Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While the situation is a difficult one, I would not characterize it as an emergency one. Certainly the Minister of Health is trying his best to put both short and long-term policy changes into place and some programs into place that will bring about greater retention of nurses across the Arctic. I have said many times in the House and to a question last week, we, I believe, go back to the bargaining table tomorrow or the next day. I think it is tomorrow. If we can get an agreement on the collective bargaining and if the UNW executive will have the decency to take it out to its membership, nurses will get with the new agreement that is on the table right now, we presented to them, somewhere between $9,000 to $13,000 in additional dollars in their pay packet. I would hope while that may not be the perfect solution, it will be a step in the right direction in terms of compensating our nursing fraternity for the work that they do. Thank you.
John Todd on Question 186-13(6): Recruitment And Retention Initiative
In the Legislative Assembly on November 9th, 1998. See this statement in context.
Return To Question 186-13(6): Recruitment And Retention Initiative
Question 186-13(6): Recruitment And Retention Initiative
Item 6: Oral Questions
November 8th, 1998
Page 319
John Todd Keewatin Central
See context to find out what was said next.