Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I mentioned many times my constituents step up and take responsibility in emergency situations, many of which do not have training in first aid. I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, will the Minister provide emergency response training in Fort McPherson, Aklavik and Tsiigehtchic? Thank you.

I thank the Minister for that assurance. I’d also like to ask the Minister if he will provide adequate funding to Fort McPherson, Aklavik, and Tsiigehtchic to provide ambulance services.

As I mentioned earlier, there are more than 300 elders over the age of 60 in my riding. Thankfully, not all of them need long-term care, but many will. What is the Health department’s plan for them?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It has been almost two years since this government closed the Joe Greenland Centre in Aklavik to elders who cannot live independently. Now there’s a lineup of elders waiting to get into the facility in Inuvik, which serves the entire Beaufort-Delta.

My final question to the Minister is: If the Minister is unwilling to renovate the Joe Greenland Centre up to proper standards, will he start planning for a new facility in the Mackenzie Delta riding?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a few questions from my Member’s statement for the Minister of Health and Social Services. I would like to ask the Minister what the waiting time is for elders to get into the long-term care facility in Inuvik.

Thank you. I do realize that it does cost more to operate the Merv Hardie because it actually runs longer than the Louis Cardinal does. So I’m not sure if the Minister is aware of that. Two hours every day over the duration of the summer adds up. I strongly believe that that’s the reason that it costs more to operate. Also, that ferry is open a lot longer than the Louis Cardinal. I know we are getting close to the end of October and there is no ice on the river yet, on the Mackenzie. The main thing is to keep the cost of living down for the Mackenzie Delta, and I strongly believe that having...

Yes.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just going to the budget. I’d like to stress the need for an extension to the airport in Aklavik. I do not see it in the plans over the next few years but I just wanted to stress that it is needed for the community to expand the runway there, just for safety reasons. It was done in Fort McPherson, and I believe there were plans to do the same in Aklavik and I would just like to stress to the Minister that I would really appreciate it if that was in the budget for the coming year.

I’d like to ask the Minister when equipment will start moving and people will be working in the Beaufort-Delta region.