Michael Miltenberger

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 13, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2011-2012, be read for the third time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There was a petition tabled in this House a number of months ago in a previous session. The Minister of Health and Social Services of the day indicated that there was a need to take a more comprehensive look on a territorial basis at midwifery services across the Northwest Territories, and should resources be available, what would be some of the options for rolling out any potential expansion of those services.

Last week, speaking as the Minister of Finance, I gave a fiscal update that indicated the financial fiscal constraints that we are under as a government and that our ability to deal with a lot of new program demands is very limited. This applies specifically as we look at the very great demand from the communities to look at service improvements. We will do what we can through the business planning process, through the forced growth that we do have available, but we are limited by our fiscal constraints that we are currently under. Through the business planning process coming up for 2012-2013...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d just like to offer up the specific commitment, proceeded by just a couple of points.

Court orders for restitution become statute barred in the Limitations of Action Act after 10 years, not six years, as with other debts. The courts will not impose additional conditions on the debtors, such as keeping the GNWT informed of their employment status, whereabouts or marital status. It is the responsibility of the party whom the judgment is in favour of to be diligent in their collection efforts, because the courts will not take further action.

Additional action can be...

This is a review of birthing services, midwifery services as it would pertain to a type of territorial system across the North. The RFP has yet to be concluded, as far as I’m aware, so there is no clear proponent that I can speak to or point to.

If I may use the specific example that the Member referenced, the midwifery review is going to look at potential birthing services in other communities across the North, keeping in mind that the Mackenzie Delta, Nahendeh, Tu Nedhe, Nunakput, Sahtu, Monfwi, and the Deh Cho have no birthing services of any kind. As we look towards what is the best service and how do we provide those services, that’s one of the key factors we have to keep in mind.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have with me Warren St. Germaine, the comptroller general for the Department of Finance. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We anticipate somewhere in the neighbourhood of $100,000 range.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our new chief public health officer, Dr. Lorne Clearsky. Dr. Clearsky is the community medicine specialist from the Waywayseecappo First Nation in Manitoba. He graduated from the University of Manitoba medical school in 1990, completed his family practice residency in 1992, and began working in northern Manitoba for five years as a fly-in physician for First Nations communities.

He comes to us from the Calgary Health Region where he was a deputy medical officer, the medical lead for the Aboriginal Health Program, and...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I am here to present Bill 5, Write-off of Debts Act, 2010-2011.

Bill 5, Write-off of Debts Act, 2010-2011, authorizes the write-off of the debts listed in the schedule to the act.

Pursuant to Section 24(3) of the Financial Administration Act, Legislative Assembly approval is required for the write-off of government assets or debts exceeding $20,000.

Pursuant to Section 82(2) of the Financial Administration Act, Legislative Assembly approval is required for the write-off of debts owed to a public agency exceeding $20,000.

I wish to emphasize that the write-off of a debt...