Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am a full supporter of northern purchases, using the Business Incentive Policy in other areas, but when it takes away from the people that I represent in the predominantly aboriginal communities of the Northwest Territories, I have to disagree with that policy. That is just for the record.
I would also like to ask, for the record, if the Minister would consider, in conjunction with the Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, to look at coming up with housing needs for people from the communities that have to stay near hospitals, near access to doctors that we do not have in the communities because of the doctor shortage not only in the Northwest Territories, but throughout North America. We need to develop plans like that.
To come up with plans depends on the numbers that they find to have homes in regional centers where there are hospitals for individuals that have to stay in a community to be housed there along with their family members. Most of the individuals would be elders and they would need somebody to take care of them. There are usually family members that are willing to do that. It does not have to be stand alone houses. It could be a program that could be applied to rental of apartments, whatever it takes. I would just like to get the commitment from the Minister on record that he will work with the Minister of Health and Social Services in creating a plan such as this. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.