Jane Groenewegen

Clause 2.

Agreed. Thank you. Does the committee agree that Bill 9 is ready for third reading?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have more questions for the Honourable David Krutko, Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, as a preamble to this set of questions, I want to say that on our pre-budget consultation, and what we’ve heard for years in the North, is that we have a critical shortage of adequate, affordable housing. It is a mandate of this government to address that need. I have no problem with investing money; however, I have a huge problem with wasting money. That’s the crux of the questions that I am asking today. For the Minister’s...

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Any further general comments?

Clause 3.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently $30 million of the Housing Corporation money has been transferred to ECE. Was there a reduction in the staff numbers in headquarters as a result of that transfer? Thank you.

Thank you. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. General comments. Okay, Bill 9, Municipal Statutes Amendment Act. Clause 1.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development met on October 11, 2005, to review Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act. Following the clause-by-clause review, a motion was carried to report Bill 8 to the Assembly as ready for Committee of the Whole. This concludes the committee's general comments on Bill 8. Individual committee members may have questions or comments as we proceed. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. For all intents and purposes, the old system of privately owned clinics run by physicians on a fee-for-service was private health care to some extent. What is the rule, or what would the opinion be now, of the Department of Health and Social Services if a physician wanted to come to Hay River or Yellowknife or Inuvik, set up a private clinic and bill the government on a fee-for-service basis? Seriously, it could run some very serious competition on the system that we have got right now. What would be the response of the department to such a proposal? Thank you.