Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Steen on September 16, 1998, on additional funding on purchase of calcium chloride for Tuktoyaktuk.

Under the Municipal Operating Assistance Program, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs provides funding to communities for road maintenance and dust control. To maintain fairness and equity in the distribution of the funding available for dust control, each community's share is determined by a formula that is based on the total kilometres of eligible roads within the community. This fiscal year, the hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk will receive $55,067 for dust control purposes.

The department is aware of the hamlet's request for additional funding for dust control this year. Staff from the department's regional office are working with the community to review this problem. Should the inventory of eligible roads in Tuktoyaktuk be greater than previously calculated, an adjustment will be considered in future years. Thank you.

Thank you, honourable Minister. Returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Enuaraq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to recognize Joelie Sanguya from Clyde River. Joelie Sanguya was a teacher in Clyde River for so many years. Thank you.

--Applause.

Thank you. Welcome to the Assembly. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Madame Thompson.

Thank you. Welcome to the Assembly. We all say hi to his friends in Rankin Inlet. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Steen.

Thank you. I heard two questions. The honourable Minister for Health and Social Services, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will check with the information the honourable Member has provided in respect to the issue if, in fact, there is a concern about meningitis. I would like to assure the Member and his constituents if there is a situation, where there are immediate needs to be addressed because of an outbreak of some form of virus or infectious diseases, certainly the resources would be put into that community right away to contain and deal with that. That is our obligation to address that need.

In respect to the question about reporting back on the situation, the status of Tuktoyaktuk, his health centre. I have no problems with doing that, Mr. Speaker. We will get the information as fast as we can and report back. Thank you.

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

Thank you. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we will put it together as quickly as we can. If we fail to be able to provide it before the House recesses, then certainly the information will be provided as soon as possible. After that, whether it is directly, in written correspondence or verbally or both. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Second supplementary, Mr. Steen.

Thank you. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not certain of which team of individuals the honourable Member refers to, but I can speak in respect on the Health and Social Services side. When the issue of all the concerns that came out of the Keewatin as a result of activities that are taking place, we made a commitment to establish a board support system with the department that works directly with boards. That is why we are cognizant of the issue of the recruitment and retention issue that we are facing right now, particularly in the nursing section throughout the territories.

In response, that unit is still available and working with the boards to gather the information and to try to assist in putting together a work plan to address the issue. There is also another aspect of the whole recruitment and retention plan, was having a pool of health professionals available to be based, first of all in Stanton, here in Yellowknife, to be accessible primarily to their service area right now and to provide some relief when it is required for communities or health centres that may be under stress as a result of having a shortage of health care personnel. That unit is still being in the process of being established. I do not know exactly to date how many people they have on site or available. I will check into that and report back. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. The Member for Hay River, Mrs. Groenewegen.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will endeavour to get to my colleague as I did the other day, as quickly as possible, the answer to the question she raised and I could not answer the other day as quickly as I can. I am really confused. I think what my colleague is saying is the strategy we are putting in place and the monies we are spending, which I disagree with her on, I think it is money well spent, is that expenditure critical to get into the tax window and to get into some of these other initiatives. I think that is what being said. I believe it is, Mr. Speaker.

We have simply got to build the case and document and coordinate an overall approach to the federal government. It is no different than spending $2 million on a road strategy. Mr. Antoine simply has got to take a look at the technical aspects of it, the feasibility aspects of it, the political aspect of it, et cetera. It is no different than what we are doing here.

With all due respect to my colleague, I disagree. I think this money is well spent. From what I have seen so far, in my discussions with the public and the response I had, as early as today, the numerous phone calls I have got, there seems to be support for it and it is money being well spent. Now I hope I have been able to answer the question. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you. Mr. Todd.