Mr. Chairman, I disagree with the recommendation that is being put forward by my colleagues on the Special Committee on Health and Social Services. Members will recall, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts initiated the issue of MOUs -- I cannot recall the last report that we did it in -- but we did make reference to it again in our current report. Mr. Chairman, one has to understand that the development of a memorandum of understanding is a key document which tells you the rules between the authority of the Department of Health and the board. Because we don't have an MOU in place now, we're running into a lot of problems. Most of it is coming from Department of Health officials.
Through our review of the comprehensive audit of the Department of Health, we noted that. It was reflected in our report. What we asked for was a standardized MOU so that it could be applied across the territories. Not the way that is being suggested, where various boards would have higher authority than others. I totally disagree with that. That whole issue was brought to light during the Standing Committee on Public Accounts review. It is reflected in a number of our reports and in our follow-up reports.
I'm not too sure where my colleagues from the Special Committee on Health and Services are coming from. Some Members that sit on that particular committee also sit on my committee that dealt with the issue of MOUs. I'll be voting against this particular motion because I don't believe that the level of authority should differ across the territories.
Currently, a lot of board members from boards across the territories are complaining because they are being treated differently. The Baffin, for instance, is treated differently than the Inuvik Board of Management and the Kitikmeot, and totally different from the Mackenzie, because we don't have a board in place. I know of the issue of MOUs, and what we have asked for is that MOUs be standardized so things are done equally across the territories and that was reported through the Standing Committee on Public Accounts. I'm not saying that I totally disagree with the Members, with regard to the development of MOUs. I agree with the development of MOUs but not in regard to having differing levels of authority in MOUs for various regions. I think they should be all standardized. Thank you.