Mr. Chairman, I agree with the Member that if we really want to know what is the true cost of providing fuel in all of the communities, then you have to add in all of the costs including the tankage, everything that goes with it. We had a discussion in the committee about this issue and I agree as well that this probably isn't the best way to provide a subsidy. If the way we are doing it is subsidizing the cost of fuel to consumers, this may not be the best way of doing it. If we're going to do that and if we want to show the true costs, then we need to design some form of territorial fuel subsidy program that would keep the cost of fuel in small communities at a reasonable rate. That is something that I think in the future we need to look at, or the next government has to look at, to figure out how we do this, and I think there is time for us to do some work in the life of this government but we may not resolve it all. It's complex because we don't have POL in every community, and how do we work it all out, but I think it is good advice for moving on from here. My view is we are not going to collect the $4.1 million from the small communities. Let's not pretend we're going to do it. Let's take it out of here and put it into our books properly, charge the government and the housing corporation the full cost and try to maintain this at some level of break even without hitting the private customers and all the small communities. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We're always open for suggestions on how we could do this efficiently and certainly, if there was private interest or a community corporation interested in taking over the responsibility for the provision of fuel, we're open to looking at whatever the proposal would be. We've done it in some communities already, in Tuk and McPherson and Wrigley, and I would welcome a proposal. If there is discussion about including a subsidy in there, then we need to look at how that would work as well but, Mr. Chairman, we're open to that. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, the Cabinet has looked at this. We've looked at options such as privatizing to the private companies, turning it over to the power corporation and so on but we weren't able to come up with anything that would result in savings for us. So the direction presently from Cabinet is that we are not going to do that but, having said that, I'm open and I believe everyone in Cabinet is open to any proposal that would say here is how you could do it more cost effectively. We're ready to spend some time and energy looking at those and exploring those options if people have a way we could do this. I don't think the provision of fuel to private individuals is a business that government necessarily wants to own. We'd be happy to turn it over so, Mr. Chairman, yes I'll make a commitment that we'll look at it and we'll certainly entertain any proposals that are out there. Thank you.

Total department, not previously authorized, $4.264 million.

Page 11, Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, not previously authorized, negative $106,000.

Program delivery support, special warrants, $418,600. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. A couple of days ago, I asked the Minister of Health and Social Services about whether or not they have been successful at hiring new medical personnel. The answer I got indicated that they had not been very successful. Why did we need a special warrant if they haven't been able to hire a lot of new doctors and nurses for this amount of money? Has this money actually been spent today?

Thank you. Mr. Handley.

Mr. Chairman, is the Member looking at the nurse recruitment program, the $806,000 or are we looking at the $418,000?

Thank you. Mr. Dent, could you clarify that?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I had understood, Mr. Chairman, that you had called the amount of $418,600, which was done as a special warrant. My question is has all this money been spent? As I understand it, the need for a special warrant is justified by circumstances that mean there is an immediate need for the money. Therefore, it can't come forward as not previously authorized. When I asked the Minister of Health and Social Services whether or not they had been successful in recruiting health professionals, his answer was by and large no. So if we haven't been successful in recruiting them, why did we need the special warrant to have the money if it hasn't been spent?

Thank you. Mr. Handley.

Mr. Chairman, the $418,600, that's for hiring the health care professionals and the social workers. The $806,000 I was referring to is later on the page for doctors. Of the amount of money that is in the special warrant for health care professionals and social workers, the total amount is $1.6 million with an internal reallocation and balance of $418,000. I don't know how many health care professionals, nurses, have been hired or how many social workers. I am assuming this is moving, that most of the money either has been spent or is committed. I think with the doctors, it may be more of a challenge. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Mr. Dent.