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November 1, 2002
Pay raise could pay for
new teachers
Finance Minister Kelvin
Ng announced on Monday that the Federation of Nunavut Teachers, the union that
represents the territorys 630 teachers, had ratified a new collective
agreement with the government
Teachers voted 91 per cent
in favour of the deal, which will give them a 9.5 per cent increase in salary
over three years, an increase in northern allowance.
However, on Tuesday, James
Arvaluk, the MLA for Coral Harbour and Chesterfield Inlet, asked Peter Kilabuk,
the minister of education, where the government found the money for the pay
increase if it cant find funds for new teachers.
"If you can afford
to give them that raise, can you look for funding to get more teachers?"
Arvaluk asked.
Kilabuk said school funding
is based on enrolment and that while the funding formula is under review, any
changes would have to be approved by the legislative assembly.
"After it is approved
in the house, we will tell them if we will be giving them new funding,"
Kilabuk said.
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