Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yesterday, when we concluded our committee of the whole, the issue that was on the table was the inability of the department to seemingly come to grips with the financial situations in the boards, and agree what numbers would be presented. Mr. St. Germaine, on page 1997 of unedited Hansard, yesterday does confirm that the common systems and structures are in place, but the issue really evolves around getting a clear understanding of what transactions occurred. He goes further on to say that it is an underlying business situation that results in the deficits that have become a problem.

Mr. Chairman, I raised the issue, does this mean that since the systems are there, the numbers are there, a trust factor of not being able to trust and accept the numbers at face value that are given to them by the health boards? Mr. Chairman on page 1998 the Minister herself indicated that the issue is not so much about trust as it appears to be, it seems to be more on the capacity of boards to be able to provide this kind of financial information.

Mr. Chairman, I am going to ask the Minister to maybe speak to that comment. I would like to use, for example, Stanton, the flagship of our health and social services in the North, the crown jewel in the continuum of care provided by the department with a staff bigger than headquarters, and a budget of somewhere near $40 million. Is the Minister saying that with all the talent and expertise they have over there between the board and the staff, that their accounting systems and structures are in place, yet that particular operation does not have the capacity to provide this kind of financial information to the department?

Or for that matter, the Inuvik Hospital which will be replaced with a $30 million new facility to provide key services in that area, is the Minister saying that the Beaufort-Delta board and all their staff are unable to, and do not have the capacity to, provide the kind of financial information that the department requires? Or they are providing it in such a way that it cannot be interpreted?

This to me gets to the nub of the issue that seems to be plaguing the department. Very clearly on the clinical side, as has been pointed out, the services we provide are very good. The problem always comes back to counting the money. I would appreciate it if the Minister could speak to that issue, because I think it is a very significant one. Thank you.