Thank you, Mr. Picco. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Barnabas.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to say hello to my wife and my children in Arctic Bay, as well as my constituents in Grise Fiord and Resolute Bay.

On Friday, I asked the Minister of Finance if he and his officials had done an analysis of what would be the actual effects of cuts in wages and benefits to a typical employee. I asked him how those cuts would affect a typical small, medium and large family in each of the eight different

community groups which have been set up under the collective agreement for settlement allowances.

My constituents are very concerned about these changes and trying to figure out what will be the effect on the pay they take home every two weeks. This would be helpful to me because the effect of the changes are difficult to calculate, especially after taxes. I was pleased to learn that the Minister of Finance said that his officials have already calculated how the cuts would affect our employees and that he would make the figures available to us.

However, Mr. Speaker, in answering my questions, Mr. Todd said that he was not sure if he could divulge the information I asked for on an individual basis. Mr. Speaker, I would like to make it clear to the Honourable John Todd and Members of this House that I am not asking for information on individual employees. What I would like to see is how these proposed changes would affect typical families in my constituency and others throughout the Northwest Territories. This information would be very helpful in allowing us to compare how these cuts will affect people who live on and off the highway system, people who have big and small families and people who live near Yellowknife and very far away from Yellowknife. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member for High Arctic is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do we have any nays? There are no nays. Conclude your statement, Mr. Barnabas.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand that it is not fair to ask for information about the pay of individuals in this House. Mr. Speaker, later today, I will be asking Mr. Todd if he could provide us with examples for typical employees with small, medium and large families and how their gross and net pay would be affected by these changes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Do we have further Members' statements? The trophy that we won from the media is right here. I guess they thought they were going to win so they didn't bother bringing the trophy to the arena. It's 72 hours late, but it's here.

Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the federal government is now in the process of consultation with the provinces on the harmonization of the GST. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Finance Minister. To date, what negotiations have been held with the federal government with regard to the harmonization of the GST here in the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

We are involved, as the provinces are, in discussions about the possible replacement for the GST. Discussions are Linder way with us as they are with the Maritime provinces and others, to see what arrangements can be made to find a replacement or to harmonize some form of provincial sales tax and the GST. I think it's important to point out that our role is somewhat less than the other provincial jurisdictions because we don't have a sales tax. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Has the Department of Finance investigated possible repercussions to such harmonization of the GST here in the NWT?

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's difficult to determine the repercussions because we don't know what the actual outcome of the negotiations with the provincial and territorial jurisdictions are going to be. As I said, we are involved in this discussion, we are partners in the process and we're adding our two cents' worth. My understanding right now is that discussions were under way last week in the Maritime provinces. We're a long way, I think, from reaching an arrangement; although, Mr. Martin, the federal Finance Minister, is trying very hard to do so. So, yes we're intimately involved. Yes, we're keeping our eyes on the implication for the Territories. Again, I stress, we are somewhat different because we don't have a provincial or territorial sales tax at this time. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Finance. On Friday, I asked the Minister of Finance if he could provide information on the effect of his announced reductions to pay and benefits of employees. The Minister of Finance said he wasn't sure if he could provide that information on an individual basis. Could the Minister of Finance provide information on the effect of layoffs for a typical family in the various regions of the Northwest Territories, without naming names?

Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

If I could just get clarification of the question; was that lay-offs or was that the changes in the northern allowance? I wasn't quite sure what the question was. Thank you.

Mr. Barnabas, could you clarify your question, please?

Mr. Speaker, thank you. Does the Minister of Finance have the analysis available for various families in the Northwest Territories?

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe my honourable colleague is talking about the pay and benefits, the changes that we announced and the ones we're negotiating with the union right now. Yes, as we speak, we are putting that analysis together and I would be only too happy to share that with the honourable colleague in this House. Thank you.