Mr. Chairman, I think the boards wanted to take the memorandum of understanding away. It was agreed that we would deal with it in April. At that time, I am expecting some concrete results and some decisions to be made.
Mr. Chairman, I am hoping that this memorandum of understanding, that previous Ministers have worked on, will be the solution to the problem that exists between the Department of Health and health and hospital boards at the present time. They merely see us, at times, as a funding agency. We just pay the bills. Through no fault of their own, they have become very independent, so they only look at their own particular region, their own particular area of the Northwest Territories. I am trying to convince them, as have previous Ministers, that we are in this together. There is only a certain amount of money that is available in the Northwest Territories. If one region overspends, then it is really taking money away from another region. If one region does something differently, where it may be the same common treatment or service that is available across the Northwest Territories, then that one region that is out of step is really affecting everybody in the Northwest Territories.
I am hoping that we can come to some terms in this memorandum of understanding to collectively say, "This is how we regard each other. This is what the Department of Health does. This is what we accept the boards will do." Other boards will say, "We understand that all boards are going to do things in this particular fashion." If we are successful in that, Mr. Chairman, then I think many of the problems that are perceived out there right now will go away. If we are not successful in reaching that kind of accord, then we will have to take another look at it. I am hoping to have something fairly certain by April, when we sit down with the boards, and to have that put in place as soon as possible. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.