Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Honourable Kelvin Ng and I participated in a conference call with provincial and territorial Premiers from across the country. It was the first time Premiers have met since Lucien Bouchard won last week's Quebec election. The meeting, chaired by Saskatchewan Premier Romanow, was called to discuss the upcoming federal budget and progress on social union negotiations. As Members may know, the social union became an important issue in the Quebec election campaign.

Canada's Premiers are calling upon the federal government to restore health care funding levels that have been cut over the last several years. We want to emphasize that the amount of money reinvested will need to be substantial. This confirms what all provincial and territorial leaders agreed to, as a first priority, in Saskatoon this past summer. We are asking that social union negotiations recommence after being suspended for the Quebec election. Premiers agreed that we need to step up the pace on these talks, bargain in good faith and come up with a workable solution as soon as is realistically possible.

Mr. Speaker, we are also calling upon the Prime Minister to convene a First Ministers' meeting early in the new year. We propose to use that opportunity to discuss with him the agreement that has been reached and sustained by all provincial and territorial jurisdictions across this country. We would like to meet with the Prime Minister so that we can describe our situation and to make our position as clear as possible. We need to tell him, face to face, about our need to sustain basic health care services. British Columbia's Premier, Glen Clark, said a good First Ministers' meeting could also help to smooth the way for successful social union discussions and thus make our country work better. Alberta's Premier, Ralph Klein, and British Columbia's Premier, Glen Clark, have each met with the Prime Minister in the last two days. Each of these Premiers has impressed upon the Prime Minister the importance of restoring health care funding to every jurisdiction in the country. We view the restoration of primary health care funding from Ottawa to the provinces and territories as the top priority, particularly given the serious stresses and strains on the health care system being experienced in each province and territory.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is worth noting that all provincial and territorial leaders have put aside other important issues in order to reaffirm that the proper focus and the proper emphasis should be placed on ensuring that all Canadians enjoy an adequately funded and sustainable health care system. The Government of the Northwest Territories has played an important role in these discussions. we have been successful in bringing the specific issue of aboriginal people's health and well-being to the table and we will remain vigilant in ensuring that this issue receives due attention at the national level. We will work in concert with our provincial and territorial partners to ensure that our priorities are recognized on the national scene. Mr. Romanow summed up by saying that our goal is to make Canada work better and to deliver health and social programs that work better for all Canadians. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause