Thanks, Mr. Chair. Same page. One line down there is a reduction from 2016-17 to 2017-18 for pharmacy. Can the Minister or his officials explain the decrease there? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We have decided people don't need drugs anymore.

---Laughter

I am just kidding. Bottom line is it is a procurement consolidation as a result of moving to a single authority. We were able to purchase together as opposed to purchasing in part. We recognize some cost savings by doing so. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I could bank some quips there, but I won't. The only reason is because we are having some greater efficiencies in purchasing drugs, no other reductions or efficiencies being found there? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, it is not a reduction that is anything other than a reduction due to shared procurement, an opportunity to buy bulk instead of individually at one authority level like we used to. There has been some decreased demand on some of the different types of chemo drugs that are out there. This is purely a reduction based on consolidated purchasing and some demand. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, at this point I don't believe the federal government has any interest in a national pharmacare strategy. I feel that that is a mistake, but that is just my personal opinion, not a government position by any stretch of the imagination. I have had an opportunity to talk to a number of the different provinces and territories who would like to see a national pharmacare plan put in place.

Having said that, given that, prior to this current government, we didn't really have a relationship with the federal government at a provincial or territorial level, having conversations about purchasing pharmaceuticals and those types of things, this federal government has actually joined part of the Pharmaceutical Purchasing Alliance that exists between the provinces and territories. That is a group that has been established by the provinces and territories, now joined by the federal government, who is looking at making some legislative changes that should help us control costs around bulk purchasing pharmaceuticals across this country. It is not pharmacare, but it is certainly an improvement of what has existed up to this date. So we continue to be part of the Pharmaceutical Purchasing Alliance. We are seeing some benefits of that. Our purchasing compared to some of the other jurisdictions is way down compared to others. As far as national pharmacare, we are the only nation with Medicare that does not have pharmacare, and at some point the federal government may want to look at pursuing that.

In the meantime, we are going to continue to provide supplemental health benefits to seniors, and we are going to continue to provide it to Metis. We are looking for a way to, obviously, address low-income families, but we have a long way to go on those types of things. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. So I think I heard the Minister say that he is personally interested in trying to push a national pharmacare program. Is that the position of the Government of the Northwest Territories? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, pretty much every province and territory that I have had discussions with is looking and interested in a national pharmacare. We have had some discussions in the previous government, and I was given the authority to participate in those discussions in the previous government. I have not asked this government if I can continue; I just have. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, I would certainly encourage the Minister, whether he has the permission of his Cabinet colleagues or not, to continue to push for a national pharmacare program and work with provincial and territorial Ministers towards that. I know we had the federal Health Minister just here, and I hope he took that opportunity to talk with her about a national pharmacare program. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Seeing no further comments or questions, I will call this activity. Minister.

Just for the record, Mr. Chair, the Minister of Health, federal Minister of Health, clearly knows my position, as does the Minister responsible for Social Services, as does the federal Minister responsible for Addressing Poverty, as does -- they all do. I have no problem continually mentioning the value of a national pharmacare strategy. I did raise it in our last social services FPT, where we were talking about poverty. It is certainly an opportunity to help this country address poverty, having a national pharmacare strategy. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Seeing no more comments or questions, I will call this activity. Health and Social Services, diagnostic and therapeutic services, operations expenditure summary, activity total, $24,275,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. Moving on to nursing inpatient services, starting on page 178, continuing on to page 180. Comments or question on this activity? Mr. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On page 179, they have an increase of 162 for long-term nursing care and then a reduction of $162 for medical and surgical nursing. Could the Minister explain the rationale for the reduction and increase in these two areas? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister.