Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was talking about the Inuk employee who is hoping to work for Upassuraakut but won't be able to afford to do so when he's required to find housing for himself and his family in Iqaluit.
Student counsellors at Arctic College make more money than alcohol and drug workers. Mental health workers make more money. Custodial workers and water truck helpers make more. But, the community alcohol and drug workers, who are often exposed to the problems of their peers after hours, who are often on call all hours of the day -- whether they like it or not -- who must, at times, endure excruciating stress, are paid at wage levels which I consider almost insulting.
Mr. Speaker, the Special Committee on Health and Social Services pointed out this serious problem in an early interim report to this House. Alcohol and drug problems, as we all know, are crippling our communities. Ironically, even though we are in times of financial restraint, our government has found $900,000 to send a Yellowknife bureaucrat around the territories to do a study on -- get this -- fairness and justice in the northern workplace, including wage parity, of all things. A study that, to my knowledge, no one in this House has ever asked for.
I say, Mr. Speaker, let's get our priorities right. Let's can the Northern Workplace Commission and put those funds toward finally dealing with alcohol and drug workers' low wages. Thank you.
---Applause