Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, can the Minister explain why the GNWT is responsible -- still responsible for funding Metis health benefits when in a post-Daniels case world where the federal government is supposed to be responsible for this? It seems unfair that we have to shoulder that burden when it has been proven in the courts -- or tested in the courts that it is a federal responsibility. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister mentioned that she's ready to come -- or she will be prepared to come back to the House with a plan from the public administrator to solve the problems we have in health care or at least start to solve them. When can we expect to see that plan; can we have a date? Thank you.

So for the layperson, then, a prorogued parliament is not going to delay this at all, so we should be able to move forward on this regardless of what happens in the House of Commons; is that an accurate summation of where we're at? Thank you.

Is the -- would the Minister indicate how much of this is in compensation -- direct compensation to the agencies?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, certainly, I don't think anyone expects the governance council to run day-to-day operational concerns of the health authority. My question was what does the -- what new powers -- or sorry, what did the council not have that the public administrator does? Thank you.

Thank you. Is that inclusive or additional? Thank you.

Okay, thank you for that. Can the Minister provide substantiation for the tuberculosis outbreak response. It's just under $600,000. What was that required for? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, well over a year ago we were elected to this Assembly to take drastic action to improve the state of our territory's health care. Shortly thereafter, Members convened and put together a list of urgent priorities in which access to health care took top billing. Now, a year later, meaningful progress on improving our health care services remains to be seen. Our constituents have made it clear they do not want to hear about the process and procedures that go on in this Assembly or in the authority any longer; they want action on health care. I don't blame them; I want action too.

When...

That's very close, Mr. Chair. I know the government has put in a submission to increase the borrowing limit. Can the Minister provide the House with an update on that. Thank you.

Thank you. Moving on to the costs for contract services in the Beaufort Delta, $791,000. Can the Minister provide substantiation for that as well. Thank you.