Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The standing committee on finance had a few specific concerns about the 1992-93 capital budget for the Department of Health. In general the committee is concerned, as is the cabinet, about the spiralling costs of delivering health care services throughout the NWT. Innovative ways and creative ways have to be looked at to see where we can control these costs. However, we would like to make it clear that this should not occur by cutting the level or quality of service available to any of our citizens.
Clearly we must look inward when we look for savings. For example, when I speak about this issue I am reminded that the Department of Health has four boardrooms in the same building and, frankly, the committee wonders if they are all really necessary. Mr. Chairman, the committee will be looking at this issue in much more detail when we examine the operations and maintenance budget for this department in the summer.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, there has been much talk about the NWT Way that the department is proposing for the delivery of health care. The standing committee on finance would like to make it clear that approval of this department's capital budget should not be seen as an endorsement of this proposed policy. Much more debate remains before this policy gains the acceptance of the committee, or for that matter, of this House.