Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That money listed is the money that goes directly to the boards. There is also money that has been put into the recruitment and retention units in headquarters. Thank you.

Mr. Minister, do you have something else to add?

No, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was wondering if we could get a breakdown. In total, what is being spent on recruitment and retention? What is the breakdown right now on the nurses' side and what is on the physicians' side? If I can go ahead, I have a letter from the Minister indicating that he is going to embark on a recruitment and retention program for allied health professionals as well. Where is the budget for that? Is that something that is contained in this $1.5 million now? If so, how are we going to possibly be divvying that up? Or is it somewhere else in the budget? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, we are going to make every effort to use existing resources, possibly reprofiling, but very clearly tied into the action plan is going to be some costs that have to be determined. Then we have to make the efforts to see if we can obtain those funds once they are agreed on. Thank you.

Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess I have to admit that I am a little surprised. I had thought from the letter I received from the Minister that it was a sure thing, the recruitment and retention plan for the allied health professionals. Now I hear a suggestion from him that he is going to have to come back for supplementary funding. I am sure in that letter he said that the program would start on April 1st, so if we do not see the money in this budget for that part of the program, and he said that it would start on April 1st, how are we possibly going to start it without the supp?

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There is $3.9 million in the budget overall and $1.5 million is identified for nurses' market supplements. There is also some other money in there for northern development contributions and other recruitment and retention contributions. We are, as I indicated, going to be making the best possible effort to use existing resources and we are going to be looking at any cost that comes out of that separately. Thank you.

Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think if I were to use some of the Minister's formerly colourful language -- he has gotten rather bland lately -- I think he would characterize his last answer to be somewhat loosy-goosy. I did not hear a lot of commitment there.

I also asked him what the number was for physician recruitment and retention, and that number has not yet been separated out in his answers to me, I believe.

Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I know my colleague would never bait me and I will just assume that he is not. The recruitment cost for doctors is within that $3.9 million. If the Member wishes, we can break out the numbers and provide him with some further detail.

We are also currently underway with negotiations with physicians, which is dealing with a lot of those issues through the compensation package we are going to be negotiating. Thank you.

Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Has the department considered alternative approaches to the issue of physician recruitment? Perhaps looking to the medical association to take on that job, rather than having it done by people within the department? I just think there may be some value to having physicians recruit physicians, rather than having staff people within the department try and work on that issue.

Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, that is a good point. I met twice now with the medical association. As well, they have met with Mr. Cleveland and his senior staff. We are looking at that particular option. It had been put forward by the physicians. We also try to involve the physicians and the medical association with hiring as it now exists, but they have raised that issue as part of the review of the recruitment and retention initiatives as it relates to doctors.

We are committed to see what is possible in that area. Thank you.

General comments. Grants and contributions, total contributions, $14,485,000. Agreed?

Health services program, budget summary, operations expense, total operations expense, $103,466,000. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On page 6-16, we get an activity description, which says that health services, including in-patient and out-patient care, public health and chronic care, are provided to eligible Northerners. Do we have many Northerners who are not eligible?

Mr. Minister.