Thank you. Mr. Todd.

You know, my desire was, in the early days of this discussion and is today, to put more money in the hands of our employees. I will repeat that, put more money in the hands of our employees. There is not one single down side to this issue. Everybody benefits, both on the front end and on the back end, whether it is in retroactivity or in ongoing costs. There is $6 million worth of money on the table, in terms of the collective agreement, plus $9 million if we agree to the pay equity on ongoing costs, plus $25 million plus in terms of retroactivity. This is a good deal. I say again to you, this is a good deal. Let the membership vote on the issue. It is incomprehensible to me today, as it was yesterday and the day before, as to why the UNW simply will not allow the membership to vote on this issue.

Thank you. Oral questions. Honourable Member for Inuvik, Mr. Roland.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, as my honourable colleague knows, being Chairperson of the Western Coalition, we still have not come to a consensus or agreement on the NWTPC and I would suggest that is really an important factor on how the Public Utilities Board will unfold. Assuming, just for argument's sake, hypothetically, if I may say that, that there is a transition plan put in place for two new Power Corporations, hypothetically, then the Public Utilities Board will have to respond accordingly. I am a bit hesitant to put the Public Utilities Board into a whole bunch of work until we see how the negotiations will unfold in respect to the NWTPC because I think everybody is aware that the Public Utilities Board really has a mandate to protect the public interest as it relates to power rates, et cetera. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary.

Thank you. The honourable Minister, Mr. Todd.

No, I am very much aware that the Public Utilities Board will have to respond to the NWTPC discussions that are underway as it unfolds. We are very cognizant and very much in the loop, if you want, what my colleague, Mr. Dent, and others who are in relationship to the developments that are being undertaken with the Power Corporation. We will be ready to respond quickly, effectively with the Public Utilities Board when a decision is made on what steps are going to be taken in relationship to the Power Corporation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Mr. Krutko.

I am informed you can ask for unanimous consent to extend the question period.

Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to extend question period. Are there any nays?

Nay.

There is a nay. The request to extend question period is denied. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, return to written questions. Item 9, replies to opening address. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Legislative Assembly that the Standing Committee on Government Operations has reviewed Bill 5, Regulatory Reform Measures Act, and wishes to report that Bill 5 is now

ready for committee of the whole as amended and reprinted. Thank you.

Thank you. Report of committees on review of bills. Are there any further reports? None? Item 13, tabling of documents. Mr. Erasmus.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to Item 3, Members' statements.

Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to return to Item 3, Members' statements. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Erasmus, you have unanimous consent. Item 3, Members' statements.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on the pay equity and bargaining issue. Mr. Speaker, last spring the union sent MLAs letters urging us to pressure the GNWT to take the pay equity issue off the table and also get back to the negotiating table. Following the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling, which ruled in favour of the national union, on July 30th I sent a letter to the Minister of Finance. I asked him to go half ways to get back to the table. Since then, other Members have also asked this to happen and since then the government has offered to go back to the table. They have also offered to revisit, to negotiate, to make revisions on simple interest on the equal pay payments that are outstanding. They have also offered to revisit changes in point ratings resulting from a formal employee job evaluation review process and to pay former employees at the same rates as the current ones would be repaid. Finally, they also offered to take the settlement of the equal pay complaint off the table, if that was the only outstanding issue.

Mr. Speaker, I believe the government offer was a good offer. They offered to take the pay equity off the table if it was the only outstanding issue after negotiations. Why not try to fix a system that is bad first and then if you cannot agree take it off the table. As I said, I believe the offer was a good one. The GNWT to me, Mr. Speaker, has come half ways. I believe it is now time for the union to come half ways and to get back to the table. Thank you.

--Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. Item 19, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters. We have Bill 1, Family Law Reform - Statutes Amendment Act, Bill 2, Intercountry Adoption (Hague Convention) Act, with Madam Groenewegen in the Chair.