draw hunt in that area for some of the fine stone sheep in that area. I am going to be talking to my Minister of Renewable Resources about some ways that we might be able to have a draw for the people of the Yukon to perhaps get in on, in some limited way, a sheep hunt in that fine area if the numbers can sustain it. So far the indications that I have heard is that the numbers can sustain it.

There are many other local constituency issues that I have been working on on an individual basis and for a number of Faroites, and I will continue to do that in my role in government. I will continue to take to the Cabinet table every Thursday and to our government caucus meetings a strong sense of recognition of who put me where I am and who supported me and who gave me the honour of being their representative and putting me in the position where I will be able to talk to colleagues about the priorities of the community of Faro.

This government has an ambitious and aggressive agenda, as I stated earlier. We intend to create a strong economic growth through supporting industry, small business and Yukon communities. In the area of mining, which is near and dear to me and near and dear to our community, obviously, because we make our living from it and it is our bread and butter, I want to say that we have taken a very aggressive approach right from the start. The best years in Yukon mining history were under an NDP government and we will be able to carry on that tradition. The highest years of exploration were under an NDP government in the Yukon and the greatest number of mine production figures were under an NDP government in the Yukon. We intend to work to help carry out that tradition.

We have been aggressively meeting with mining companies, talking to them, telling them that the Yukon is a good place to do business, telling them our vision of how we would love to see mining companies and corporate citizens conduct their business in the territory, and they have been very amenable. In many cases, they have been well on their way down that path for several years and we will continue to work with them on that.

We believe that mining is the cornerstone, the building block, to economic diversification in this territory. We are going to foster it, we are going to nurture it, we are going to work with the industry, and we are going to involve them in decisions that affect them. We are going to have arguments. There are going to be times when we disagree, but we are going to do it through a thoughtful, constructive and well-established method that has existing processes set up that provides for buy-in by the different stakeholders.

The bottom line for all this activity is that we want to see those good-paying jobs for Yukon people so that they can go out and invest in the economy, so that they can go out and purchase vehicles and stereos and houses, and can create that level of disposable income that allows the small business sector to thrive.

We also want to see socio-economic agreements with First Nations that allow the First Nations people to benefit, really for the first time, from mineral exploration and resource extraction in this territory, so that they can get on to greater self-sufficiency and economic initiatives that they want to undertake.

That is all part of the promise of the land claims agreement, as I see it. I see it as a great social vehicle and an economic tool that we can use to try and ensure that we all have a more common vision of the Yukon and a more common future. It is something that will bring a greater certainty into this territory, so that companies wanting to invest in this territory have a stronger idea of where they will be able to make that investment and know that they are not going to run into problems later.

The Ketza, Sa Dena Hes, Mt. Skukum and Faro mines all benefited from a Yukon New Democratic government from 1985 to 1992. We intend to continue that strong partnership with the private sector.

I think it is important that we also emphasize training in our mandate. We want to make sure that we develop systems so there is a capable workforce of Yukoners ready to serve the personnel requirements of the mining industry.

We think this is a key aspect of how we will do business in the Yukon.

We strongly believe that we can be the mining industry's promoter and partner, as well as its regulator and royalty collector. We have to continue to maintain an open dialogue. We have to know and understand its issues and try and bring it together with other land use interests in the Yukon, so there is constructive and open dialogue about serious, tough issues - issues that cannot always be resolved by politicians. That way, all interest groups can take different political routes and will not collide, unless the politicians make the decision. It is important that, for example, miners and conservationists are sitting in the same room. It is important that loggers and conservationists are sitting in the same room. That is the only way to foster greater consensus and understanding of each other's issues. We all have a vision for this territory. We must focus on finding the similarities, not the differences, in our positions. That will be the job of the Opposition. I am sure it will do that job well.

To reach our goal of economic diversification, our government recognizes the need to support Yukon small businesses and work actively with them. Many small businesses, especially in the communities, have difficulty accessing capital. One has to be living in a dream world if one thinks that people in the communities have the same relationship with the banks as people in some of the larger centres and Whitehorse have. It is very tough for them to raise capital. We will be looking for ways to work with them using, in some cases, existing vehicles, but also others, in an effort to try and foster the growth of these small businesses and the opportunity for job creation in the territory.

I know that the former Government Leader was a big fan of some of the things done by the Yukon NDP government. His business, at one time, was the recipient of a $25,000 grant. I know that he, too, has a soft spot for the difficulties rural businesses often have in raising and accessing capital. I look forward to his contribution to the debate.

Our government is currently working with businesses that made a request under the venture loan guarantee program started by the previous government. I have some concerns about that program, but I think it is a reasonable vehicle in the interim period to try and address some of the concerns that have been put before us as a government with regard to accessing capital and the sharing of risk with the private sector.

Our government realizes that our economy is underdeveloped and overwhelmingly resource-based. We will be attempting to spur on economic diversification by using the resource sector as our cornerstone, focal point and building block for economic diversification.

We have also undertaken the support of the Yukon Chamber of Commerce in the development of the Yukon business centre, because the previous government recentralized and had taken economic development officers out of the communities. We believe that the Yukon business centre will help to provide information to small businesses in the rural communities to assist in getting them through some of the difficult challenges they face. It will also obviously be available to the people of Whitehorse who want to use the service at its main base. We look forward to that initiative coming to fruition.

We also want to strongly support Yukon communities. A large part of our mandate came from communities, because they did not feel that they were part of the equation in this territory during the last four years. One of the reasons we brought forward the community development fund in our platform, entitled A Better Way, was because the rural communities told us that the fund was a vehicle that they could count on to deliver projects consistent with their priorities, though in some cases, with very small resources. The Members opposite can call it a slush fund as often as they want, but it is the fulfillment of an election campaign promise that we made to the people of the Yukon. We are going to fulfill it. We are going to honour our commitment. We would be criticized if we did not.

We want to do it in a strong, consultative manner. We want to ensure that the communities are involved in its development. There will be snags along the way. Some projects will be failures and some will be great successes, as with any program. The former Minister of Tourism is aware of that. He launched the centennial anniversaries program and I am still dealing with some of its failures; however, there were also some successes. I will not get into that further at this time.

In the interim, this government has announced a community projects initiative, which is a small, modest vehicle to try and address some of the burning priorities in the communities. Mostly it is targeted toward people who are well on their way toward the development of substantial proposals for community funding. Through the evaluation of the applications, I think this government will be able to do some good work in those communities.

I am also the Minister responsible for the Yukon Energy Corporation and the Yukon Development Corporation.

There are tremendous challenges in the energy field in this territory, and there has been precious little done in energy policy work over the last few years. This government has created Cabinet commissions in the areas of energy, forestry, local hire and the development assessment process, to put a real political equation and will into trying to see these policies in these areas come to life. During the last election Yukoners were crying out for action in these key areas. However, the political will was absent from the scene.

This government set up a forestry commission because it wanted to ensure a long-term, sustainable, made-in-Yukon forestry policy. What has this government heard from the Opposition? The Opposition has called it a million-dollar make-work project. That is so far from the truth it is not even funny, and in many cases it is not worth a response, but since it is my reply to the Speech from the Throne, I will say that I believe our approach to dealing with the forestry problem in the Yukon is a better way than the approach taken by the previous government.

The previous government tried to throw a million dollar subsidy at the logging industry for stumpage fees and to hire some outside cons