The government is under inordinate pressure. You have heard the lobbying that has gone on by the NWTTA and the teachers, et cetera with respect to the need for more money in education. Nobody, including the Minister, is denying there is a need for it. You have heard Mr. Ng talk passionately about the need for compassionate travel. Nobody is denying there is a need for it. You have heard everybody talk about health care and the need for more money. Nobody is denying the need for it. We have a budgetary process. We have x-amount of dollars we spend. We made a conscious decision through committee and a collective effort to identify where the money is going to go. I am telling you today that unless we get the issue to go to the membership, I do not think it is going to be resolved during the tenure of this Legislative Assembly. I am trying to put it in the context of the overall fiscal framework of this government and all the needs that we have. We need to meet the needs of those who are in the collective bargaining system. We need to meet the needs of those that are not. We need to meet the needs of those who are less fortunate and do not have the capacity to generate an effective lobby. We need to meet the needs of all the issues which have been raised here and that is the responsibility of government. The process that we have dealt with is through the budgetary process. In the overall fiscal framework of the government, we have identified $40 million. There is no more money.
John Todd on Question 620-13(5): Resolution Of Collective Bargaining Impasse
In the Legislative Assembly on June 2nd, 1998. See this statement in context.
Return To Question 620-13(5): Resolution Of Collective Bargaining Impasse
Question 620-13(5): Resolution Of Collective Bargaining Impasse
Item 6: Oral Questions
June 1st, 1998
Page 1559
John Todd Keewatin Central
See context to find out what was said next.