Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I also have a concern with the Inuvik Hospital being built and replaced. Hearing that they are going to have to start from ground zero, I have many concerns. There has been a lot of work done on this. We were told in the 13th Assembly that this was to become a P3 project. A request for proposals went out. Money has been spent on feasibility studies and blueprints have been identified.
The federal government has committed to paying 64 percent of the cost of building this hospital. Mr. Speaker, 64 percent is in the area of $16 million that the federal government is committing to pay as their share of the cost. The Government of the Northwest Territories' share is around $8 million.
Yet, Mr. Speaker, this project that was signed through a transfer agreement back in 1988, in the Health Transfer Agreement, it is clearly stated under section 2.8 through 2.16 of the provisions. It boggles my mind as to exactly why it is taking this government so long to develop the infrastructure that is greatly needed for the regions of Beaufort Delta, Mackenzie Delta and Inuvik.
We have a major impact coming forth in the oil and gas industry, but the infrastructure that is in place is old, run-down, and needs to be replaced, yet nothing is being done by this government to ensure that project is being carried out. The comment from the Minister yesterday saying that they are going to have to start at ground zero upsets me very much. This was one of the projects I saw as being beneficial to the region and to the North. There has been a commitment from the federal government on this through the transfer agreement, yet this government is not living up to its obligations in that agreement.
Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will be asking the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services questions on this transfer. Thank you.
-- Applause