Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Baffin South, that Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Financial Administration Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Baffin South, that Bill 9, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 5, 1998-99 be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

If I may, Mr. Speaker, I wish also to table the following document entitled Northwest Territories Public Utilities Board Annual Report 1998. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have two documents I wish to table today. I wish to table the following document entitled Northwest Territories Liquor Commission 44th Annual Report.

I am assuming that my honourable colleague means the employees that have left the employ of the government and are either living in the south or a few of them who might be living in the north. I will look into that, but we are paying all of our employees who are currently working for the government that are non-unionized that fall under the pay equity category as we speak. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We did give, recently we approved money on the pay equity side for the non-unionized employees that currently work for the government and we are reviewing the other aspects for those who no longer work for the government who were non-unionized as to whether or not we should pay them. We have not made that decision at this time and I will try to do that before I leave the office next week. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had the answers to those questions with me earlier but I cannot seem to find them. Given that it is a technical question in particular, as it relates to the Hay Plan, et cetera, I would beg my honourable colleague's indulgence. I apologize to him. I am afraid I have to take the question as notice. Sorry.

Thank you, Madam Chair. On my immediate left is Rebecca Veinott, Legislative Council with the Legislative Division. Of course, on my immediate right is Mr. Bargery.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Very brief opening remarks concerning this bill. The amendments being proposed in this bill authorize the Public Utilities Board to enter into joint division with a Public Utilities Board of another jurisdiction.

It further ensures that the joint division of the two Public Utilities Boards can exercise all the duties and powers of the board.

This bill, along with the Northwest Territories Power Corporation Division Measures Act and the Nunavut Power Utilities Statutes Amendment Act, provide the legislative framework necessary to implement the Transition Agreement between the Northwest Territories and Nunavut with respect to the operation of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation.

It ensures the corporation will continue to be regulated in both Nunavut and the Northwest Territories during the transitional period and that this regulation will be done jointly by both territories. Thank you.