Thank you, Mr. Delorey. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we've spent considerable time and effort in developing mental health and addiction strategy to look at properly paying the addictions workers that currently exist. We've converted those positions to community wellness workers. We've also invested money in positions that are the mental health addictions counsellors, as well as some clinical supervisors. We've done proper job descriptions. We've had the pay ranges classified so that they are properly compensated with pay and benefits. We are working on the training components for those jobs so that the folks who are in those jobs currently that may not be totally up to the qualifications required will have training. We're going to continue to formalize that training process. There is no plan at this time for any kind of other certification directly related to the addictions counsellors as referenced by my colleague. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister please elaborate for the House as to what the impediments are to having these hard working people recognized in their designated profession? Why can they not recognize them as addictions counsellors? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at present we have been focused on some very fundamental changes in that we've converted the existing alcohol and drug positions, many of which did not work for Health and Social Services authorities, into indeterminate positions. We've created a job description entitled community wellness workers. As well, we have a more advanced level position, which is a mental health addictions counsellor and supervised by clinical supervisors. We clearly recognize the role that addictions and addictions counselling has to play in the system. It's part of the overall service delivery tied into the area of mental health and addiction services. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I stated previously, it is my understanding that representatives of the certification board have been waiting patiently for answers to their questions on recognition and certification for several years now. Is the Minister aware if they have been informed that the department will not be recognizing their profession? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a number of months ago, the deputy minister flew into Hay River to meet with some of Mr. Delorey's constituents on the issue. The reality is that at this point in time we are focused on these broad system changes. We are working at developing the training. Mr. Speaker, there are mental health addictions counsellor job descriptions and we're going to be looking at a number of qualifications and what would be considered equivalencies. So, I don't want to rule out completely that we're not ever going to do this particular step, it's just that at this point we're focused on reclassification to pay the new job descriptions. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Your final supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm aware that the Minister has met with a constituent of mine on a number of occasions on this and I want to thank him for that. But, Mr. Speaker, will the Minister give a definite answer to these people if their profession is going to be recognized or if it is not? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Yes, I will. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.