Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Parker.

Thank you, Mr. Parker. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Also on this page is a line item described as federal funding, long-term reform workspace shortfall. It's rather cryptic here, Mr. Chairman, but it describes $1.5 million allocation this year or in years passed and another $1.5 million for the next two years, a total of $5 million for what area is described here as a workspace shortfall. I am wondering if the Minister could provide some detail on this item.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the money that we are drawing down is from the federal government and is highlighted there as $1.5 million per year up until 2009-10 and it's meant to address work that Public Works will be doing in authority offices for front-line locations, and deals with, for example, the additional positions we've had with social workers, child

protection workers, mental health and homecare workers in that area and rehab as well. That's where the money would be used, in those areas with the different health authorities in these areas. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Braden.

Okay. So these are the clinics and offices and storefront facilities. It's a $5 million allocation over three years or more. Just how widespread is this? Are constituents seeing this put to use in a number of communities or just what is the extent of this federal contribution, Mr. Chairman?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, this would be used throughout the territory and addressing workspace shortages. So whether it's an office space or clinical area, that work is being done with the additional staff. What we find in the normal GNWT's capital planning process, this sort of space falls low in the ranking and doesn't normally get addressed. We have added a substantial amount of front-line staff that we are finding were working not in adequate spaces. So this is meant to address that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Braden.

One more follow-up, then. As we see this is booked for the coming two fiscal years, Mr. Chairman, with a little bit left in 2009-10, what about after that? Are we anticipating that we are going to be picking up the tab for the extra office space? I say it's sustainability, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This money is a capital portion. On the O and M side as we increase space, we would have to come up with our own and the federal program ends at the end of 2009-10. If we were to continue on this program, we would have to try to find additional money from within our own revenue sources.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Anything further, Mr. Braden?

Mr. Chairman, one other item that has some impact in my constituency here in Yellowknife is the Rockhill Apartment Building, which is leased to the YWCA and provides very much needed housing for families, transitional housing and also, I believe, some emergency housing. It's a really important part of the front-line services that the Y provides here in Yellowknife. I believe the lease for this expires in 2008. So we have about a year remaining to negotiate and also, Mr. Chairman, to look at what up-fits would be required in this building, it's an aging building. So I wanted to see in the capital plan where the Department of Health is going with the Rockhill Apartment Building and the YWCA's continued use of it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, we work with the departments of Education, Culture and Employment, the Housing Corporation, as well as Public Works and Services around the issue of the Rockhill Apartment Building. This year we've identified in our budgets $236,000, and that's on page 5 of 9, and that's meant to address the very immediate needs that we find with a place and that's the drainage areas. For example, a number of the doors need to be repaired. So on that end of the work that will be done. We'll continue to work with the other departments with going forward on this facility as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Could the Minister give committee some idea at this time, is it the government's intention to extend this lease with the YWCA on a long-term sustainable basis, and of course along with that, to come in with the retrofits and the improvements that this building merits, Mr. Chairman?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, yes, working with the other departments, we've gave indication we're looking to extend the lease for another 10-year cycle. As for long-term retrofits, that's something that would have to make it into the capital plan as every other project would have to. There has been a technical service evaluation done and that would guide the future pieces that would need to be done. So that's in the works, but again, it would have to, as every other capital program that we add to the plan, it would have to make it through the cutting pile. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have some questions under the electronic medical records and we're looking at, I think the total item here is $5.7 million. We've spent some money before and I just wanted to start off by saying that I believe in the capacity and resources of technology to help us, especially for us in the North where we have people scattered in distant places and where having good information in the right place at the right time could help not only to keep the cost of delivering health programs, but also allow us to deliver hopefully a better program for our people. When the telehealth idea came out, not Tele-Care but telehealth where electronic devices could be used for diagnosis in remote places, I jumped on that bandwagon quite quickly because I could see the potential and possibility for that project as well, and I'm glad to see that it's still moving forward.

But I think with this records program, I've been advised, I think previously when I asked questions to the Minister, that the federal government once again may not be going with us on this one. I see that in the budget item for next year there is no money allocated, but in the following two years we're seeing some money there. So could I ask the Minister as to exactly what we are doing with this project? What have we done so far with $1.1 million in terms of what it's doing in our health care delivery model, not just step by step of what was done, but how does that apply to what we are doing and what do we foresee to be doing with the allocation in future years? Thank you.