Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There
is a reduction component of this budget, but there are lots of other investments. The increases in the positions for the department are on the THAF program, which is federal funding that we have. It’s the Territorial Health Access Fund. There’s a coordinator for accreditation, which is located in the department. There’s patient wait times, e-health project
management in the department. There’s a
midwife position being funded in Fort Smith. There’s an STI nurse being funded in Yellowknife. There’s a registered nurse, a Northern Women’s Health position, being funded at Stanton. There is a dialysis registered nurse at Stanton, a home care nurse in Deh Cho, a home care coordinator in Hay
River, and home support workers in Tlicho, Beau-Del and Hay River. That amounts to 12 additional positions, but with the reductions and reallocations that’s a net increase in the authorities.