Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the greatest challenges facing our government today is how to preserve what is right and to fix what is wrong with our health care system. This government has spent vast sums of money on studies on how to improve our health care system. Study after study, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent on consultants. In fact, in the last two Assemblies it is in the millions of dollars.
Mr. Speaker, we have seen a plan to address critical needs shaping our future. A strategic plan for health and wellness, community wellness, working together for community wellness, a directions document, the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services strategic plan or otherwise referred to as Med-Emerg Study. The Med-Emerg Study alone cost this government $780,000. Now I understand that there is another initiative underway, the Forum on Health and Social Services. In the last government, we also had a similar forum coordinated by a special committee on Health and Social Services. People all over the Northwest Territories were able to add their input through over 200 workshops, meetings, and other public events. We should, by now, know what we want.
Mr. Speaker, every dollar that we spend on consultants' workshops, meetings, travel and committees is another dollar that we take away from our health services. After all these studies, I think we know what we need and what we want to do. Mr. Speaker, I know that we can work together to solve this problem and find a northern answer to this very northern challenge. I ask both sides of this House to proactively work on this problem. I suggest that we start by using the data that we have already gathered and spend proposed funding for further studies on taking care of our people. Study time is over, Mr. Speaker, and it is time to get down to work. It is good to seek input from other people, but, as leaders, I think that the people expect us to stop asking questions at some point and start answering them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
--Applause