Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, from those answers I gather that indeed, the Baffin Regional Health Board has made the decision themselves to close down the treatment centre in Apex and not with consultation with the government itself, if it is up to the board through our community empowerment process. My follow up supplemental question would be, can the Minister then assure the people of Iqaluit, of the Baffin region of Nunavut, that indeed there will be no disruption to the services previously offered by that facility in Apex, until it reopens? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Department of Health then be monitoring the review of the services and help expenditure the resumption of services offered by the Treatment Centre in Apex? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. After much consideration, the Baffin Regional Health and Social Services Board recently announced the closure of the Drug and Alcohol Centre in Apex. I wonder if the Minister could update this House on the Department of Health's involvement in that decision? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on page 21 of Mr. Ng's report it talks about the flexibility necessary in hiring, an incentives fund would be established. I am wondering if the incentives fund that is in the report tabled by Mr. Ng. is part of the funding that was approved today? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker does the extra funding announced to implement the recruitment and retention include funds to start up the Nunavut Nursing Program as outlined on page 5 of the report?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker going back to the statement made by the Minister of Health concerning the funding of the recruitment and retention of health and social service professionals. I wonder, Mr. Speaker, when can the boards and the staff expect to see the benefits of the FMB decision announced by the Minister today? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the gallery today we have Ms. Judy Aniliaiak who is a former resident of Pangnirtung and a resident of Iqaluit. She is currently working here in Yellowknife at the Legislative Assembly. With her is Nancy Tupik, who will soon be moving to Iqaluit to work with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the past few weeks I have been doing some research on the national minimum wage rates. Mr. Speaker, the minimum wages across Canada run from $5.25 an hour in Newfoundland to $7.15 in British Columbia. The Yukon rate is $6.86 an hour.

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories minimum wage is $6.50 and off road is $7.00 an hour. A large number of the Northwest Territories employees and students continue to be paid the minimum wage. If a person works 40 hours a week for 12 months a year, their gross yearly wage would be a little more than $13,000 a year. Mr. Speaker, that amount is well below the cost of living and indeed puts that person below the poverty line.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to suggest that this government review the current minimum wage amount both off and on road and look to increasing it at least to a point that reflects the higher cost of living in the north. To have jurisdictions like British Columbia further ahead of our minimum wage rate and having other jurisdictions within 40 or 50 cents of ours, is not acceptable. Later today, I will ask the appropriate Minister about this matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our medical staff are hired by the board, but they have to follow the collective agreement of this government. Therefore, the board's hands are tied when it comes to offering a financial package. In Mr. Ng's document, it talks about setting up a fund to hire and increase our retention. How would that fund in Mr. Ng's report would be handled? Perhaps he could explain that. My question began, of course, on the tabled document. I am asking a question on the tabled document. Thank you.