Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Minister?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. What positions specifically?

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So the Minister was just saying there was an increase and a decrease, so there are some new positions. My question is, of these new positions, are they moved to Yellowknife or being allocated in Yellowknife or out in the region? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As I indicated, we have two positions that have been sunsetted, one in Norman Wells, one in Yellowknife. We've got three new positions that have been created, two full-time, one part-time for the Mental Health Act, and to help us with the implementation of that. Those three positions are in Yellowknife. We have some internal re-allocations. As I indicated, the Beaufort Delta Midwifery Physicians, one part-time, one full-time, and those are to help with the planning and design of the Territorial Midwifery program. Those are not in Beaufort Delta. We've brought them to Yellowknife. They were never established in the Beaufort Delta. There was actually no established positions, and then the reductions are in Yellowknife.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Thompson.

The Minister talked about two full-time, one half-time position for the Mental Health. Is this going to be able to help alleviate some of the issues out in the regions? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, late in the life of the last government, we brought in the new Mental Health Act which is going to go live, I believe in January. Part of the Act is the implementation and utilization of something we call assisted community treatment. These positions are going to help us bring that to reality to help provide services that are outlined under the new legislation that didn't exist under the old legislation.

We believe this is a significant step to move forward to providing better mental health services across the Northwest Territories. These positions, at least one of them is also going to help us with the review board that we are required to have under the legislation.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. If I get this correct, this is supposed to assist the communities or the regions with their mental health challenges and issues out there, so do we have the positions out in the region already that these people are going to be working with? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the new Mental Health Act is new legislation. It changes the way in several ways that we will be provided mental health services here in the Northwest Territories. We're also working on the mental health and addictions framework that's been raised several times in this House.

All these have to work together. The legislation gives new capacities, new responsibilities, new ways of doing business, and this new assisted community treatment service that we can provide, but it is, yes, working closely with practitioners that already exist, and given the new responsibilities under the legislation.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Thompson.

No, thank you.

Further questions. Seeing none. We shall move on to page 174, Health and Social Services, active position summary, information item. Any questions? Mr. Thompson, then Mr. O'Reilly.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regards to the Dehcho Health and Social Services Authority, it shows a reduction of two positions, one full-time and one part-time. Were these vacant or full presently? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, these were internal re-allocations. I believe they were vacant, but we will confirm.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Thompson.

I'll just refer to somebody else right now.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. While one of my colleagues was talking reductions, I'm looking at increases in this table for the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority in Deh Cho Community Services Agency. There's some large increases in staff, and those are good things, I think. I just want to hear from the Minister the reason behind this. I think the Hay River situation probably has something to do with this opening of the new health centre there, but can the Minister and his staff explain the rather large increases there? Thanks, Mr. Chair.