Hon. Marcel Danis (Minister of Labour):

Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her question.

Like I said in my prior answer, I will bring it to the attention of the President of the Treasury Board. Also I will talk to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and the Minister of Transport.

Hon. Marcel Danis (Minister of Labour):

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the hon. member that it will not be long.

Hon. Marcel Danis (Minister of Labour):

Mr. Speaker, I think it would be most inappropriate for me to answer the question as put by my hon. friend when now in Yellowknife an industry inquiry is under way. The CLRB, the Canadian Labour Relations Board, is there. To ask me now what I will do when the decision is made is totally inappropriate, and I cannot answer that question.

Hon. Marcel Danis (Minister of Labour):

Mr. Speaker, the reason I have a tan is probably because I spend a lot of time in the House of Commons with these lights, more than the hon. member does.

The issue raised by my hon. friend is a most serious one and of course the government recognizes it.

March 11, 1993

Privilege

I must tell my hon. friend that I met with the parties in this dispute a number of times. I suggested to them that the best way to end this dispute would be for the parties to agree to binding arbitration.

The parties have refused. As a result, we appointed what we felt were the best mediators possible in British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, Mr. Munroe and Mr. Reddy. They met with the parties. They prepared the report. After that was unsuccessful, I then went ahead with the appointment of an industrial inquiry commission which is now sitting. On top of that, there has been an additional request by a new union which has asked to be accredited. The Canadian Labour Relations Board is looking into that.

Therefore, labour department has done everything that is possible. I hope that after the recommendations of the industrial inquiry commission we will get a peaceful resolution of this dispute.

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Hon. Marcel Danis (Minister of Labour):

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Agreement could not be reached under the provisions of Standing Order 78(1) or (2) with respect to second reading of Bill C-113, an act to provide for government expenditure restraint. Under the provision of Standing Order 78(3) I give notice of my intention to move a time allocation motion at the next sitting of the House for the purpose of allocating a specified number of days or hours for the consideration and disposal of proceedings at the second reading stage.