Yellowknife (Sep 22/04) - A press conference was held Monday to talk about Prime Minister Paul Martin's $700 million pledge for aboriginal health care, although none of the three NWT politicians who hosted it could say how much will end up here.

The new Aboriginal Health Fund is above and beyond the $18 billion over five years for health care promised to the premiers at last week's First Minister's Conference in Ottawa.

According to Premier Joe Handley, the fund is to be divided into three lump sums: $400 million for health promotion, $100 million for aboriginal training in health careers and $200 million for aboriginal community health systems.

Western Arctic MP Ethel Blondin-Andrew said much of the money will go towards boosting existing aboriginal health programs, such as non-insured health benefits.

However, neither Handley, Blondin-Andrew or Assembly of First Nations vice-chief Bill Erasmus could say what share of the fund will go to the NWT.

Erasmus said he was happy enough First Nations were able to get a seat at the bargaining table.

"My advice was, let's not worry so much about where the money is supposed to go," said Erasmus.

"If you're at the trough, get the money home and we can worry about how to distribute it later."

When asked if the territorial government intends to seek a cost-sharing agreement with aboriginal governments once the money begins to roll in, Handley said no.

"What I'd like to do, starting as soon as we get more details on how this will all work, is to work with the aboriginal communities and organizations, and federal government, to make sure people are aware of what is available and how they would go about accessing the money," said Handley.

Health Minister Michael Miltenberger said last week the new health deal reached between Ottawa and the territories offers some breathing room but will likely only be enough to fund existing health care programs in the territory.

That deal offered $150 million over five years for the three territories but Miltenberger said his department is still in cost-cutting mode to pay off the GNWT debt.

Handley said he believes Miltenberger's message was that "we have a lot more needs than we have money, yet."

Nonetheless, he insisted, "we are a lot better off today than we were a week ago."