Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge the GNWT and the union to get a contract out, so our public service members can vote on it. Mr. Speaker, this issue has dragged on far too long and it is affecting all northerners in many ways. For example, we have been hearing for quite a while now about the nursing shortage. If you listen to the radio, you hear about it. If you look at the papers, you can see it there. Turn on your TV, you see it there. Lately, we have had Members talking about it here. Some of our Members went to Tuktoyaktuk and saw signs up that there were fewer services being provided. Another Member spoke yesterday, that the health system is in a death spiral because of this. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health and Social Services has tabled a Recruitment and Retention Plan. This was put together with the help of health boards, nurses, doctors and so on.

Mr. Speaker, we have heard that community nurses stand to gain up to $13,000 a year through a new collective agreement that has already been agreed upon. The problem is the GNWT cannot pay those new salaries because the bargaining process is still going on. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.