Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Dent on Monday, June 11, 2001, regarding the operational change at Stanton Hospital.

Privatization of laundry and housekeeping services was included in the board's proposed deficit recovery plan. Although the proposed deficit recovery plan has not been finalized, I gave final approval of the privatization initiative on March 27, 2001.

Privatization of these services will involve the elimination of nine positions at the hospital. The Stanton board has worked closely with the department, the Financial Management Board Secretariat and corporate human resources to ensure that all requirements of the collective agreement and Staff Retention Policy are followed.

On April 25, 2001, the Stanton Regional Health Board issued letters to housekeeping and laundry staff advising them of their affected status. This procedure is consistent with the Government of the Northwest Territories Staff Retention Policy. Board staff have held initial meetings with affected staff to discuss their options under that policy, and will continue to work with them until all decisions are made. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Minister. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for the Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to recognize a couple of people today. I cannot see who is all up there, but I wanted to recognize Faye Stark, a long-time resident and nurse from Fort Providence who is here today. Also, my brother, Bob McLeod, a former resident of the Deh Cho and deputy minister of RWED. Both have received a public recognition award today and I would like to congratulate them and welcome them both. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I as well would like to take this opportunity to recognize Mr. Bob Sanderson, superintendent for FMBS out of Fort Smith and also one of the house parents for the Western Arctic Leadership Program. One of the lesser lights, his wife is obviously the main force in that relationship, but I would like to recognize him and congratulate him as well on being recognized. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today to recognize Mr. Ray Young. I met Ray approximately 28 years ago when I first came to Hay River as an impressionable 18-year-old. We shared a few shifts at the RCMP detachment, working midnight shifts as guards. He also taught two of my children. I would like to pay tribute to him today. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am glad to have the opportunity to recognize someone from my constituency in this House. I would like to recognize Julian Tomlinson, a very dedicated worker in Inuvik, who works for the Aurora Campus. As well, he has put himself greatly into other community activities. I would like to welcome him here today.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for the Sahtu, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Violet Edgi from Fort Good Hope and John Wilderspin from Norman Wells, who are joining us in the gallery today. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

An advisor to many of us. Thank you, Mr. Nitah. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize some people. A couple of them are really well known here. First of all, I would like to recognize Lew Voytilla. Lew Voytilla, as you all know, received a national award a few weeks ago. We congratulate him on his exemplary service in the public service.

I would also like to recognize Liz Snider, the secretary to Cabinet, and one of my good constituents, Kayhan Nadji, who works with Public Works and Services. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also would like to recognize a good friend of mine in the gallery. He is not a constituent of mine, Ray Young. I know he has already been recognized, but I would like to recognize him as well. He came to Hay River about the same time I did, about 31 years ago. I would also like to wish him well in his new career that he is about to undertake in the golfing world.

-- Laughter

I would also like to congratulate all of the long-service award recipients who are up there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Thank you all for coming to the Legislative Assembly and participating in the day's activities. Congratulations and happy retirement from this day onward.

-- Applause

Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, June 11, I asked the Minister of Health and Social Services about privatization of laundry services at Stanton Hospital. In her responses on pages 298 and 299 of unedited Hansard, the Minister stated she had "...heard of board deliberations around the issue of privatization." She went on to say, "I am not sure of the time lines or what the status is of any decisions around that are at this point in time."

Mr. Speaker, yesterday in response to a question about the privatization of the laundry services, she told the House, and I quote again from unedited Hansard, page 486, that she "...signed off on the approval of those as per the recommendation, advice that I was provided with." She confirmed that again in her response to the oral question that she just provided the House a few minutes ago, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, if the Minister forgot that she signed off on this initiative in March, it calls into question the process. I would like to ask the Minister, how detailed was the examination of this initiative?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated in previous questions the Member asked on this subject, the negotiations and discussions took place between senior officials in my department and senior officials with the Stanton Board and senior management. I was not directly involved in those discussions, but acted on the advice that came to me from my department as a result of those discussions being concluded. Thank you.