Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the government does, through another section, regulate honorariums that would be set up for different boards and agencies that would work for us or work under us, but not under this section. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just for clarification, it would be another section of the Financial Management Board? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, it's underneath government accounting and within our Financial Administration Manual where we set these guidelines up. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to ask the Minister questions about the health care job evaluations that have been going on. The Minister's opening statement indicated in the paragraph about that section...I am not sure whether or not he says the evaluations have been completed because we know that there have been some disagreements or some disputes about the evaluations. There were quite a few employees who were not happy with the results of the evaluations. Could I get the Minister to update us on where we are at with that? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the current status we are at right now is there are 15 appeals outstanding around the whole government, around the job evaluation process that was used. In addition to the above, there are 32 health care employees who have filed appeals in that area. So things are moving along. There are a number of appeals that have been filed. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Ms. Lee.

Thank you. Are these outstanding appeals just moving along with the process, or is there something extraordinary that's getting in the way of it or are they just going through the process? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My understanding is the process is moving along and things are moving at the normal pace, whether some may accept that or not. It is moving along and it's a matter of scheduling the actual hearings. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Ms. Lee.

That's the number one rule. If you ask a general question, you are going to get a general answer. Sorry, I can't really get into detail on this. Let me just move to before your agreement with the NWT Medical Association with doctors and contractors. That's a four-year agreement. The GNWT is now under negotiation for the UNW contract, which includes the nurses and other health care professionals. I am not sure if the Minister responsible for the FMBS can answer this, but earlier today in answering questions about the lack of family doctors for some people who cannot get a family doctor, the Minister of Health and Social Services provided to this House answers pertaining to the possibilities of looking at some options such as a walk-in clinic, reprofiling emergency clinics or consolidating different medical clinics to provide a better service. I am thinking anything like that should be part of the discussion before you go into negotiations. I don't even know how to ask this. I am sure the Minister is not going to give me information on the negotiations. Let me ask anyway. Would this be part of the discussions about what the government is planning on doing in terms of delivering health care services and some of the changes that the government wants to make? Do you talk to the health care providers about those things, or are those negotiations strictly on compensation and benefits?

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The negotiation process would be based on terms and conditions of employment, so the process would be on existing established positions. We don't incorporate what might be down the road, so we are working with their existing arrangements around that scenario. Further discussions the Member has identified are things that, as a government, we would have to endorse, number one, and then follow through the process. That type of discussion doesn't happen at the table. If we know this is coming into effect and that would become part of it. If there is already a plan and acceptance of changes that are coming down, then that would be identified and included in the discussions. It's to the extent of knowing where we are going and the positions identified and put into the plan. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Could I just ask the Minister what the time frame is that we are working with with the negotiations that the government is under now? What is the time frame? I think the negotiations started

before the current contract has ended, so I just wanted to have that information. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It would be our wish to have one concluded before the existing one expires. It expires at the end of March, but, if required, we will continue on and hopefully get a settlement in the spring. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Page 2-63, activity summary, labour relations and compensation services.

Operation expenditure summary, $7.276 million.