Kevin O'Reilly

Thanks, Mr. Chair. So just before we get too much more into the departmental budget, are there any other changes to the main estimates that we should know about? I'll leave it at that. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thanks to the Minister for that answer. So one of the two positions in Inuvik is not going to be eliminated, but there is an additional position in Yellowknife that's going to be eliminated. So the total is still 98? Thanks Mr. Chair. Sorry, again, I am just worried that we're not dealing with the same main estimate page that the Minister seems to be dealing with, so that's going to cause a problem. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Looking at page 173, and I see that there is a reduction in staff of two people in this activity area. Can someone tell me what is going on? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. That is helpful. I look forward to hearing more information about it from both Ministers. I know there has been some discussion about how we can get the message out better about the impacts of tobacco, particularly to young people and people in small communities where the rates are higher. What is the department looking at in terms of tailoring its communications efforts and overall programming to try to reduce tobacco use amongst youth and in small communities? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Once again, I would like to thank the Minister for that commitment. I look forward to sitting in on that briefing. A number of training standards certification issues have been identified in past reports on midwifery. Can the Minister tell me what steps are being taken now and with what partners to ensure training and administrative oversight needs are in place to launch the programming once it is funded?

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, that is helpful to know. This is the predicted savings. I guess I am just trying to figure out next year, a year from now, business plans in the fall. I will ask then: how did the prediction work out? Is that something the department intends to sort of report on somehow in the business plan for next year, where we are at and how we are doing with the anticipated reduced use of locums? I am just wondering where that is going to be reported and tracked, or do I just have to ask at the next business plan? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I would like the Minister of Health and Social Services to give us the current state of affairs on development and implementation of midwifery services on a regional and territorial basis. Given that the latest on midwifery does not present a solid path or timeline towards a Northwest Territories midwifery program, what concrete steps are being taken by the Minister to implement midwifery across the Northwest Territories? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I think I can teach the Minister a few things about growing carrots, if he is ever interested. Well, we have fruits, too. I have raspberries at the side of the house, but we can have a separate conversation about that. Okay. That all sounds all right. There is, I think, a 5 per cent reduction of locums used in the business plan here, and that is supposed to save $900,000. Can someone just explain to me what this is about and how we can anticipate that somehow these locums, their work is going to be reduced by 5 per cent? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I have no further sections on this section. Thank you.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, I'm trying to determine where in the departmental budget the -- well the agricultural strategy implementation is in this section, at least $50,000 of it, from schedule 3 of the business plan, but I think the Minister talked about there being $498,000 for the agricultural strategy. So can he tell me what the $50,000 in this activity is for and where the rest of the money is found? Thanks, Mr. Chair.