Thank you very much, Mr. Parker. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you to both the Minister and the deputy for that detailed answer. Just one last follow-up, I think. Or I hope at this stage, I should say it that way. Is there a strategy of actual location at this time? Now, I wouldn't want to sort of create a bit of speculation in the sense of we haven't picked one, come buy our property, but is there an intention to buy property or do we have property and is it located in the downtown core or is it intended to be located somewhere else? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, a location has not been selected. We are again through the planning phase looking at how we would approach this, if it would be our own facility or leased facility. That decision hasn't been made at this point. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Thank you, committee. We are on page 5-7, infrastructure acquisition plan. Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the infrastructure acquisition plan, I'd like to highlight specifically for my region. There's not even one list on here, but at the same time there was some sort of agreement a while back in October when there was a meeting with Tlicho Community Services Agency and Minister of Health and Social Services then. A commitment was made on building a plan on Behchoko health centre. So it's up to date, up to code, and also compatible and suitable to serve 2,000 people in the community of Behchoko. I realize there's a renovation that's in the works, but that's also not on this plan for future renovations, because it's still in the middle of construction that it's happening right now.

Also, Mr. Chairman, with respect to Wekweeti, which does not have a health centre facility, they have a little utility room area where they serve people. That was also discussed in October during the Tlicho Community Services Agency when they had a meeting. I think it's critical that this issue is brought forward again. The reason I'm bringing this up is we're talking about the infrastructure plan and we need to keep in mind that the promises and also there was a plan in place a while back I think that needs to be revived again. Because, as you know, Wekweeti is in desperate need of a suitable health station. Just the other day I talked about the ambulance, up-to-date ambulance vehicle in Gameti. All these issues are arising and I don't see any infrastructure listed for Tlicho region perspective.

So Mr. Chairman, I'd just like to get feedback from the Minister on what his plans are from October's...I found out it was a productive meeting they had and I was hoping to see some results out of the meeting and I was hoping to see some on this infrastructure plan, but I see none. So I'll leave it at that for now. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the area from time to time when we have repair programs that need to be put in place or renovations, we would deal through it through some of the small capital items that would be their repairs or what we would call, if you look on this page, shortfall territorial of 1.5 million. That is the area we would tap into from time to time depending on what needs to be done and the volume of that work. This is spread out through the territory and that's where we would look to using those funds.

Now, these funds aren't specifically all for what the Member's discussed. This again, as I stated, would be a fund that we would use across the territory with health authorities. Specifically for Wekweeti, that facility would have to fall into the normal capital plan process and we, as a department, would have to highlight it as one of our priorities and then it would go through the whole system of all departments and seeing what's available for the capital funding situation. I'd have to get some background on exactly what occurred there in that work plan and would be happy to sit down with the Member to discuss that work plan once I get some information on it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I'll certainly be more than happy to work with that. At the same time, the department should have some sort of documents on the previous meeting that we had. It's important documents that should be laid out, that should not be ignored. There were arrangements and agreements that were made at that time. I thought for a fact that it's been almost six months, going on to six months, and it's still, as the Minister indicated, by the sounds of it he hasn't seen those documents. So what I'd like to share or see from the Minister is follow-up on those plans and arrangements that were made. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, when I have the information on the meetings that occurred, again, I'd be happy to sit down with the Member and go through what was looked at, at that point, and the commitments that may have been made. As well, I must say, as we have with other authorities, when facility discussions come up and request for renovation, we would work with the authority in the region on the particular facility and how it worked in the master plan and once we came up with an agreement, it would then be forwarded for how we would be able to fund the project. Otherwise we would have to work on the basis of what I said earlier when we look at our territorial shortfall and seeing what emergencies were out there and we needed to cover on a short basis. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Lafferty. Next on the list I have Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The observation I'm making is similar to my colleague in terms of the capital expenditures. When you look at the centres on the total of the capital expenditures, there's dollars that are in the millions, and when you look at the smaller communities, the dollars are in the thousands. For whatever reason, not being here for the last session, but how this thing gets moved over, so I want to know from the Minister in terms of that the smaller communities are being overlooked by some of these other needs that seem to be more pressing in the larger centres that have these services already and where we are, like Colville Lake just asking to have the health professions stay longer in the community. Then they may use the excuse that there's not proper equipment or supplies or that to work with. So it seems like it's an observation and I hope it changes somewhat in the future in terms of bringing up our standards of health care in the smaller communities. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, we're always challenged in trying to meet the demands that are out there and when it comes to infrastructure what facilities are highlighted for renovation or replacement. That is always going to be the issue. What we do have laid out is a department, and each department is...For example, departments use a 20-year needs assessment and they look at all their facilities, the age of the facilities, when the last work was done, when a

major retrofit was done, and that would fall into how we would come up with the selection of what's being made, as well as our work with the authorities as to agreement on what is required. What we find ourselves, every time we come to a facility in a region or community, when we put forward a plan to say, well, now this project is coming up for replacement, we sit down with the authority to work out what actually needs to be done. More times than not we find ourselves on the end where we're trying to limit the growth because each authority, when it has an opportunity for a new facility, wants to do more on that facility and expands its programs and services as well as the footprint of the facility, and we quickly find out that we don't have the money for it and sometimes end up delaying projects.

But in this case, we are challenged to meet that and the majority of what you see here is, in fact, replacing existing facilities we have and trying to enhance what we're able to deliver. But we continue to try to work with authorities. When we come up with the master development plan, as we call it for the authority and once we have that, we can look at how we can try to fund what's being brought forward. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Previously I heard the deputy minister speak about a vision of the consolidated clinic and I thought he was talking about something for our region in the Sahtu region in terms of this consolidated clinic. However, it's going to be done in Yellowknife, as the plans are under way. I think that's something similar to what our region is asking for in terms of the service we can have here. There's no fault to Fort Smith, Hay River, or even to Stanton here. The service is territorial for all people of the Northwest Territories. I know Hay River serves a lot of clients outside of the community also, that they need to upgrade their service. I am asking in communities of my region that they bring up some of the standards. I know there is a fight for dollars. The assessments and infrastructure and how much do you spend? Do you spend on the building or on the programs and services? It's a real tough balance. I think all boards have to deal with that. We don't have these services, we will continue using these larger centres and then they are going to ask for more because there are more people from outside communities that are asking for these services that they can't get in the communities or regions. I am making a comment to the Minister just to ask for some consideration. I know he's working hard with the boards on this one here and dollars are always tight. I just want to make that comment. I will keep it to that comment. I just want the Minister to respond to let me know that they heard me. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Minister.

For the record, Mr. Chairman, I did hear and continue to listen to Members around the table when they address their concerns for communities and regions. We will continue to work with health authorities in trying to best be able to meet the needs that are being put on the table. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Next on the list I have Mr. Braden.

Mr. Chairman, on this page we see some substantial fiscal commitments made in a couple of areas. One of them is at the Stanton Territorial Hospital. Over the three years, and even further for Stanton, is a $27.5 million allocation. This is long expected, Mr. Chairman. As the building, I believe, is now some 25 years old, extensive mechanical and internal retrofits for buildings at the stage of life that Stanton is. We know that there has also been considerable discussion about some potentially fairly major changes in the layout and the allocation of space and clinics and patient care/patient beds. So I am pleased to see this on the books, Mr. Chairman. I was wondering about the Stanton master plan. This has been the overall coordinated approach to planning and budgeting, this very large, very worthwhile exercise. I wanted to ask the Minister if he could advise the committee of the status of the master plan and input or access that the public may have to it, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Minister.