Glen Abernethy

Mr. Speaker, we’re conscious and aware of the fiscal realities of this government and we are doing the work that is necessary. We’ve got the team in place with the individuals who can do the work and we continue to move forward. We’ve already made significant progress. We’ll continue to make progress and this will happen.

It’s hardly a watered down approach. The territorial director is involved in that working group as well as the directors of social services and all the authorities in the Northwest Territories. They meet on a regular basis – monthly at this point – to ensure that this progress, this initiative is rolled out as the timelines have outlined.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a couple of the FOXY peer leaders in the gallery today: Makenzie Zouboules, Coco Paulette and Brianna Shae. Thank you all for the amazing work you’ve done in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

The bill actually allows us the flexibility to roll in Hay River. Whether it’s all up front or whether we transition it over a time, the bill actually gives us the freedom to roll it in.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Unfortunately, the position in Fort Smith is still not filled. We’ve attempted to go out and recruit that position a number of times and every recruitment activity has proved unsuccessful. We are intending to fill the position and we continue to go out and recruit and we hope that we do find somebody to fill that position in short order.

At the same time, we have filled the two positions in Hay River. That program has started. They’ve already started meeting with clients and we anticipate that the midwives in Hay River could be facilitating a birth in the community as...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that Bill 44, An Act to Amend the Hospital Insurance and Health and Social Services Administration Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill includes amendments to the Hospital Insurance and Health and Social Services Administration Act that would require the Minister to:

develop a territorial plan for health and social services;

authorize the Minister to establish regional councils to provide advice with respect to health services and social services;

authorize the Minister to establish a territorial...

No final decision has been made. We are open to any discussion, but I would say at this time it is envisioned that a territorial program will be based in Yellowknife as this will enable a broader scope of women with certain risk factors to assess midwifery care for at least a portion of their care through the easy access to diagnostic services, specialist obstetrics, as well as for ability for immediate access to C-sections and other emergency procedures if needed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We did actually create a midwifery coordinator position in the department that unfortunately has gone through the revolving door as well, been filled, then vacant, then filled, then vacant. That position is a key position and a lot of the funds have gone to support the planning and operational design as well as consultation in communities and whatnot. So a significant number of things were done.

There aren’t hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of dollars that have lapsed, but we are in a position, changing direction and moving forward with this new model, we may have an opportunity to utilize...

We have had some preliminary meetings with staff in the Beaufort-Delta who have been involved in this type of program or who might be involved in birthing services at this time. As the Member has indicated, there have been some challenges raised with the delivery of midwifery services in the Beaufort-Delta. To that end, we are looking at envisioning how we are approaching midwifery services in the Beaufort-Delta.

Originally when we came forward, there was a multi-part plan which included set up midwifery services in Hay River, move midwifery services to Beaufort-Delta and then move forward with...

As I indicated previously, the territorial model’s primary goal is to support the knowledge and skill capacity of community health nurses through continued interaction and direct clinical support with midwives. This will benefit all NWT communities by raising the standard of community maternity care. This is one of the primary goals of a territorial program. There’s also the secondary benefit of being able to provide some midwifery support to residents of Yellowknife who choose to access those types of services.

The fact is, at the end of the day, if a patient is at risk, if there are any...