Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a quick question. On both of these pages there is quite a few references to residences in a number of health and social services authorities. Could I ask the Minister for an explanation as to why we would lease residences, who stays in them and for what purpose? Thank you.

Minister of Health, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. They are mostly for locums or visiting staff in communities or Yellowknife. Thank you.

That’s good, thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Information item, pages 8-36, 8-37 and 8-38, lease commitments.

Information item, page 8-39, work performed on behalf of others.

Information item, page 8-40. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a clarification, 8-39 on the health services contribution agreements funding, prevention and treatment, under the Northern Native Alcohol and Drug Addiction Program, is that funding with Health Canada, the Health Secretariat? Does that go toward the aboriginal specific issues or does that distribute across the Northwest Territories in terms

of all of the drug and alcohol programs in the North? First I will ask that question to the Minister.

Minister of Health, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. These are fundings that we get from various organizations under federal programs, funding from the Northern Secretariat, First Nations and Inuit health branch of Health Canada and the money is distributed to health authorities, band councils, aboriginal organizations and other NGOs all over the Territories through contribution agreements. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, the information that was received from the Minister in terms of other NGOs on behalf of the Northwest Territories, we have been trying to get some things happening in the Sahtu region. As you know, there is a huge population of aboriginal people in the Sahtu region. In terms of NGOs, according to the Minister’s information that we receive, there are no NGOs in the Sahtu region. There are NGOs across the North but in my region, when we want to get specific programs for our people in our communities, we are always told that there is no money or it is difficult, or whatever reasons. I guess I am making a point. According to the information that the Minister has given, there are 219 NGOs in Yellowknife itself; there are eight in Hay River; there is a list that goes on. There is nothing in the Sahtu region, unless the information is delayed or it could be outdated.

So these types of funding, like the Aboriginal Diabetes Strategy. I have been seeing in my communities that diabetes is increasing, but yet we still get the diabetes educator out of Inuvik on a rotating basis. I could be wrong again in terms of these types of programs. So these types of dollars that are there for what it is supposed to be intended for, it is getting watered down, in my eyes, and the Minister can correct me if she wants to, but the things that we want in our programs, we don’t seem to be getting because it is not going to where it is supposed to be going.

I don’t know if I am making sense, Mr. Chairman, but I am looking at these programs in terms of services for my people. Maybe 80 percent in the Sahtu are aboriginal people, First Nations people, so I guess that is where my bone of contention is; are the dollars getting to where they are supposed to. What you are saying is going across NGOs also, so I guess what I am asking for is making sure that these programs come to people in my region, such as the drug and alcohol training. We did have NGOs, but NGOs in my region were like orphans. So these young people, these people, instead of going into a band council contribution agreement, they opted to the territorial government because the

territorial government gives them training, travelling, all these things in terms of the wellness programs. When they tried to do that with the band contribution agreements, they weren’t getting anything; very little support. So that is why these workers decided to go into the territorial government workforce. So, I guess, making a long statement here, this funding that you get, Madam Minister, are they going to where they are supposed to be going? Show me some results. I guess I want to see the evidence. I’m not convinced. I’d like to see the evidence where it’s helping the people. I guess that’s what I’m looking for. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Ms. Lee, can you provide the information in regard to where this money is going?

Mr. Chairman, yes. I just want to assure the Member that this funding goes to authorities, band councils, aboriginal organizations and other NGOs. So NGOs are the last kind of choice of place to go to for these fundings. For example, for the Brighter Futures program there is $3 million allocated for that and the money has gone to the Gwich’ya Gwich'in, Inuvik band, K'ahsho Got’ine First Nation, Tulita Dene Band, Deline Dene Band, Deninu K'ue First Nation, Lutselk’e First Nation, Salt River First Nation, Fort Liard Acho Dene Koe, Providence Deh Gah Got'ie, Fort Simpson Liidlii Kue First Nations, Wrigley and Hay River Reserve.

I am aware that most of these fundings...We could give you a community breakdown, but they would all go to communities. When we are talking about NGOs, those are exceptions rather than the rule. So we will give you a breakdown of $10 million. But, no, they go to communities. Thank you.

I look forward to that, same as the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiatives through that. I really appreciate this, Minister, in terms of what you’ve been providing me so far. This year, then, I guess the question then needs to be looked at in terms of the northern Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program. Are we thinking in that sense of supporting our communities in types of training programs for our workers in the communities? The Minister has offered to provide more detail, so I’ll look forward to that detailed information.

I want to again say that because of the programs in our communities, they’re not really reaching the communities where we want them to, as people told us what they want in the communities. It doesn’t seem that these dollars are getting into our communities. I guess I’ll just wait until the Minister provides them to me, then. I could have further questions later on in the session.

Moving on to 8-40, information item, work performed on behalf of others, continued.

Page 8-41, again, information item, work performed on behalf of others, continued.

Move back to 8-7, Health and Social Services, department summary, operations expenditure summary, $313.027 million.