Thank you, Mr. Speaker. These long-term northern residents are the people I would hope we would encourage to stay working for our government. According to the figures I have, a single person making the same salary in Broughton Island would only lose seven per cent under the new system of northern allowances. This also seems unfair to me, Mr. Speaker. Two employees making the same salary in Broughton Island lose seven per cent or 37 per cent, depending on whether or not they have a big family.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that the Minister of Finance wants to treat everyone with fairness. I would respectfully suggest to him that if he wants to be fair to people with large families who live in remote communities, he should review the proposed new wages and benefits to make sure that those large families and those who live off the highway system are not hit harder than those with small families and those who live closer to Yellowknife. Since there must be cuts, I would like to see everyone treated equally; whether they have a large family or not, whether they live on Baffin Island or on the highway. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
--- Applause