Floyd Roland

Mr. Chairman, the fact is that through the territorial health and social services act, we deliver health care services. There were prior arrangements with Nunavut — an arrangement made originally when Nunavut was created. That agreement has expired, and then it became a regular business relationship, month to month. So that’s the process we would operate. We were operating within the Financial Administration Act and continue to do so.

Of course, we’re getting directly involved in the collections side from FMBS and will be working with the Nunavut government to come up with some settlement, as...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since I made that commitment to Members, we’ve had staff pulling the items together to see how we would structure this and some of the initiatives in that area that could be looked at. I’m hoping we can have something for Members, at least a draft form, to review and get some input on, if not by the middle of the week, early next week.

Not getting into detailed information that would relate to individuals — that’s best for another discussion we could have — there is some debt still accruing with the arrangement we have right now with Nunavut. As Ms. LeClair pointed out, we are working to clarify that and get that rectified.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 17, Forgiveness of Debts Act, 2008–2009, be read for the first time.

Our patients who come from the Northwest Territories go through our facilities in the Northwest Territories. If we can’t provide that level of service, then they go through to Alberta.

We remain current with our billing. There may be a lag time from time to time, but we realize, for the more serious nature of health care issues, we are staying current with the Capital Health Authority.

As Members are aware, from time to time we come back to this Assembly requesting supplementary appropriations — for example, in areas of physician services outside the NWT. There is a number of lists of areas that...

There’s a number of questions there. The issue of the CEO and taking account for what’s happening within a facility is one that is accurate, but the CEOs report to boards, and boards…. We work at arm’s length through the territorial health and social services act in delivery of that service. That is one of the reasons we have to look at the boards’ and agencies’ work in this Assembly and come up with another model for delivery if we can’t get a hold of what’s going on, or change the process we’re involved in, in this environment. FMBS has worked with the authorities, and we have come up with...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, be read for the first time.

I have not spoken with the Nunavut Minister of Health and Social Services or their Finance Minister regarding this particular occasion. I have in the past regarding their receivables. We continue to work with Nunavut on trying to clarify this. I don’t know their overall expenditure and how much of the portion is equal to the GNWT.

The fact is, though, we could use that same scenario with the money that is owed, as we consider it, to the Government of the Northwest Territories from the federal government on delivery of services to aboriginal people in the Northwest Territories. As we have made...

It is reflected in these numbers. When invoices are not sent out in a timely fashion, they become, for that year, a debt owed to the authority. It continues to grow after that. That’s why we’ve become involved, now, in looking at the collections side of the ledger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Joining me at the table here to my left is Ms. Gabriela Sparling, deputy minister of Aboriginal and Intergovernmental Affairs. To my right is Mr. Richard Robertson, chief financial adviser within the Department of DAAIR.