I will certainly endeavour to look into the matter and see if we can expand the program, as my colleague outlined, to departments that may not be doing it at this time. I cannot make any commitment today as to whether we can complete this by division. We have got 200 systems right now and we are only working on four for April 1st, so the work load is pretty heavy. Certainly I will look into it and I think it is a fair question and probably a good method in which people can get compensated in a timely manner. If it is doable we will certainly do it and I will look into it. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that and I think his encouragement to northern businesses is commendable and it is consistent also. I would like to ask the Minister if he would commit to having his officials look at it and report back to this House at the next sitting, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you. Mr. Todd.

I think that is a fair request, Mr. Speaker. Certainly.

Thank you. Oral questions. The Member for High Arctic, Mr. Barnabas.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I understand that last summer there were renovations done in Arctic Bay to the RWED office. I understand the contract was awarded to a southern company from Edmonton. I would like to ask the Minister responsible for contracting, Mr. Antoine, why the contract was awarded to the southern company, when the government has business incentive policies, to award

contractors from local communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Minister responsible for Public Works and Services, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have to take the question as notice because I do not have details on that specific question. Thank you.

Thank you. The Minister is taking the question as notice. Oral questions, Mr. Picco.

Thank you. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if an individual happens to, for whatever reason, become deceased while outside the territories for medical treatment it is our responsibility to bring that individual back to their home community for their burial services. With respect to the issue of compassionate travel, as you know this has been an ongoing issue to all boards and health professionals and certainly to politicians that have brought up the issue.

As I have indicated in the past, we have a lot less flexibility now because of more demands on our services and our focus on providing core health programs before we enter into any of these auxiliary support programs such as escort travel. However, in the instances of required medical escorts, where if the patient happens to be a minor or is a unilingual individual that needs or is not capable of travelling on their own, then certainly those provisions are allowed to assist those individuals that need that assistance, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, where are those provisions outlined?

Thank you. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe they are outlined in the policies that the boards have in respect to medical travel. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the policies that the boards follow, are those GNWT developed policies, authorized policies from the GNWT or actually those policies that the board can come up with? For example, if a health board in particular would like to finance, if they had it within their budget, medical escort travel or compassionate travel, are they able to do that or do they have to follow this policy which is set by the territorial government? Maybe the Minister could give us some clarification. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe they are policies of our Ministry of Health that we provide to the boards, but to ensure that is the case I will find out and advise the Member. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to Mr. Todd, the Minister responsible for FMBS and it relates to the proposed economic strategy that is being put in place. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me whether or not the new Department of Sustainable Development for Nunavut is involved in this study?

Thank you. Minister for the Financial Management Board, Mr. Todd.