Thank you. Mr. Gargan.

Mr. Chairman, with regard to the transfer initiatives, in order for anything to be supported, I would think we would be looking at many people being consulted as to whether they support that initiative. What are we looking at with regard to this department's transfer initiative? Who are you looking at as the political body representing the community? If you are looking at the Metis Association, I would appreciate you saying that. If it is the band or the hamlet, I would appreciate you saying that. If it is the health board, I would appreciate something like that. However, I do not appreciate the fact that you are suggesting unless there is 100 per cent support nothing is happening. I do not appreciate your department using one political body against the other, of course that is a good way of stalling things forever if that is your direction or your intent. Can you tell me if your department is going to be supporting community transfer initiatives?

The honourable Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. When the communities make requests for community transfer, whether it may be a hamlet, band council or Metis Association, all of those bodies or organizations represent a portion of the community. So, it is important if there is going to be community transfers that the group majority of the community supports the idea of transfer of the program. Thank you.

Thank you. The honourable Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you. In fact, regardless of whether the Metis Association represents ten per cent of the population, 20 or 25 percent for that matter, their decision is fairly well determined regardless of whether the band council represents 75 per cent of the community.

Thank you. The honourable Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. No, it does not. The thing is, because they are the community members as well, it is important if there are two organizations, as one is for and one is against. I think something should be worked out. Thank you.

Thank you. The honourable Member for Deh Cho.

If you agree with that then what are you doing to work it out?

Thank you. The honourable Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do not think it is the department's responsibility to push these two organizations, which are representatives of the community, to work together. The initiative has to come from the community. Thank you.

Thank you. Honourable Member for Deh Cho.

Mr. Chairman, during the first week of February there was a motion passed by the regional council with regard to supporting the transfer of responsibility of community health representatives to the band council. There was no opposition to that and letters were sent to everyone including myself as well as the regional direction, the CHRs, Tom Mackenzie, and also to the Metis Association and the regional directors. The Minister indicated she received a letter from the Metis Association, and it did not support the initiative. Can I ask the Minister the reasons why they were not in support of it? Obviously, you do have the letters or you would not have mentioned them.

Thank you kindly. Dr. Kinloch. The honourable Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have the letter but I am not going to try and say what the letter said word for word because I do not want to misquote the Metis Association. I have the correspondence at my desk, Mr. Chairman. If you would allow me to get it I could provide it to the Member.

Thank you. Perhaps you could send someone. We will move on. Details of grants and contributions. Contributions, $88.197 million.

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Grants and contributions, $88.197 million. Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I had raised my hand when you were calling this out, but I wanted to find out from either the Minister or the deputy minister how much was saved by not appointing members to the boards from the communities. When we were saying there was a restraint the government took the position that members would not be appointed to boards if they were vacant. I wanted to find out if they know how much was saved by not appointing members to the boards.

Thank you. Madam Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do not have the exact figures, but it would be around $50,000.

Thank you. Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I know Mrs. Marie-Jewell spoke on this a little bit yesterday, but I want to raise this again with the Minister just to indicate that I support the changing of legislation to make board members elected by the communities. I indicated in an earlier statement that the community of Arviat had not been represented on the regional health board for approximately one year and a half. From December, 1991, to March, 1992, there was a restraint program, so the Minister was not able to appoint a member from the community of Arviat. From April to the fall of 1992, we had a shuffle of the Cabinet, and had a number of different Ministers of Health in that period of time. Again, the community of Arviat got caught in the middle of that due to the shuffle which the Cabinet was going through and has resulted in a member from Arviat not being represented on the Keewatin regional health board. I would like, for the record, to say that I would support any move that Cabinet makes toward having the regional health boards elected by the communities. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.