Thank you, Mr. Picco. Mr. Picco, I must rule your question out of order. That question was asked already today. New question. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will just rephrase the question. My question is for the Premier. Is there a penalty for circumventing the Financial Administration Act? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will look into that issue for the Member and I will get back to him. I will take the question as notice. Thank you.

That was taken as notice. Oral questions. Mr. Krutko.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, first of all, it is not for me to reinstate the funding. As I indicated in past answers to this question, the funding from the department did go through the Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services Board. It was a board decision to make some amendments and some changes to some of the programming that they provided to their service area. I have committed to try to find out the rationale for the decision and report back to the Member on that. In that respect, I cannot make that commitment on behalf of the board because we give them the authority to make those types of decisions, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as all Members know, we have aggressively moved dollars out into the regional health and social services boards to give them some flexibility in handling the multitude of programs that we fund under this government to give them the authority to designate their own priorities in delivery of programs. I cannot speak for decisions made at the regional level in how they choose to provide those services, provided that the basic service levels are met. I would have no reason to intercede and try to impose any changes, Mr. Speaker. I think the issue should adequately, should appropriately be addressed to the regional health and social services board, as I have indicated in the past. We are certainly supportive of trying to attempt to assist in getting that information and trying to facilitate any changes that may make things more appropriate, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said in the past, the Department of Health and Social Services did provide intact all the funding that they provided in past years for the Mental Health Worker Program. I cannot speak to the honourable Member's letter that he has because it has not been tabled or has not been shown to me so I will speak to the Member about it after the Session, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated in the past, because it is an issue for the honourable Member for the communities that he represents, I will now aggressively try to get the information from the Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services Board to find out exactly what the rationale was for the decision in respect to the Mental Health Worker Program that they have terminated, to my understanding. I will commit to the Member that I will, right after today's session, try to get in touch with the Inuvik Health Board and find out what the circumstances are regarding their decision on this program. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. Looking at the summary of the third quarter contract reports, I see that this government spends almost $20 million on sole sourced contracts for southern suppliers. We have often talked about the benefits of keeping the dollars in the north. I would like to know what we are doing to identify the areas where we use southern suppliers and then to offer support and incentives to northerners to provide these same products and services?

Mr. Premier.