Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, there are additional costs associated with bringing in locums. Quite often, when we can get them, we are very happy to get them. Sometimes they only come for short periods of time, so there are travel costs, accommodation costs, different things associated with having locums versus permanent physicians.
However, having said that, I think everyone recognizes that the locums were and are continuing to be a short-term solution to the physician shortage. Although it is not ideal, more than a cost concern is the continuity of service. What is lost in terms of patient care when there is not a continuity of service when you have permanent physicians? Although there may be costs associated, there are larger concerns about patient care when you have to see a different doctor each time you visit the clinics.
Although we have incurred additional costs from locums, we have been very happy to be able to get them, because the other alternative is not to have anyone. It comes down to a matter of trying now to focus our attention on the fact that we do have a good recruitment tool in the present contract we have. We need to standardize that contract across the North and continue to recruit the much-needed physicians.
We are pleased that the pressure on the Yellowknife system has been alleviated with the addition of physicians. Certainly our attention is now on Fort Smith and Hay River. Thank you.