Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is an issue that I believe all Members are aware of, they have all been copied the same letter that I received. Currently the legislation that governs WCB prevents WCB from paying widows' pensions to a widow if she remarries. However, there is currently a court case underway. Other jurisdictions have already gone to court and this has been deemed unconstitutional and has been changed. There is a court case currently underway in my understanding in the north, that may, in fact, bring the same change to us. Otherwise we are looking at a change in the legislation of the WCB which Members all know now that we are tied with our colleagues from Nunavut. Right now we are precluded by the legislation, but it is a need that has to be addressed. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister please confirm whether or not the NWT is the only Canadian jurisdiction which now terminates survivors' benefits where the spouse is remarried?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can confirm that we are a jurisdiction that currently does that, whether we are the only one in Canada, I cannot tell the Member that. I can commit to get that information for her though.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do believe that we are the only jurisdiction in Canada that has this legislation in place and I think this is probably rather archaic in this day and age. I do not understand why we would have legislation that is out of step with what other provinces had proved to be unconstitutional and not in keeping with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I would like to ask the Minister, why are we waiting as a northern jurisdiction for the results of a court case if this has already been proven to be unacceptable in other jurisdictions?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, the WCB has been working on a rewrite of their legislation in anticipation of the political time when it could be brought forward because there are a host of areas like the widows' pensions that should be brought up to date. I am just on my way out, in fact, at 3:00 p.m., for briefings with the Minister from Nunavut responsible for the WCB. This is one of the issues on our agenda, the need to, in fact, bring forward, at least on a temporary basis, legislation that would change that particular issue in regard to widows' pensions. I ask the Members to keep in mind that we now have to work through two jurisdictions, so it is going to be critical that Nunavut agrees as well to go ahead with identical legislation. It is an issue and we are going to do our best to resolve that in the short-term. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will refrain from mentioning that and just speak about the anticipated updating of the legislation then and would ask Mr. Miltenberger if it is the WCB's intention to amend this legislation and when they do that, will they make this legislation retroactive to widows who may have lost their pension in previous years while this legislation was in effect? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As the Minister responsible for the WCB, it is my intention to, in fact, bring forward amendments to the legislation that will address the issue of widows' pensions. I am not in a position to speak specifically to the issue of whether or not we could make it retroactive, but I will be finding out very soon and it will be on hopefully, the legislative agenda that I can bring forward to this House once it is approved by Cabinet. Thank you.