Thank you, Mr. Henry. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I cannot commit to decide to move money halfway through a year. I think we recognize the importance of trying to put some of the focus on prevention. There is no doubt in our minds that, in the long term, we have to deal with some of these costs to try to keep them in line. Our system would not be sustainable otherwise. I think what does not show in our budget, but the initiative you have heard many times in this House, which Mr. Dent has the lead for, is the Early Childhood Intervention Initiative, where all those dollars are spent directly towards preventative types of programs. This government is trying to shift some of their dollars from treatment to prevention. It is just different aspects and different departments, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a final comment. I would preface it by saying I believe all of us are negligent at some time in asking for information that we believe we need, and I do not doubt that many times those requests we may consider small, put the department to a lot of work. But I would really like to see this information. Especially if it is not a lot of excess work for the department, to see figures from the last five years on a percentage of the budget that we spend on treatment as opposed to prevention. If the Minister could provide some type of a capsulization of those figures, I would appreciate it. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. I did not hear the question, but there were some implications. Perhaps the Minister wants to respond to the honourable Member. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, yes, we will obtain that information and provide it. Thank you.

Thank you. Total operations and maintenance is $98,587,000. Agreed?

Agreed.

Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, in reference to the Arviat Health Centre. Last year, as we know, the money that was approved for the Centre was moved elsewhere, and the Minister indicated that he would give a priority to see this facility constructed. What priority has he given to the Arviat Health Centre in this year's budget?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Although it is not in community program services, it will be in the capital end of things, since the Honourable Member brought it up.

Mr. Chairman, we have not been able to designate dollars for this coming fiscal year for any significant start of construction. I have acknowledged the issue and the need still in Arviat. The plan was, Mr. Chairman, quite frankly, if we got to that point this fall with the strategic plan that allowed the Inuvik and Iqaluit hospitals to proceed, we would need a major capital injection of non-government dollars to facilitate those projects. And at that time I would also have put in place the possibility of additional capital dollars for other health facility needs throughout the Northwest Territories, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Thank you. The honourable Member for Kivallivik, Mr O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Is the Minister saying that the Arviat Health Centre is contingent on the results of the Med-Emerg study and the actual funding they are looking at through that avenue?

Thank you. The honourable Minister Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, it is not entirely contingent upon that, but it is certainly one factor. Because of the magnitude of the Iqaluit and Inuvik fiscal needs, it would make it easy to roll in some other fiscal needs as a package when we went for some possible private financing for health capital facilities, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Med-Emerg study and the private funding, and so on that the Minister speaks of... Looking on the down side, and Floyd, I do not want you to get disillusioned over this, but if it should not happen, what comfort level can the people of Arviat look forward to in reference to the construction of a new health centre? What priority, and when could we see this?

Thank you. That is asking the opinion of a Minister, but I will allow the question. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, it would still be a high priority in the capital needs of the department, but again, I would say that the department is strapped as far as capital dollars go in allocations when it comes to meeting our capital needs, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. The honourable Member for Arviat, Kivallivik, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Can the Minister provide any assurances that, before the life of this Assembly expires, will the community of Arviat see a new health centre? Thank you.

What I said, Mr. O'Brien, was inadvertent. I did not mean to call you a Member for Arviat. It was inadvertent. Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I could not make any commitments at this time because of the fact that we do not know our total fiscal needs. We can only make predictions on some of the forced growth issues and other factors that pressure the department in their fiscal needs. I will say that I have committed to the honourable Member to try to do everything we can to bring it on line before the end of this Assembly. I am hoping, first of all, for the possibility of some private financing as a package for health capital needs will be there. Failing that, I will have to go back to the drawing table and look at other options, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.