Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is an old question that we have answered a number of times. The answer is yes, all employees who are currently under the collective agreement, and are not under the collective agreement, who are working in Nunavut on April 1, 1999, will be transferred to the new Nunavut government, period.

Oral questions. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Chairman of the Financial Management Board. Mr. Speaker, the UNW has said that it will be able to put the GNWT offer out to its membership when it is satisfied that the job evaluation system is gender neutral. It also says that it would be satisfied of this if the issue was put to a three-person panel of experts with the GNWT choosing one representative and the UNW choosing another representative. The Minister has made it clear that he does not intend to meet the UNW's request. The Minister has said it is too late because the UNW has already conceded, in collective bargaining, that the system is gender neutral. My question for the Minister is, whether or not there have been any concessions so far, what does the Minister believe the government stands to lose if he agreed to put the job evaluation system before a panel of experts, as the UNW has suggested?

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

I do no think it is a question of what anybody has got to lose. I think it is a question of people's rights. The management team has a right to put in place a job evaluation. That is our right. A job evaluation system, we think is fair and we think responds to the needs of our membership. We have done that, and I say categorically today, in the bargaining unit, they agreed that the Hay Plan was gender neutral. They are not denying that. I did not see any press release this morning saying they were denying that. I see no need to go to a third party to determine if it is gender neutral if both parties have agreed it is gender neutral. What I see a need for is both parties to work through some of the problems that may be within the Hay Plan Evaluation. I see no need to move forward in that respect. We gave the UNW every opportunity, every opportunity to participate in this Hay Plan Evaluation System. They agreed to do that at one point by sending a memorandum. For whatever reasons, and I do not question them, they chose then not to participate. I see no point in going to a third party at this time, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe the UNW has not indicated that the Hay system is not gender neutral, but the way it is being proposed to be implemented here is not gender neutral. Be that as it may, would the Minister not agree that the important issue is not whether the UNW has already conceded that the Hay system is gender neutral, but that the more important issue is that this matter be resolved as quickly as possible?

Mr. Todd.

I could not agree more, Mr. Speaker, that we need to move quickly to resolve it. That is why I have consistently said, let the people decide. Let them go through the democratic process of a vote for this collective agreement and this pay equity issue that has been long outstanding. At the end of the day, that is where we should be heading. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on May 12th, the Canadian Human Rights Act, was amended. I have had a look at the amendments. I believe this means that this issue will be going to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal which could take up to a year with its workload and with the UNW's proposal, I believe, it would take about two weeks to conclude as both parties would have 20 hours of representation being made. In this light, it seems as though the UNW's tribunal would be over in two weeks. Is it not more preferable to do it through the UNW's suggestion rather than the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal? Thank you.

Mr. Todd.

Mr. Speaker, I am sorry, but my position is clear. I believe that we have an agreement that the Hay Plan Evaluation is gender neutral. What we have are some problems within it, where two parties should work it out. I am sorry I cannot respond in a positive way for my honourable colleague. My position stands at this time.

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the Finance Minister agree that it is preferable to conclude this matter in the matter of a month rather than up to a year?

Mr. Todd.

Gender Neutrality Issue

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am confident we can conclude this matter very quickly if we put it out to a vote to the membership, who are our constituents. I am reasonably confident we will get the response that we want. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Roland.

The Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it was the intention of this government to put the overall, territorial-wide digital communications systems into place that was state of the art which would move us into the 21st Century and answer the concerns, the issues and the efficiencies of government, particularly at the small community level. There is no question there are some minor problems with respect to Fort Smith, Inuvik, and I think, Iqaluit. We will try to take those into consideration. I am not sure, to be very candid to my colleague, that we can be all things to all people in this initiative. Certainly, we will make a considered effort, and as I said to an earlier question, I want a full update tomorrow morning. I am just getting a briefing note as we speak to determine, if, in fact, the concerns raised by colleagues have some validity and I do not mean that offensively, and if there is some substance to the concerns that have been raised. If there is, and if there is some way we can resolve it, we will. This digital communications system is not going to be without its glitches and it is not going to keep everybody happy, unfortunately. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.