Ultimately the government did make the right decision and listened to the Regular Members of this House and listened to the public across the Northwest Territories who suggested that it was the wrong decision. I’m glad that they did eventually listen.

I’d like to ask the Minister, I know that he’s privy to the discussions on the 11 or 12 positions that were needed at ECE to administer the program. Even though it doesn’t fall under the mandate of the Housing Corporation, I know he’s been involved in discussions with his counterpart in ECE on those positions and what the status is of the HR plan...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of the Housing Corporation. Getting back to my Member’s statement, obviously the decision of the last government to transfer responsibility for social housing was a decision of the last government, Mr. Speaker. For however long I think about this, I’ll never ever comprehend or understand why that decision was made in the first place, but I want to get back to something else I spoke about in my statement. That is responsibility.

This government was elected in 2007 and it took them over two years to reverse that decision. One of the first...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to join my colleagues today in talking about housing.

Having been a Member of this House for the past several years, I must say I’ve been witness to some very bad and costly decisions that governments have made over the years. One of the most ridiculous and bizarre moves came when the last government decided to transfer responsibility for social policy and the $34 million to administer it from the Housing Corporation to ECE. The fact is, Regular Members in the last government told the government not to do it, but it didn’t matter because, Mr. Speaker, a funny...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 66-16(5), Northwest Territories Capital Estimates 2011-2012, be now concluded, and that Tabled Document 66-16(5) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions again today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services, getting back to my Member’s statement.

I talked earlier about the growing deficits at both Stanton authority and other authorities around the Territories. Mr. Speaker, around this country, other provinces and territories are taking quite seriously the growing cost to deliver and provide health care services to their residents, and I just do not see the determination or the effort being put forward by our government when it comes to addressing these ever-growing costs. In fact, the way we manage...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move to report progress.

---Carried

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is very easy to criticize. I like to be critical of the government from time to time, but I also want to give my suggestions to government and a suggestion, Mr. Speaker, if I could give that to the Minister, would be to look at the authorities and change the way they operate. Take away the management aspect. Make them advisory boards, if anything, and, to me, if you are looking for efficiencies, that is where you are going to find it. It doesn’t make any sense to have eight different authorities in the Territories with 42,000 people in it. If you are looking for...

I thank the Minister for that. I think that’s the right approach and we should be pursuing that, but how are we going to get there? I’ve been here seven years and the Minister’s been here longer than that -- 12 years or 11 -- and these are problems that have been ongoing. They’ve been a problem since the day I got here. I want to believe what the Minister is saying, but how is she sure that come next year when Members go into the business plans, is she saying that the health budget is going to be increased by 10 percent, and where is that money supposed to come from, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a number of questions and perhaps I’ll get on the list again and hopefully get another set of questions. I’d like to ask the Minister, if we’re part of the agreement already, are we today bulk purchasing with the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan, Mr. Speaker? Is that true? Thank you.

I thank the Minister for that. I guess, you know, she said she’s leading the way on developing partnerships with western provinces on bulk purchasing of medical supplies and equipment. Last summer the governments of British Columbia and Alberta signed an agreement to co-purchase health care equipment. Just recently there was another agreement signed by the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan on bulk purchasing medical supplies and equipment. Where was the Government of the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker? Where was the Minister when it came time to sit down at the table...