Yellowknife (Feb 12/03) - While no new deals have been reached on Northern health-care dollars, talks are underway in Ottawa.

Meetings between premier Stephen Kakfwi's staff and the Prime Minister's Office started Tuesday, according to Drew Williams, communications officer for the premier.

"The premier's staff is in Ottawa, but nothing has resulted in a call to the premier," said Williams.

The talks are a result of the three territorial premiers last week refusing to agree to the federal deal on health funding. Out of the proposed $12 billion in funding over the next three for Canada, the territories would each get just $38 million of new money over the same time period.

Western Arctic MP Ethel Blondin-Andrew, Yukon MP Larry Bagnell and Nunavut MP Nancy Karatek-Lindell also came under fire Monday.

"It's clear that electing Liberal MPs hasn't helped Northerners get fair treatment," said NDP health critic Svend Robinson in a press release.

Blondin-Andrew told Yellowknifer she has been involved heavily in meetings to find solutions to the current health-care funding debate.

She added Robinson is more interested in making a political point than generating additional revenue for the territories.

Kakfwi and territorial Health Minister Michael Miltenberger were unavailable for comment. They are in cabinet meetings in preparation for the next sitting of the legislative assembly, which starts tomorrow.