Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we have discussed on many different occasions in standing committee and in health information dialogue and in the health community, deficit is a common issue everywhere in Canada. Every jurisdiction is faced with rising health care costs, rising health care services, rising drug costs, equipment costs, labour costs and the demand of service. NWT is no exception.
Stanton Territorial Health Authority is a territorial body. Their deficit is not Stanton’s deficit per se, but it is a system deficit. Dr. Corkal, who is the medical director, and the CEO, Kay Louis, and the public administrator are tasked with this issue. They are working very closely together to see how we address and get to a complete and comprehensive plan. I’d be happy to work with the Members on the other side to make sure that we make prudent and very clear decisions that would minimize the impact on our residents, but that it shows a systematic change that will require courage and foresight and vision about how we go forward with respect to our health care.