Kevin O'Reilly

Thanks, Mr. Chair. There is $100,000 listed here in the mains on this page. Another $60,000 comes from SEED. Is that what I am hearing? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the response again from the Minister but I just don't think that that deal that was signed will cut it for us, and certainly this side of the House was never really consulted in terms of what was on the table or what they actually signed off on, but Cabinet seems to think there's going to be a bunch of federal dollars that are going to rain from heaven that are going to help us meet our social infrastructure needs. So can the Minister give us any details on this funding or when we can expect some details and how this is going to help us with our long-term care...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The entire program is sunsetting at the end of this year? Is that what the Minister said? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I do appreciate the response and the work of the Minister. In an article that I'm going to table later today in the House it talks about how our territorial government, along with some provincial governments, caved in on the issue of the new healthcare agreement. As I understand it, the offer that was on the table in December was better than what we signed off for in January. So can the Minister responsible for the future of healthcare funding tell us why we signed this deal that offers us less money and will contribute very little towards our long-term care needs?

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Since the previous speaker opened the door to consideration of policy matters under corporate management, can I ask the Minister: is this where funding is found for drafting of the work that's going to get under way soon for a Mineral Resources Act, or is it found further on into the departmental budget? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I can assure the Minister that, if there are communiques and so on, that we don't always see that kind of material, so I would certainly encourage him to share it with this side of the House. Again, can the Minister commit to recommending to federal Ministers and their staff that during visits to the Northwest Territories there be meetings with Regular MLAs through the appropriate standing committees? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I'd be interested in getting that information. Just maybe one last question on this is before making a switch: what formulary might be used? Is that something that the Minister and staff would bring to the Social Development Standing Committee before making the change? I would hope that the answer's going to be yes. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

I know it is a special day, and I am really feeling the love from the other side of the House. Can the Minister, though, commit to consulting with Regular MLAs on GNWT positions and negotiations on federalprovincialterritorial agreements?

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I'm going to let the Minister personally deliver that good news to a couple of constituents who have already shelled out of their own pockets for progressive lenses. Look, okay, good thing. How do we change that crazy system, like where we don’t find out about these things? There are things that we've been trying to change for years. I personally know medical personnel who will shell out of their own pocket because of the ridiculous turnaround times or what's covered or not covered. How do we get a critical mass to change that ridiculous system? Sorry, there's a little bit...

Merci, monsieur le President. I, too, would like to recognize a constituent in the gallery, Jacq Brasseur. She is one of the delegates for the Daughters of the Vote group here in Yellowknife that's working with Equal Voice Canada. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.