The department and the Minister has come in to much criticism for calls of resignation from different Inuit organizations with the situation regarding the Med-Emerg Report that came under attack from the NWT Medical Association. I could go on and on and on and refresh the Minister's memory if he would like to do that. I think now he has an idea of what I am speaking about.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I guess, you know like I have indicated earlier that when you are making tough decisions or trying to support boards you have to make tough decisions and try to improve the quality of service in their area. Unfortunately with change comes controversy sometimes, and you have to work your way through that. As long as you know you are making the right decision and supporting the right cause, Madam Chair. Thank you.

Thank you. Madam Chair. I have several questions, so I will just pick one here. Will the Minister review the decision to basically abandon the alternative referral camps? The alternative referral camps were outpost camps that were located, one in Pond Inlet and I think one near Iqaluit. After quite a bit of discussion with the Minister last year or about a year and a half ago, the Minister went to the per diem rate. That did not afford the camps to operate efficiently and thus in my riding, they closed the camp. Those camps, the alternate referral camps were very successful. The Minister's department even said that.

I wonder right now if the Minister could go back and look at that decision and review it to see if indeed we could hopefully get those alternate referral camps as part of community justice - they worked so well and were successful to have them review that to see if we can indeed try and get those camps back up and running?

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, we managed to expand a number of wilderness camps through some of our assistance from a capital contribution side and from continued and accelerated reinvestment in the per diem side of wilderness camps. I think it is safe to say that the larger majority of the ones that have been established continue to operate. I do not think it would be fair to change that system now and go back to having a core funding agreement with wilderness camp operators, particularly when you cannot judge what the capacity and what the client level is going to be at those camps, Madam Chair. Thank you.

I am disappointed with that answer, Madam Chair, and I will follow up with further questioning in the House. I will carry on with a new question. We have heard quite a bit of discussion over the last few weeks. And I should say that in 1996, as you know in the Hansard, I had asked questions concerning breast cancer. I would like to follow up with that question tonight. Will the Minister commit to addressing the need for a coordinated breast cancer screening and awareness program with the proper equipment in place from his department? I know in previous questions, the Minister has said it is a board concern and the board has to decide. But if we have an outbreak for example of whooping cough, does the Minister allow the board to decide if they are going to inoculate people or would he make a directive through his Medical Health Officer? So I think it is a fair question. So I am just asking if the Minister would commit to addressing the need for a coordinated breast cancer screening and awareness program with the proper equipment and hopefully review that from the departmental end. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair, Madam Chair, I indicated in a response to Mr. Ootes that I would take on the responsibility to try and coordinate the establishment of a breast cancer screening program provided that the boards felt that within their areas it was a priority as well. In order to coordinate a territorial initiative in this event, I cannot make any commitments in respect to the equipment of the Mammography machine end of things now, primarily as a result of whether there is a lot of other capital equipment priorities that the boards have pointed out. By the same token, they have also pointed out avenues of obtaining the mammography machines through other sources of funding. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Mr. Ng for confirming and committing to do that. Will the Minister commit to more than a cursory review of health matters with the boards and ongoing departmental staff to monitor the situation that has developed over the past few months in various regions of the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I have committed to that already. I believe in response to questions from other members and recognize the fact the department was probably not as involved in some of the proposed changes, particularly the Baffin and Keewatin health boards, as we should have been. We recognize that. What we have to do we said, is set up a monitoring and evaluation unit specifically for boards to ensure that their operations are consistent in meeting the needs of their residents. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Have you had any contact, Mr. Minister, with the federal government recently on the replacement of the Inuvik and Baffin hospitals? I wonder if you could update us on those negotiations?

Madam Chair, I personally have had no contact or discussions on that issue. Our officials within the Department of Health and Social Services and medical services branch or Health and Welfare Canada have had discussions I believe. From my last briefing on that matter, they are close to having a memorandum of agreement finalized in respect to some of the percentages for the replacement or for the capital investment in those two projects, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. That is indeed good news, and I hope that Minister will commit to tabling that information with the respective members. My final question Madam Chair. Has the Minister been contacted or informed of an RCMP investigation concerning a member with regard to recent media reports about an ongoing investigation with this government? Has the Minister been contacted or informed of an RCMP investigation? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. No I have not, and even if I had, it would not be appropriate to discuss it. Thank you.