Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for the last request for proposal that was issued, the successful consultant firm was the firm of Mr. Bailey and Associates. Thank you.

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Bailey and Associates firm was the successful winner of this competition for request for proposal and the cost of the study was $223,000. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Ningark.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question, Mr. Speaker, is to the honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. As I stated in my statement, we have a serious problem providing adequate space for the students in Pelly Bay. The original design for the addition was much larger, but was scaled down, according to my understanding, because of the total cost involved. To the contrary Mr. Speaker, there had been an increasing number of students and potential students to attend school in Pelly Bay. Mr. Speaker, we talk about a brighter future. We talk about in this government, education working society, but we have not planned properly. We also know that we have a very high birth rate in the territory. Will the Minister of Education

communicate with the Kitikmeot District Education Council and the community education council to address the problem determined by the community to be a serious problem.

Thank you. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a supplementary to the same Minister. In the process of communicating will the Minister start communicating with the Kitikmeot District Education Council and Public Works. Will the Minister also instruct his officials to consult with the community education council, in this case, where I got the information from? Thank you.

Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Picco.

Thank you. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have had several discussions with the president of the NWTTA, Ms. Pat Thomas, with respect to some of the changes that she and her ship would like to see within the act. I did write to all Members early in December indicating that we are in intense negotiations right now with the UNW, with respect to pay equity and with respect to a new collective agreement. I also said in that letter that once we finalize and come to an agreement on those issues that I was prepared to meet with both Ms. Thomas and Ms. Simpson to see if, in fact, there was some compromise that could be reached and some changes that this government could live with and could be achieved in the act that Mr. Picco speaks about. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a few minutes ago we heard from the Minister an emergency statement regarding the breakdown in talks on pay equity. So

Mr. Todd.

Well, like most negotiations, occasionally, they break down. Mr. Speaker, I am fairly confident we will still come to an arrangement, and I am certainly pushing for it, by the end of March on those issues, one that is both negotiated and affordable. Once we have done that, we will get on to constructive dialogue between the two organized labour organizations and attempt to look at some of the changes they want to make. Assuming we can live with them and we are satisfied with them, I would be prepared to bring them forward to my Cabinet colleagues and this House for the change. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.