So I am not surprised that these hardworking, tax-paying NWT workers, as they call themselves, are very concerned about the wages and benefits paid to
MLAs. However, Mr. Speaker, there is another way of looking at this issue. Maybe I can explain what this issue means to me on a personal level. I am going to have to get personal because the changes are affecting me and my family. I live in Clyde River, as you know. It is a very expensive place to live. It is a long way to travel from Clyde River to Yellowknife and it costs a lot. I have six children and a very excellent, supportive wife. It is very important to me that, when I am away from home for long periods of time attending this Assembly, my wife and at least some of our children are here. It helps me to do a good job as MLA if I can have that support here in Yellowknife. I don't think it is unreasonable, considering the stress and pressures that we are all under in this Assembly, that we should be able to have family members staying with us during the long sessions of this Assembly.
Mr. Speaker, a large part of my income goes to the costs of looking after my family. I have to buy plane tickets for members of my family and pay other living expenses of that kind, because I live a long way from Yellowknife. I understand that there is concern that even after we reduced our indemnities and wages by seven per cent, some of the allowances we are getting for living expenses are being increased according to the cost of living. Mr. Speaker, I can tell you, from my personal experience, that the cost of living in Baffin Central is not staying the same. It is going up. I am afraid that fuel prices and air fares will increase. I am advocating taking into account increases in the cost of living for the territorial seniors' supplement. I agree with Mr. Barnabas that cost of living should be factored into the food allowances that are paid to people on social assistance across the Northwest Territories. I also believe that we should not be ashamed or guilty if the cost of living is taken into account in calculating our living allowances. This is not income, Mr. Speaker; these allowances are for expenses.
Mr. Speaker, many of the petitions I am receiving are signed by the members of the NWT Teachers' Association, in which I was once a member, and the Union of Northern Workers, and we are all aware that negotiations and collective bargaining are now going on. Mr. Speaker, some of the petitions I have received are making a link between MLAs' compensation and negotiations which are now going on between the union and the government. Mr. Speaker, I do not believe it is appropriate for Members of this Assembly to be publicly involved in the negotiations which are now going on.
--- Applause
We should leave that to the negotiators, Mr. Speaker. However, we are always accountable to our constituents. Mr. Speaker, I am willing to be accountable to my constituents about what I am paid and what benefits are given to me. I know that the agreement we reached to cut back our indemnities ... For some reason, Mr. Speaker, I can't say that word.