Yellowknife (Apr 09/03) - Last Friday, Premier Stephen Kakfwi told the media he's been getting stopped in the streets ever since the territorial health-care deal started making headlines.

Premier Stephen Kakfwi: 'No casualties' in health battle

The deal reached April 1 allots $60 million in new health-care money over three years to be distributed equally between the NWT, Nunavut and the Yukon.

As a result, the NWT will receive $20 million above per capita funding for the next three years, which amounts to about $6.6 million of new funding.

Kakfwi said people like the deal and the comments are mostly positive.

"This is almost a month and a half ago, and we're still getting compliments," Kakfwi said in a meeting with reporters in the Great Hall at the legislative assembly. "Every day on the street. Everywhere we go. That's an incredible statement. I was just travelling in my constituency. And Calgary, Edmonton. People recognize me.

People say 'You're the premier that led the charge on health issues. Let me shake your hand.'

The territorial health-care funding agreement was officially reached April 1 after negotiations earlier this year in Toronto and Ottawa.

Specifics about where the money is going is in the hands of Health Minister Michael Miltenberger.

"I am not the minister of health," Kakfwi told reporters.

Federal Health Minister Anne McLellan is planning a trip North to meet with territorial health ministers in the near future, he added.

While Kakfwi said he would like to think the deal still would have gone through if he fought it alone, he admitted the territorial leaders put their careers "on the line" for the funding.

Kakfwi added that the territorial fight was a highlight in his career because "there were no casualties."