Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is also my understanding that this cannot be offered to the nurses because of the collective bargaining. Is there anything that can be done to improve a monetary situation of what we are offering nurses outside of the agreement?

Mr. Todd.

Well, Mr. Speaker, the short answer would be no. I think it would be inappropriate for the government to pre-empt collective bargaining that is currently underway. As I said in my earlier comment today, I am optimistic that we can come to some resolution, that common sense will prevail. This government and this Cabinet wants to put new money, more money, in the hands of our employees and hopefully we can conclude that before Christmas. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If this is accepted, the increase would be from $9,000 to $13,000 for the community nurses. Would this be substantially more than what is being paid to the nurses in southern Canada?

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to be able to answer my colleague. I am advised by my colleague, Mr. Ng, that it is different in jurisdictions across Canada. I would be reluctant to say unequivocally today whether we would be more or less. What I would say, though, is there is a significant change in the compensation package as it relates to community nurses when we look at the redress we are making with respect to pay equity and the additional collective bargaining components that we put on the table. Again, if I may, just to be a bit repetitive, I am optimistic that we will be able to come to an agreement in the next week or so, so that we can put more money into the hands of our employees by Christmas. Thank you.

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Somehow I am not too sure that more people will come flocking over here if they are going to be getting paid the same amount in BC or southern Alberta. Would the Minister admit to providing us with a comparison of what is being offered in the south to the nurses as compared to what is being negotiated now? Thank you.

Mr. Todd.

I will provide the House or the Members by letter with some comparisons once I have my staff have it done. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the

Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd. Yesterday, the Minister of Finance talked about the Formula Financing Agreement that was signed by Minister Martin and himself a couple of weeks ago. I think it is fair to say that all Members of this House were excited about the deal that was negotiated. Mr. Todd talked about the hard work that all parties put into the deal. My question is to the Minister, I would like the Minister to advise this House of some of the potential negative parts of this agreement in the event that the population numbers of the Northwest Territories decline. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will take the question as notice so I can answer it correctly. Thank you.

The question is taken as notice. Oral questions. Mr. Roland.

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Mr. Speaker, I am advised by my department that in most cases we are on target for putting in the digital communication system in the communities. There appears to be and has been consistently some problems in Inuvik, perhaps because of a variety of different reasons as it does not exist in some other communities. To date, we are on-line and on target for having the digital communication system up and in place. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Mr. Todd.

I better clarify. I think when I presented to the House in previous sessions I gave a detailed listing of the communities and when it was expected that some of the digital communication system would be up and running. Now, this is a creative, visionary approach that we want to take and it is not going to be without. As they say, it has glitches and it has warts. As to whether it is on budget or not, I would have to check with my department. There has certainly been no request for any additional funds, thank goodness, because we are still trying to maintain a balanced budget, but as I said earlier, I am optimistic in the smaller communities and the other communities I have talked to, that we are going to meet the targets we set and that it will allow the Northwest Territories to enter into the 21st millennium as an active participant in the digital communications highway.