Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was thinking today of a topic I have raised twice during the past weeks. One which allowed Members to want to contemplate or one which may have a devastating effect on the fiscal health of this government. Mr. Speaker, the recent ruling by the courts on the pay issue dispute between the UNW and the territorial government has been ongoing since the mid- 80s. It has now culminated in both the GNWT's arguments on the bias and the jurisdiction of the case being ruled against. Mr.
Speaker, we can continue to duck and dive, appeal or whatever legal route we take to put this off, but is it not about time someone took the bull by the horns and dealt with this situation we find ourselves in.
Mr. Speaker, this government has refused to comment on the issue. In my mind, that is not good government. Why does the government not sit down with our partner, the UNW, and try and reach a compromise or find some other alternative? Mr. Speaker, at the end of the day when this is finally settled, the tax payers of the Northwest Territories may be on the hook for several million dollars. Money we do not have. Mr. Speaker, by saying nothing, by using legal delaying tactics, we seem to be putting off onerous eventuality. That is not acceptable. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.