Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the Member's concerns and we will try to not make it too stringent given that we would like to make sure that it meets the needs of all organizations who are trying to access the funding. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've said in this House that I was opposed to the elimination of the regional Personnel offices. With the regional Personnel offices being eliminated, my question is who will be in place in the regions to counsel the laid-off employees, including the people in Personnel who will be laid off themselves. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Premier, Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, to me, it's farcical to believe that by eliminating, for example, four positions in Personnel in the Baffin region that this government will save money when now the GNWT will have to hire personnel or staffing people for those other departments. Mr. Speaker, my supplementary question for the Minister responsible for the Personnel Secretariat, in this case, Mr. Arlooktoo: How many new employees will this government have to hire by eliminating regional Personnel offices to staff similar positions within the department? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, the Member can appreciate that this portfolio is normally handled by the Premier and I'm not as well-versed as he is in the followings of department. However, I am informed that there will be no new employees hired because of this initiative. Any

personnel functions will be dealt with within the departments with existing resources.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Ootes.

The Deputy Premier, Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, the honourable Manitok Thompson, will be attending the meeting in Inuvik, along with some senior officials from the Department of MACA and from the Premier's office.

Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, I'm informed that, as usual, the NWT Association of Municipalities will be discussing a very wide range of issues, including the theme of their conference, which is empowerment of communities. I do have a copy of their agenda, which I would be more than pleased to pass on to the Member for his information.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Health explain the recently announced tender call for all medical travel, referral and medevac travel, including ticketing functions?

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it wasn't an actual proposal call at this time; it was advance notice to the industry to advise them that in the future the department may be looking at actually going to proposal calls for some of those areas of medical travel, ticketing for the travel, et cetera. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate hearing that. Mr. Speaker, this type of tender will probably squeeze out a lot of the smaller travel agents who will not have the financial resources to carry these types of commitments. Mr. Speaker, my supplementary question, then: Will the Minister review the tender call proposal to see if there could be more equity for smaller agents, for example, in Iqaluit or Rankin Inlet, so they can compete on this proposal or tender? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Ng.