Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to continue on a theme I started with yesterday about the benefits of being in a large centre and the capital, that being Yellowknife, Mr. Speaker. The cyclone effect of the capital city is something we continue to be reminded of on different occasions.

Mr. Speaker, I'll refer directly to government positions within communities and I'll specifically refer to the vital statistics office up in Inuvik. Mr. Speaker, it's been a number of years that that office has been established. My understanding is that vital statistics deals with every person in the Northwest Territories when it comes to their health care cards. I also understand that when that office was moved up to Inuvik all the human resources that were doing the job here in the capital city didn't quite make it out to the community that I represent and that office was established in.

Mr. Speaker, since that time, the increased workload that has continued to grow hasn't been met with new resources to help deal with that. Instead, the human resources, as I've last heard, were shrinking. Mr. Speaker, when that part of the department which is territorial in nature, but outside of the capital city, was seeking help and seeking support to try to deal with that issue it seemed to have fallen on deaf ears. In fact, at one point, Mr. Speaker, I became aware that the department had moved to try and pull that office back into headquarters. Mr. Speaker, I was told that nothing of that nature was occurring, but I was shown an actual letter by an employee who would be affected. That is when I became absolutely aware that this move was afoot.

Mr. Speaker, I have to thank the Minister for stepping in and ensuring that this territory doesn't continue to centralize itself in one location. But, Mr. Speaker, I became aware again that the concern continues to be there with those people trying to provide a service for the residents of the Northwest Territories. I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services on this area and what he's doing to ensure that the needs are being met this department through that office in Inuvik. Thank you.