Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to continue questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services on the theme I brought up the other day, which is with regard to the shortage of patient visits per day being lost here in Yellowknife. Mr. Speaker, there was a press release on August 8, 2000, by this government that said that we have a new plan to address the severe doctor shortages in this city. There are also quotes here that say, "I believe we will now be in a better position to compete nationally." In other words, bring more doctors here by stabilizing their pay. Mr. Speaker, it also points out that this initiative will stabilize this, as well as it also finally says that this arrangement will be in the best interests of the physicians and the patients.
Mr. Speaker, I noted and had the agreement of the Minister yesterday that under the old system there was potential for 40 visits per day by patients to doctors and that has been whittled down to 20 patients per day for the doctor. That's a net loss of 80 visits a day, potentially, to the consumers out there, our constituents. How does the Minister conceive that we stabilized the market with an 80-visit, patient/doctor ratio a day loss? How did that help the market and how did that help the communities? Thank you.