Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would have to refer that to the Minister responsible for the Department of Finance. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. The Minister has answered the question. However, Ministers cannot refer questions to other Ministers. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me how far along this project was in the planning stages? I know a call for proposals went out to see if there was interest. I believe there was a request for proposals after that once it was short-listed. Would the Minister tell me how far along this project was while it was still a P3 project?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not have that information in hand. I will have to get back to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister also tell me exactly how much money was spent on consultation with the different parties in compiling a proposal for the possibility of going with a P3 on this project?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, Mr. Speaker, I do not have that information here at the moment. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister make an attempt to get us this information before the closure of the House on Friday so we can have a chance to possibly ask him a few more questions on this? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services. Last week, there was a provincial-territorial meeting of health Ministers. Apparently, we did not deem it important enough to send Mrs. Groenewegen to these meetings.

This week, we have a federal-provincial-territorial meeting of health Ministers. Mr. Rock is in attendance. I am wondering if this is an important enough meeting for us to send our health Minister to? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct. There was a meeting last week of provincial-territorial health Ministers. It was held in Montreal. It was a strategizing meeting. I was able to save the government significant money by attending this meeting by conference call.

-- Applause

We did receive a report of that strategy session. Subsequently, the Premiers of the provinces and territories met to discuss the outcome of the Montreal meeting. Mr. Kakfwi was kind enough to invite me to sit in on that and hear what the agenda was going to be, as a result of the meeting in Montreal.

In fact, tomorrow in Toronto, there is a meeting with Allan Rock of provincial and territorial health Ministers. If I left at 5:00 p.m. I could still be there by tomorrow morning.

Again, it has turned into an inter-governmental and Premiers' issue. We know what the agenda is going to be and I would be happy to share that with the Members. Again though, I am torn between my responsibilities in this House. The interim appropriation for my department has been deferred and has not yet been passed. My loyalties are to the House. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would love to see that agenda. I am sure, front and centre on that agenda, is the fact that the provinces and territories need more money for health care. Maybe the Minister can tell us if she feels we have enough money? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, no, we do not have enough money for health. One of the items that will be discussed at the meeting in Toronto tomorrow morning, is the Canada Health and Social Transfer. This is something that has been raised with the federal government since the recent federal budget, which did not restore the CHST to former levels. The request has been to restore it to the levels that were in place before the significant reductions in the mid 1990s.

The items on the agenda at the Toronto meeting tomorrow are the CHST restoration, issues of cost drivers, and potential prospects for the reform of the health care systems. Mr. Speaker, for every billion dollars the federal government announces, our government does receive approximately $1.2 million in health funding. I am sure the message will be delivered very capably to Allan Rock tomorrow that the CHST funding should be restored. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It sounds like we are making out like bandits. I am wondering if the Minister can tell us if she feels that this would be a worthwhile meeting and that she should be in attendance. Given that she is torn between her responsibilities here and there, should she not be there?

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.