Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I understand the question, residents of the Northwest Territories that receive services and are registered under our health care plan would fall into this category. So the type of program that we draw down or the bill system we have -- and I think that's where the confusion may lie -- is it's the type of billing we have that would fall in this category. But all residents of the Northwest Territories that have applied for health care and even those people receiving non-insured health services, as I stated earlier, it's another program directed specifically to the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, all people who receive health care services in the Northwest Territories fall under the registries portion. So individuals who receive non-insured health benefits, it's a part of the program we deliver for aboriginal peoples but they still are registered under our health care system. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the budget that has been identified is for the renovation of the facility that we've been discussing in the community of Hay River. The plan for the existing facility and future potential it may have, I have not been involved with to date. I can check with the department to see if there has been any discussion around that facility. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, it was hoped to have the start of the renovation or the project itself in the community of Hay River at some point in this fiscal year. As we're still in the planning process, we will continue that step. I'd have to get an update as to the actual timelines. I know we were trying to get something started as early as this fall, and I'm not sure where we are with those timelines. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our process for dealing with patients who cannot receive care in Canada is one that’s laid out. It’s used by other jurisdictions as well. In this case there are programs available in Canada that can be accessed and I’m not willing to go into a blow-by-blow scenario of what’s been done in this specific case. Much has been done and we will continue to work with this case to try and bring some conclusion to it. But, as Minister, I will not intervene and direct our medical staff to send individuals to different countries and so on. I will still be using the...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Frame Lake, that Bill 13, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 2006-2007, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill makes supplementary appropriations for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2006-2007 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess that is an option. If we were to lose our northern nurses and they formed an agency and then contracted the Government of the Northwest Territories, that is not something we would encourage. Ultimately, it comes back to the ability to find the dollars to do this. Hopefully, with some of our other plans in place, we will be able to start coming back to the way we have done it in the past where we hire north and keep our nurses in the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, a number of times this issue has come up. In fact, the very first time was when we took over the delivery of health care from the federal government. That was the first time it came up. It has been reviewed a number of times. This time, not in looking at making our union or setting up another union process, we would still have to follow the same rules as we do when it comes to equal pay, pay equity and those issues as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we’re basing it on the fact that the Government of the Northwest Territories needs the appropriate tools to make decisions on spending patterns. It’s not only about spending $100 million. As I stated earlier, we’re spending a billion dollars and should we as the Government of the Northwest Territories, how should we spend that money? Should it be focused on schools? Should it be focused on training programs? Should it be focused on infrastructure, airports, highways? Those are the things we have to use this piece for. In a sense, the policy will be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know the Member has issues with the macroeconomic policy. He’s made it clear since we’ve discussed this. In fact, at one point I believe he was suggesting it should go into ITI or Executive. It seems anywhere else but Finance. Now it’s why are we doing it. The fact is this issue was raised as far back as 1997 that the government should have something like this in place. A good example was, for example, when diamond mines were starting to be established should we pursue secondary industry or should we focus on taxation. That’s one of the reasons why we’re...