Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am glad the honourable colleague gave me the opportunity to try to clarify our position on this one because I know it is a difficult one for our employees.

It was proposed at the collective bargaining that employees be granted leave in compensation for wage and benefit reductions when we were doing the collective agreement. We informed the union on July 9, 1996, that the most common view held by managers was to consider the shut down of the operation over Christmas and New Year.

On July 15, 1996, a proposal was made to the UNW in writing, though it addresses its' concerns, as well as concerns raised by managers, to look for ways to minimize the impact of the mandatory leave without pay recovery on the employees pay over the Christmas and New Year shut down.

The union, unfortunately, as far as my records seem to indicate, did not respond. It was necessary for us to communicate with employees in the public concerns shutdown, and advise, particularly the organized labour employees what it meant to them, and we did so in a inserts we put in the pay cheques, I believe, 2 weeks ago.

Thank you.