Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to have a lot more to say about the ABC and the cuts in federal funding later in the day but, at this point, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to speak about the issues of nursing grads at Aurora College. Mr. Speaker, as you're well aware, the Nursing Program at Aurora College has been and remains one of the cornerstones of the government's efforts to meet the challenge of recruiting and retaining the nurses in the North. However, it appears that, for whatever reasons, a number of obstacles are being put in front of these grads that are having the effect of them questioning whether the government is genuine about wanting to hire them and keep them, and in some cases forcing them to consider looking elsewhere for employment options upon graduating next summer.

First of all, Mr. Speaker, nursing graduates are being told that they would receive only 90 percent of their wages as new nurses. Not only that, they're being told that there will be no commensurate increments in salaries between those grads with diplomas versus baccalaureate diplomas, Mr. Speaker. I'm also advised that this is not the way things are done in other jurisdictions and I urge this government to revisit this issue and stop the practice immediately.

Secondly, Mr. Speaker, nursing grads are being advised that they will have no choice in areas of specialty that they could practice when they begin their career as a new nurse in the North. Mr. Speaker, I do appreciate that, as an employer, the GNWT has its own operational requirements and that they would not be able to accommodate all requests of a specialty, but to approach it in a way that gives them no options for choice, even where such options could be workable, is not the way to make these nurses feel welcome or feel that the GNWT, as an employer, are concerned about being partners in their personal and career plans.

Mr. Speaker, I'm especially concerned about the suggestion being made to these nursing grads that they would be screened out for any nursing employment opportunities in the North if they don't go along with what's being offered. This is certainly not acceptable and not conducive to making them feel an important part of the NWT health care delivery system.

Mr. Speaker, we continue to face shortages of nurses, new and experienced, and goodness knows we need to keep each and every one of them. Surely we can and must do a better job to create a more positive and welcoming employment environment for these new nursing grads. I will be asking questions in question period. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause