Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I also see a need to have this compensation scheme dealt with by the end of this session. We have indicated to the public and to the public service that we will lead by example. I firmly believe that we have to provide a savings to this government that is equal to and most likely greater than that which we are asking our employees to provide.

Having said that, I would like to comment on an article in the Yellowknifer in which I was not necessarily misquoted but my words were taken a bit out of context. It was said in the article that I indicated that if people were only paid $71,000 a year, that they would not attend committee meetings. I think it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you're going to get $200 a day deducted for missing a committee meeting, you're going to attend committee meetings. It's obvious I didn't say that. What I did say was that there's no recognition for people who serve on two standing committees. All ordinary Members are required to sit on one standing committee; however, there are many people who serve on two committees and maybe some even on three committees. Having everybody paid at a rate of $71,000 a year does not recognize that fact. Anybody who

receives extra responsibility, whether you're a foreman, a director, a regional director or a Minister, gets paid extra when they get extra responsibilities. All I was indicating is that there should be no difference here.

The article also said that it was possible that MLAs wouldn't buy raffle tickets anymore. What I really indicated is that an MLA's job doesn't quit at 5:00 p.m. We have a huge invasion on our privacy and people expect us to be on call seven days a week, 24-hours a day, for 365 days a year. Every time somebody has some raffle tickets to sell, they come to us. If there's a bowl-a-thon, they come to us. If there's some kind of a function happening, it doesn't matter if it's at 10:00 p.m. at night or if it's on Saturday or Sunday, they ask us to come and speak or to be present at those functions. I feel that people do not understand an MLA's job; most people see us sit in the House for a couple of hours a day for two or three weeks in a month but that is not all we do and that is basically the easiest thing that we do. The main part of the job is answering constituents' questions and trying to help them out to solve their problems that they come to us with. I know from MLAs that have retired, whether of their own volition or otherwise, that MLAs make enemies and that it is very difficult to be employed once you leave here.

For those reasons and many others, I believe that MLAs should be compensated adequately. At the same time, I believe that the current pension scheme is too lucrative and that it has to be changed. I also believe, and I stated this to the commission when I made my presentation to them, that the compensation scheme has to be made more simple and that there should be some way that we receive the same amount every two weeks just like any other employee of the territorial government. That way you know what you're going to get and you know how much to spend, how to get loans so that you can make your payments and the rest of that. The way it is now, you never know how much you're getting from one week to the next or from one month to the next. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to wish Mr. Henry's wife, Linda, a happy birthday.

--- Laughter

--- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Finance. Mr. Minister, in your statement on the wages and benefits of non-unionized employees, you indicated that effective March 31st, you will eliminate the $5,400 accommodation allowance for all unionized employees, except for teachers, which will be done August 31st. You also indicated that you would be offering to roll

that into the base wages as is done for non-unionized employees. You didn't indicate whether they would start receiving that new allowance that the non-unionized employees would be receiving immediately. Would that be the case or are you just going to cut-off their $5,400 and wait until the negotiations are complete? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the honourable Member for assuring me that they will get preference, but I would like to know how they will get preference and what is being put into place to ensure that they get preference. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What is being put into place for the students who are coming back this year? We know that every year there's a big commotion about affirmative action, and I think we have an obligation to ensure that all northern-born students receive a job in the summer to save a little bit of money for when they go back to school. So I would like to know what is being put into place to ensure that all northern-born students will receive preference on GNWT jobs this summer.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Considering that there will no longer be a central agency, are prospective employees going to have to go to every different department to find out what types of jobs are available in the GNWT, or will there still be a central location where they can go to find out about positions that are available with the Government of the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, I made a statement in reference to the Department of Personnel being amalgamated into other areas, and I had meant to ask a question but the honourable Member to my left, Mr. Henry, once again distracted me before I was able to ask my question. My question is to the Minister responsible for Personnel, What is being put into place to ensure that our hiring policies will be followed, particularly such policies as affirmative action and other hiring policies put into place to ensure that hiring is done fairly?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given the animosity and the distrust between the Metis Nation and the Yellowknife Metis Council, would it be possible for the Yellowknife Metis Council to register their own members for the benefits rather than having them registering at the Metis Nation?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Health and Social Services. The Metis people of the Northwest Territories are currently eligible for Metis health benefits similar to those that the Dene people receive. The Metis Nation is registering the Metis people for those benefits. I've received some complaints from members of the Yellowknife Metis Council, which do not belong to the Metis Nation, and they've been told that they have to join the Metis Nation in order to be eligible for these benefits. My question is: Do the Metis have to register as a member of the Metis Nation in order to be eligible for those benefits?