I have not spoken with the Nunavut Minister of Health and Social Services or their Finance Minister regarding this particular occasion. I
have in the past regarding their
receivables. We continue to work with Nunavut on trying to clarify this. I don’t know their overall expenditure and how much of the portion is equal to the GNWT.
The fact is, though, we could use that same scenario with the money that is owed, as we consider it, to the Government of the Northwest Territories from the federal government on delivery of services to aboriginal people in the Northwest Territories. As we have made public, we continue to pay for service and service delivery to people in the Northwest Territories and continue to invoice the federal government but have not been paid portions and have been denied in some areas. Some of that can probably fall into this mix as well.
For Nunavut specifically, there is an amount identified. It pertains to a number of caseloads that we deliver, from something as simple as laboratory tests for clients who go to the facility from Nunavut, to as high as specific programs for individuals. They vary in nature as to the actual costs that are there.
As pointed out earlier, Ms. LeClair will be meeting with the representatives of Nunavut government to try to nail down an actual payment process of
ensuring we have timely payments for services rendered.