Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my Member's statement, I feel there may be a real possibility that the Department of Health and Social Services may have contravened the objectives under the Canada Health Act. My understanding is that the Canada Health Act makes the territorial government responsible for ensuring that agencies delivering programs on behalf of the government are accountable and that the administration and operations are also accountable to this government.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me what monitoring processes are in place to ensure that the boards and agencies delivering programs on behalf of this government are being adhered to?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated through my Minister's statements and through questions that have been asked in this House, it is my belief that our system is under considerable stress and strain right now. The delivery of health services in particular is something which we need to stay ahead of because it is an ever-changing field. There is constant medical research going on. There are new technologies, new equipment, new pharmaceuticals, new best practices and treatment.

We acknowledge that in order to operate the most effective and quality health care system that we can, there are modifications that we do need to make from time to time. Mr. Speaker, this is why we are undertaking the review that we are at this time. We are also conducting operational audits to ensure that we do have the kind of supervisions and authority reporting mechanisms in place to ensure that those quality services are delivered to our constituents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Groenewegen. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, the Minister mentioned there were gaps in the system in areas like home care programs, TB testing, immunization programs and services to adults with special needs. She expressed concerns that those programs are not being delivered to standard and are not being delivered at all. Some of those programs, like TB testing and immunization, are there for the benefit of our communities to ensure the health of the population.

Having identified this, I would like to know, what is the Minister doing to correct these health risks so that the health of the people in the Northwest Territories will not come to harm? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, as a department, we are working with the boards to ensure that these services are being delivered and delivered to standard. I think that it is important that when there are issues and concerns that do come up, that we are able to share those with the public and with the Members. Also at the same time, be able to assure them that we are able to do everything in our power to address those issues. I can assure the Member that we are very busily and actively pursuing those remedies at this time. Thank you.

Merci, Madam Groenewegen. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to know if the Minister has identified any additional resources to ensure that we are implementing programs like TB testing and immunization in the areas that we are responsible for, to ensure they are being implemented and that the residents are not being short-changed in not having these programs delivered to date.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, I am sorry. I have been in committee of the whole too long and I am in the chairman mode. I am sorry, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are committed as a department and as a government to ensuring that boards are adequately resourced in order to deliver the programs that we need to deliver.

When we receive the results of our operational review, we will be in a better position to determine whether that resourcing, which we have in place now and the system we have in place for resourcing, is adequate. If it is not, Mr. Speaker, we do have a supplementary reserve which has been set aside until those determinations can be made, which would then be used in order to make sure that those services are in place and up to standard. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Minister. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister mentioned on Monday that the department is aware that there are some deficiencies in delivering programs by health boards, and there is not always a clear means in which the department is required to account. So, Mr. Speaker, the Canada Health Act requires that agencies...

I would just remind Members that supplementary questions should not have a preamble. Certainly the final supplementary should not have a preamble. May we just have the question?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the federal government requires the boards and agencies of the government to administer operations and programs on behalf of the government. They must enforce...

I must hear a question, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister commit to ensuring that the existing standards that are in place are not breaching the Canada Health Act? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Madam Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman...I did it again. I am sorry.

It must be something in the water.

-- Laughter

Mr. Speaker, I can assure the Member that in the Northwest Territories, we are indeed living up to all of the principles of the Canada Health Act through our health care system and that all residents of the Northwest Territories are ensured access to health services. We devolve the authority for the delivery of many of these services to the board level. What we are looking at right now is the accountability framework, whereby we are able to monitor that those services are in fact being delivered after we devolve that funding and...

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen.

-- Interjection

I would just like to remind responding Ministers that questions should be as short as possible in order to preserve the time in question period. The Minister did answer the question and then she went on beyond that. I will just caution Members. Your rules require that. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, Mr. Bell and I were questioning the government about the fuel rebate that is proposed to be delivered to Northerners, recommending that the government consider a graduated scheme. I have some questions for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation on the proposed fuel rebate.

Mr. Speaker, I have heard that as few as 3,000 of the 13,000 households in the Northwest Territories may benefit from this proposed rebate. Can the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation tell me if they have an estimate of how many households will receive the fuel rebate?