We recognize that increased access to midwifery services will not only enhance perinatal services for NWT residents and improve outcomes for mothers and babies but also strengthen the delivery of culturally sensitive based primary care in our health system. We are very interested in this, and we have taken the actions that I have referenced. We do, however, require an additional $2 million to implement phases 2 and 3 of the midwifery recommendations, and that money does not exist in our budget at this time.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister provide us with any updates or comments on the upcoming plans for the expansion of the midwifery program in the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Just to recap, there is planning going on at the territorial level with the Hay River Health and Social Services authority and with the Tlicho Community Services Agency to expand the midwifery program, but to go from planning to hiring, we need $2 million. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I have questions for Madam Premier. I know that the government has a lot of programs and services designed through different programs, through the communities. Since COVID hit, has Cabinet or the Premier ever thought about talking to the hamlet councils in the small communities, remote communities, about giving them a funding package other than what they normally would say? If the community asked for something, they would say, "Use your O and M," or, "Use your gas tax money; we're not going to give you nothing." However, since COVID hit, everything has been stretched out. Is there any possible way that the government could give a stimulus package to the hamlets across the territory, especially in my riding of Nunakput? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Honourable Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I think that would be a question best asked to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Honourable Premier. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this year, Municipal and Community Affairs did have a disbursement out to the communities, all 33, in response to COVID. Also, we did have additional funding that was allocated to the smaller communities for sport and recreation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Good news. I am here to ask for some more money on behalf of the communities. You know our communities are so isolated right now due to the COVID pandemic. Nobody can travel, a lot of stress on the families because nobody is going out and visiting or sharing or anything. I am just wondering where we are at. Before Christmas, I asked the Premier: were we able to get Chromebooks and iPads given out to ECE to give to the libraries, I guess, to give it to the adults or the elders for sign-out, say give 15 iPads or Chromebooks into the libraries in each community? I am just wondering where we are with that.

I think that is a question best deferred to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to our generous Premier for allowing the Member to ask questions across the board. The Member is correct. The Assembly did approve funds for Chromebooks and turbo sticks to be distributed across the territory. Many of those have gone out. I am not exactly sure how many have gone out, but they are being distributed to students who for whatever reason have to participate in distanced learning, so not every student gets one. For example, though, in Fort Liard, when the school shut down, within a week, ECE and the school board were able, with the help of Finance, to deploy Chromebooks and turbo sticks to those who needed them. That is the status of that, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Again, thank you, Minister, for getting me those Chromebooks and the turbo sticks we need. The thing is, the elders, you go to the library for instance in Tuktoyaktuk, you can go and sign it out. Not everybody has the luxury of having that iPad or any kind of communication. Their communication is CBC on TV at 6:00 or the radio. I am just wondering why, like if it's possible for the government to look at things such as, once COVID, for example, will stop using the power limiters and evicting people. Right now, I mean, two different lines of questioning: if we were able to stop this right now during the pandemic again, is it possible to do that, since I am all over the map right now with that? I need that to stop: no evictions, no more limiters.

I would like to respectfully ask that the Member refrain from asking questions all over and ask the questions to the proper Ministers.

Thank you, Honourable Premier. Yes, Member, please stick to the first line of questions.

Okay, thank you, Mr. Speaker. All 33 communities are in need of more funding, stimulus package, because we have been hurting. They are stretching out our local community governments. Our local community governments need help. Is the Premier and committee or Cabinet ready to help them? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The first question was for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, and that question is best answered by that Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Honourable Premier. Minister of MACA.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department continues to support the smaller communities and all municipalities throughout the territory. Presently, one of the major activities that we are having is the emergency management plans that we are working with with the COVID secretariat, as well. However, I also wanted to highlight the allocation of funding that was allocated to the smaller communities. In all, the federal government had allocated $1.53 million for Municipal and Community Affairs for the smaller communities, and, for each of the communities, there was an amount of $19,000, depending on what the communities had put forward. They had to work with the department in order to display the amount of funding that they were going to require for their specific community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member Monfwi.

Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Today, when I spoke on my Member's statement about the school, Chief Jimmy Bruneau school, we know that it has been 26 years since the renovation, and then, that school that we had, it has been 50 years. [Translation ends] [Microphone turned off] ...the community of Behchoko. I would like to ask the question to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment about the potential capital plans for the new school. Mr. Speaker, my first question is: what is the latest update on the discussion of a new Chief Jimmy Bruneau school in Behchoko? Masi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.