I have another return to a question asked by Mr. Erasmus on March 21st, with respect to the date of introduction of the new northern benefits package.

The northern allowance will be introduced on April 1, 1996, for non-unionized employees. The introduction of the northern allowance for unionized employees is the subject of negotiations with the employees' unions. While the effective date for the elimination of the accommodation allowance is August 31, 1996 for teachers and March 31, 1996 for all other employees, the intention at this time is to delay the implementation for unionized employees if negotiations are not concluded by these dates.

I have a third one, Mr. Speaker, regarding rationale used in calculating northern allowance, asked by Mr. Picco on March 26th; my good friend.

The detailed description of how the northern allowance is calculated will be tabled in the Legislative Assembly later today. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Welcome to the Assembly. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to recognize Lydia Bardak from Yellowknife. Also in the gallery are some family members: my sister-in-law, Renee Stevens from Huntsville; sister-in-law, Helen Zimmerman from Palm Springs; and, brother-in-law, Frank Stevens from Vancouver. I was informed my wife is in the gallery too, but I don't see her now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the past few months, my family and I have had some very tense moments of concern with regard to TB. Through all of this, the overworked staff of the Baffin Regional Hospital and community health have been very caring and professional, especially since I've had to spend so much time here in Yellowknife and my wife and children are alone in Iqaluit. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health. Can the Minister update this House on the status of TB throughout the NWT?

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. TB continues to be a problem throughout the Northwest Territories, but we are taking measures to address the issue. During the past year, tuberculosis programs and strategies have been reviewed and updated in all regions of the Northwest Territories. Our medical health officers of the department have provided in-service education to nurses and physicians, and have been proactive in enlisting support from other community groups and agencies. Vaccinations programs for at-risk newborns have been reinforced; school screening programs have been reinstated in the Baffin, Keewatin and Mackenzie regions; and, liaison with the Department of Justice in facilitating a review and updating of surveillance practices in correctional centres has been undertaken.

As well, medical health officers have also recently reviewed the assessment criteria of new clients being admitted to treatment centres and young offenders' facilities. Similarly, they have started initial discussions and contact with Aurora and Arctic College to ensure that students living in dormitory facilities are also being screened for tuberculosis. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question will be to the Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, the Honourable John Todd. In this House yesterday, the Minister stated in a response to a question asked by Mr. Ootes, "I want to say, in all fairness to my colleague, that I am moving forward on this important initiative, and I intend, unless there is some major reason not to, to proceed with the transfer." My question to the Minister is: Would the Minister consider elected leaders of the NWT Federation of Labour, the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce the NWT Construction Association, the NWT Chamber of Mines, NWT Steelworkers Area Council, NWT Chamber of Commerce, the Union of Northern Workers, NWT Association of Municipalities and CAW Local 2304 requesting formal input and information into restructuring of an organization which, at the end of the day, belongs to the employers and employees of the NWT, to be a major reason for the Minister to set a formal committee that could receive input into this proposed transfer?

Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When I made that comment yesterday, I was not aware of the letter with everybody's names on it. As my honourable colleague has indicated today, I would be prepared and am prepared to discuss with the concerned stakeholders some of the changes that we want to make. I'm not prepared to go with a major review across the Territories at this time. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance, in reference to my earlier Member's statement regarding the disparity on the noted reductions. Would the Minister agree to take a second look at this issue? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me try to answer the question this way. We have a $150 million problem out there. We have a forced growth problem of $40 million a year, primarily in the social envelope. Steps have to be taken to be fair and reasonable across the Territories as we move forward in our deficit elimination strategy. We are not going to balance the budget on the backs of the unionized and non-unionized employees, but the unionized and non-unionized employees must carry their share as

others have to. I believe, as I've said consistently in this House, that the strategy that we've taken is a caring and compassionate strategy. The reworking of the northern allowance into an income support/cost-of -living allowance is fair. We have taken into consideration the concerns that have been addressed by my honourable colleague and others out there. It has to be recognized in this House that everyone has to take -- and Mr. Henry said it on a number of occasions -- their fair burden of this strategy. I want to remind everyone in this House that the target set in the wages and benefits package was set collectively by the majority of us and we are endeavouring to do this in a way in which minimizes the pain to our employees, whether they be union or non-union. That is the way I would like to answer it, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I hear what the honourable Minister is saying. I listened to his comments yesterday and on a number of occasions; I agree with what the Minister is saying. I am asking if the Minister would at least have a second look at this. I am not asking for a commitment to make a major change. I just want him to have a second look. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Todd.

Mr. Speaker, given these volatile times and a deficit we all face, we are taking a second look at everything we do and I will do the best I can. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Finance. Earlier, the Minister replied to an oral question I had asked a few days back. He indicated that the effective date for the elimination of the accommodation allowance is March 31, 1996, for all employees except for teachers, who have a date of August 31, 1996.

They aren't going to implement the northern allowance for these people until negotiations are finalized. Does this mean, Mr. Speaker, that we are going to be deducting $200 off of our employees' pay cheques every two weeks, but we aren't going to do it without providing them with the northern allowance?