Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As MLA from Tu Nedhe, Mr. Speaker, a constituent is concerned about the pay equity issue. Mr. Speaker, there has been a great deal of discussion and debate over the pay equity issue. Both the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Union of Northern Workers have made their positions clear on the matter.
This morning, I received a telephone call from one of my constituents. This lady is a government employee. She was calling to let me know that she and other female workers in my riding want to see this issue settled. They are not interested in a lengthy debate over pay equity. They would like to receive their share of the settlement and get on with their work, the sooner the better.
Mr. Speaker, my constituents raise a very important issue, one that some people may have lost sight of. While we argue over pay equity, female employees of the territorial government are left waiting for a settlement. They continue to work under a pay system that has been found to be unfair. As an MLA, I do not think that my constituents or anyone else in the NWT should be kept waiting for fair treatment. Mr. Speaker, this is not the first time I have heard people say they want pay equity settled. I encourage the UNW to listen to what its members are saying. We cannot change the past, but we can do better in the future. Let us not keep our employees waiting any longer. UNW, let your members vote. Thank you.