Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the regional directors being part of the reductions of this government, a coordinated effort by this government is still needed to some extent in the regions. That will be addressed, hopefully, not only by the departmental and committee structure of this government being transferred to the region but, also, with the wind-down of the regional directors' role as well as the wind-down of regional councils, we will come up with a framework of how to address those issues the Member has just raised. If a community has an issue -- where to take it to and who to address it to -- at this time, I can see through community empowerment that MACA would play the lead role at the regional level. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MACA will be in charge of the lead on community empowerment. We are scheduling meetings to develop the framework further with the social envelope committee. That is what will drive community empowerment and that's who will play, at this time, a coordinated effort at the regional level and the community level through elected councils at the community level. Everything here will be driven from the community up instead of the reverse. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. At this time, I would like to recognize in the gallery, Joe Ohokannoak, who is the chairman of the board of governors of the Nunavut Arctic College. Welcome to the Assembly.

--- Applause

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Finance. Mr. Minister, in your statement on the wages and benefits of non-unionized employees, you indicated that effective March 31st, you will eliminate the $5,400 accommodation allowance for all unionized employees, except for teachers, which will be done August 31st. You also indicated that you would be offering to roll

that into the base wages as is done for non-unionized employees. You didn't indicate whether they would start receiving that new allowance that the non-unionized employees would be receiving immediately. Would that be the case or are you just going to cut-off their $5,400 and wait until the negotiations are complete? Thank you.

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good question. I believe, and I stand to be corrected, Mr. Speaker, that we intend to put this into effect for the non-unionized employees effective April 1 st. I would have to double-check with my negotiators what steps we intend to take with the union employees. I think it's effective April 1st, but I would prefer to check with them at this time. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as mentioned by Mr. Miltenberger, the office of regional director is to be abolished. This is thought to be consistent with the move towards community transfers and community empowerment and that any necessary regional coordination role can be carried out by MACA. I disagree. Moreover, the model of government that NIC has suggested for Nunavut is predicated on the familiar and the efficient role of the regional director position and that the regional government is guided and coordinated by the regional director. Mr. Speaker, my question for the Minister is what will the GNWT put in place to correspond with the function of the regional director as envisioned in the NIC report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. NIC report does not determine government policy or determine what we do April 1, 1996 to reduce the cost to this government. We will be saving a substantial amount of dollars by the reduction of the executive at the regional level. I feel quite confident that the Minister of MACA, the Honourable Manitok Thompson, and her department will be able to play a coordinated role at the region. Community empowerment, block funding will be driven by our communities because they are requesting it. They want it and we're going to give it to them. We'll coordinate it and we'll save dollars by doing it. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my supplementary question is what will be done with the protocol functions of the office, as well as the joint consultation function of the office. The reason for saying that, of course, is that MACA is a lead department, is a department of the government, whereas the regional director position sits above that controlling of the departments. The joint consultation role is a very important one, especially in the regions. What will happen with that function? I cannot see MACA doing that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the new direction that this government is taking, with the reduction in the dollars and funding that we have, we're going to service our regions to the best of our abilities. Let me assure the Member that I have every faith in the new direction that we're going. I have every faith in the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs to carry out community empowerment. I believe that MACA, through a committee, as well, at the regional level of the other government departments, will have a good working relationship with our community leaders and I believe it will be done properly. As far as protocol goes, we'll deal with it as it's needed. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Mr. Speaker, I understand the principle behind the move, but I also haven't heard yet what we're going to do with the joint consultation role and also the protocol function.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't have any problem at all with the issue of protocol and handling protocol at the regional level. That's a very simple issue; we'll deal with it when the time arises through the development of the business plan when it goes back to the committees, as well as joint consultation -- which I think he was talking about -- will be dealt with as well. But MACA is quite capable of handling that, let me assure the Member. Thank you.