Mr. Chairman, the agreement of the NWT Power Corporation to provide services in Nunavut expires March 31, 2001. To enable a smooth transition of employees from the NWT Power Corporation to the Nunavut Power Corporation, amendments to legislation in both the NWT and Nunavut are required. The approach we are taking to facilitate this transfer is the same approach that was taken to transfer employees from the GNWT to the Government of Nunavut on April 1, 1999.

The president of the Union of Northern Workers has been consulted regarding these legislative amendments and did not express any concern. The amendments to the Nunavut Power Utilities Act were given assent on November 3, 2000, by the Nunavut Legislature.

Mr. Chairman, we are proposing amendments to both the NWT Power Corporation Act and the Public Service Act that together, with the amendments made to the Nunavut Public Utilities Act, will result in a smooth transfer of employees to the Nunavut Power Corporation.

The amendments to the Northwest Territories Power Corporation Act will result in the employees located in the Nunavut Territory ceasing to be employees of the NWT Power Corporation at the end of the day on March 31st, 2001. The amendments further clarify that these individuals will not be entitled to severance pay or compensation as a result of the change in employer. It should be noted that the employees will transfer to the Nunavut Power Corporation with all of their terms and conditions of employment intact.

The amendment to the Public Service Act is minimal, consisting only of a consequential amendment to Schedule A, which is the schedule that sets out the portions of the public service of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Chairman