Stephen Kakfwi: "The mood in the room during the talks last Thursday was positive."

This funding would be in addition to whatever the NWT is entitled to on a per capita basis, said Kakfwi from a First Ministers conference on health.

Under the proposal, half of one per cent of the total health care funding dollars from Ottawa would go to the territories. Kakfwi said that would mean an extra $20 million for the NWT.

"We need special attention in the North," Kakfwi said. "It's different from downtown Toronto, Edmonton or Vancouver. Per capita funding doesn't do it for us."

Huge jurisdictions with a scattering of small communities that are predominantly aboriginal and have a lower standard of living and health conditions drives up the cost of medical and hospital services in the NWT, Kakfwi said.

At the end of Thursday's meetings, first ministers agreed that providing health care to small populations spread over vast geographical areas represent "severe challenges to the limited financial resources of the three territorial governments," said Kakfwi.

The premiers met in Toronto to hammer out plans they will bring to the first ministers conference in Ottawa on Feb. 4-5.

The bond between the territories was so strong, even Premier Ralph Klein, who has locked horns with the NWT in the past, was supportive of the new territorial health care plan, Kakfwi said.

"We have differences," Kakfwi said. "Premier Klein had taken a position against Kyoto. I take a position in favour of it. But he was very supportive of the discussions we've had together here."

The mood in the room during the talks last Thursday was positive, Kakfwi said.

"Premiers have said they're not interested in fighting and playing political games with the federal government," Kakfwi said. "The prime minister has said he's not interested in that either. I hope the prime minister will find a way to address our accord and embrace it."

During Thursday talks, Prime Minister Jean Chretien released a letter to the ministers saying revamping health care is a must. But they have to be careful about going into debt.

Chretien did not say how much new money will be channelled into health care. That announcement will be made in February at the ministers conference, he said.

The Romanow Commission suggested that $15 billion had to be pumped into health care by 2005.