Bob Bromley

I just want to be clear. I know the Minister made a clear commitment not to drop these programs, if it’s not renewed that we would fund them. Obviously, if we get to that point, we’ll be asking some hard questions because the money has to come from somewhere. I just appreciate being on top of that and knowing what the timing is.

The emergency medical records, we’re hoping they will lead to some savings. I’m just wondering if that is still considered a potential as well as a more effective health care delivery. Is there a potential we will realize some savings from it as well?

Thanks to the Minister for those comments. I take his point there. My concern remains for Stanton. As the Minister knows, we had a tour of Stanton not so long ago, a matter of days or a couple weeks. I think there are some real obvious difficulties there. I guess I’m asking, how are we handling that situation and how is it not reflected in this when it’s clear that there’s a very inefficient delivery of health services at Stanton. Our needs are increasing. I think it was something like 20,000 when it was designed for 10,000 visits and it’s actually handling 20,000 visits now. If I could get...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to follow up on a couple of things on the Territorial Health System Sustainability Initiative. The Minister mentioned that was coming to an end. He’s responsible for negotiating, hopefully, a new one. What fiscal year does it end, will it no longer be active?

Thank you for that. I never would have guessed that, so I appreciate that information. Would we know what proportion of that $152.568 million is travel? I see it’s on the next page. I withdraw any further questions. Thank you.

Just to remind the Minister, he didn’t say good idea, he said great idea. I just want to keep things going there.

As we know, a brand new GNWT office building is going up right here in Yellowknife. One of the things taken into account in the design of the building is, or should be, the design of viewing spaces. This is established practice in Europe, integrating culture into public life. The new office building presents an ideal opportunity to develop and implement the policy while ensuring a start on rolling this practice out across our facilities.

Will the Minister commit to pursue and...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It’s just a sort of semantics here, but I’m wondering where the travel budget is for authorities. I think each division here has travel. Does it include travel by authorities or is it essentially in the $34.992 million? It’s just not broken out here. Is that correct? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Huge benefits accrue from investing in our artists and their industry. The 2011-12 economic review shows the arts and crafts industry produced about $7 million. Three thousand NWT residents participated in producing some form of art or craft for sale, although most earned less than $1,000 a year on their sales.

Spending in the cultural sector multiplies enormously. For every million dollars of output, the arts sector generates 13 jobs, compared to only one job by the diamond mining industry. We have a good start, and since 2007 we have increased annual arts funding from...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just the last item on the page. I see we’re down about half a million bucks for health promotion and prevention activities by the authorities. I guess I’m wondering why the drop there from $715,000 to $221,000 there in this fiscal year. How’d we do with the $715,000 in terms of promotion and prevention activities in ‘12-13 and why the cut there by 70 percent? Thank you.

I guess I’m disappointed that we’re not identifying new dollars for this year, but I appreciate the Minister’s answer there. I will just mention that the Healthy Families program is what I consider promotion and prevention. It’s the number one program in the promotion and prevention. I know we’re going to be speaking to that throughout the department here, but I want to raise that flag.

I guess my last question. Do we have regional programs? I know in Yellowknife we have a number of homes for people who require supportive living. It’s almost independent supported living, but often in groups. I...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess I just want to start by saying I support my colleagues on this demand for midwifery service now in Hay River. I recognize that we could do public consultation on this, but I don’t see any conflict with getting something going now. I am surprised by the Minister’s question about why are we pushing this. I wish he’d had time to go out and speak to the young ladies, young families, moms and dads and kids that were walking outside the building here a couple days ago. The demand is there. People want it and they want it now.

We have had programs. We’ve cut back on our...