Thank you. The Minister for Health and Social Services, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, I am aware of the issue. Some of the reasons are that, naturally, some of them had planned on leaving the territories to resume practices in other jurisdictions. A secondary reason is there have been some changes proposed in some of the other jurisdictions in Canada in respect to changing some of the health billing number systems that they have to restrict non-residing physicians from accessing billing numbers.

Some of the physicians that operate in the Northwest Territories are concerned that they may not have an opportunity to receive or to keep their billing numbers that they have in their home jurisdictions. As a result of that, they are contemplating moving back to their home provinces, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not directly involved in those discussions. I know some of our staff are. The Stanton Regional Health Board have

actually expressed an interest to devote, through the NWT Health Care Association, devote some time to try to work out a strategy, which we are fully supportive of.

I can say to the honourable Member, right now, actually, as of the last Monday's health Ministers meeting, the health billing numbers was on the agenda for discussion in trying to have myself speak to some of my colleagues from across Canada to try to set up some kind of measure to exempt doctors operating in rural and remote locations from being impacted, so that we would not have to face the same difficulties as some of the larger jurisdictions in possibly losing some of our physicians. It is still on the agenda, nationally, health Minister wise, and it is one that I will continue to pursue, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Second supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not aware of any prospective replacements for the individuals that are contemplating leaving. I am aware of the situation and hopefully we can work our way through it so there is minimal impact, if any, on any of the service levels, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you. I will pause momentarily each and every time there is a question being asked in order to allow the interpretation to complete the interpretation for the benefit of one of our Members. Thank you. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am aware of the issue and we have been working with the health authorities in those areas to try to fill those positions. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you. The Minister for Health and Social Services, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, first of all, the department did not unilaterally cut any positions. Those positions were transferred to Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services Board in amalgamations across the whole territories effective April 1st. The funding for the mental health program was transferred intact to the regional authorities and I am not particularly sure of the particular circumstances surrounding the Inuvik board's decision on how they have dealt with the mental health worker program. I have asked and made enquiries, but to date I have not heard back on those enquiries, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Mahsi. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the value of having preventative types of individuals in communities, such as the mental health workers. What I would suggest is that the Inuvik Regional Health Board be approached. I have said that I have made enquiries already to find out the rationale for some of the changes to that program and to try to, once again, work with the communities to find a resolution to the issue, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Second supplementary, Mr. Krutko.