Mr. Speaker, on October 3 the President of the Treasury Board answered a question from the member for Longueuil. She asked the Treasury Board a question about pay equity.
The government will continue to fulfill its obligations to pay equity. As part of its commitment, it enacted legislation for Canada in 1978. It has paid over $1 billion in pay equity payments. During the most recent negotiations it has offered $1.3 billion to PSAC.
On August 11, 1997 the government tabled an offer of $1.3 billion to resolve the pay equity dispute. On October 30, PSAC tabled a counterproposal to the current Treasury Board offer of $1.3 billion. In addition to salary adjustments that represent more than $2 billion, the PSAC counterproposals include interest back to 1983, compensation for hurt feelings and other related costs.
The government believes that a negotiated settlement would be in the best interests of all parties and would end the uncertainty to employees. The tribunal decision will provide the parameters for calculating the pay equity gap but will most likely leave some issues unresolved and this will require further discussions with PSAC.
This means further delays. Furthermore, any of the parties could file a judicial review. Negotiations will allow the employer and PSAC to resolve this matter and show that the trust and commitment can generate solutions to these difficult issues. A joint resolution will get the cheques in the hands of the employees sooner.
The government is firmly committed to the principles of pay equity and it wants a fair, speedy and equitable solution to the dispute with PSAC.