Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, yes, that is an option. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister if, in looking at the option of providing health benefits to Metis in the Northwest Territories through a private insurer, it would be possible to consider allowing other people in the Northwest Territories, who don't have employer coverage or who are not covered through Indian and Northern Affairs, to purchase insurance so they can be protected from the costs of travel, medicare or drugs, if they should happen to fall ill and not be covered by their employer or another plan. Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, it may be possible to explore that and come back with that information. Mr. Speaker, with regard to Metis health benefits, as Members know, certainly within the federal domain of benefits either for status aboriginal people or extended benefits that would include Metis, it is a far more acceptable program which would not affect the overall program delivery of the Government of the Northwest Territories.

In trying to establish health care for Metis, we have to look very hard to find a way to do that and, at the same time, retain the type of financial arrangements we have with the federal government. Since there has been quite a bit of work done constitutionally and with inherent right issues, it appears that we could move with Metis health benefits without jeopardizing the overall scheme of the financial arrangements between the federal government and the Northwest Territories.

I would think that we can always take another look at that, but it would also have to be in conjunction with what it would do with the overall financing of the NWT, if you include benefits other than to aboriginal people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to make it clear that I am not advocating the erosion of medicare. What I am talking about is for the services that aren't provided

by medicare, such as more than one medical travel out which, for my constituents, can cost in the neighbourhood of $1,000 a trip. I am talking about drug costs that aren't covered by medicare. It seems to me that if an insurance scheme is being considered, which would be funded by $1 million available to provide Metis health benefits, would it not be possible for others to pay premiums and get the benefit of that kind of coverage as well as for Metis, who wouldn't have to pay the premiums. I am asking the Minister if she would look at setting up an insurance scheme that would be available to ensure that others who were not covered for these benefits that fall outside of medicare, could take the benefit of the economies of scale that may arise from setting up a new insurance scheme for Metis in the territories? Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, like I said, this would be outside the rationale for the arguments that we gave for the Metis as aboriginal people and its effect on the overall arrangements between us and the federal government. Given the Member's question on whether we would take a look at it in terms of people buying into an insurance plan, I can work on that to see what the possibilities are. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Antoine.