Glen Abernethy

Every region, every community in the Northwest Territories is different and has their own unique realities. The plan was originally to put them in Hay River one year, Beaufort-Delta the second year and then move forward with Yellowknife. We are also exploring the possibility of putting it in other communities and regions. Only recently the Dehcho Health and Social Services Authority has approached us with an indication that they would be interested in doing midwifery services there. We are working with them to see when we might be able to roll that out. We do have a midwifery coordinator...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I have already indicated to the Member, we are going to have a Traditional Foods Facilities Action Plan and Recommendations, January 2015, for review by Regular Members and consideration so that we can move forward and do exactly what the Member is asking us to do. January 15th is well before the writ drops in the 17th Legislative Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member as well as other Members have actually asked this question before. Following up from those requests for information and the desire to have more traditional foods in our facilities, which we agree is an incredibly important thing to do, our traditional foods help to promote healing, healthy eating and all those types of things. So the Department of Health and Social Services is currently doing some research and developing an action plan to improve the availability of traditional foods within our facilities.

The Traditional Foods and Facilities Action Plan and...

We have gone to the Beaufort-Delta and started having some initial conversations with the people in the health centre there. They raised concerns that are unique to their own hospitals or health centres. We want to make sure that the Midwifery Program works in the regions and communities based on the protocols that already exist in those areas. That would have to be true coming into Yellowknife. We would have to make sure it works in the system and in the infrastructure that we have here.

The Deh Cho is different, once again, in that they don’t actually have a hospital. They have regional...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following the plan, we have put money into the Hay River region for two positions. Those two positions are filled. The next step is, obviously, we are planning to put some money in the budget for 2015-16 for Inuvik. In the meantime, we are working with Inuvik to explain the protocols and procedures that will be followed in that jurisdiction and we are hoping to fill those positions in 2015-16.

The Aboriginal Health and Community Wellness staff members are working with the group, the Breast Health/Breast Cancer Action Group that the Member has mentioned and they’ve been having continued dialogue. So there has been some conversations both ways. We are hoping to have the cancer care coordinator position filled in the immediate future, but it’s hard to say for sure whether we’ll find somebody. We are currently staffing. The staffing process usually takes a month or two. We’re hoping to have it filled within that period, but we have had problems staffing similar positions in the past. So...

Thank you. The cancer care coordinator will focus on navigating the system and embracing the patient-centred care philosophy. It will help improve the patient’s experience and care outcomes and empower a patient towards things like self-management, harm reduction and health improvement and maintenance.

This is a patient advocate and they will consult with a variety of health care providers in partnership with the patient. They will assist in identifying needs within the cancer care continuum for the patient and for the patient’s caregivers as well as their family. The cancer care coordinator...

I’m not familiar enough with that particular program of the dollars being provided by the federal government to say that we are committed to it. But what I will do for the Member is I will talk to the Members of the Social Envelope Committee and Cabinet. We will get ourselves informed and we’ll be in a better position to respond. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment has been coordinating working on this exact issue. I don’t have any specific details, but I will commit to having a conversation with the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and share that information with the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We have processes and programs in place in the Northwest Territories for individuals who are suffering from addictions. We will have an access point for individuals. Our staff will visit the day shelter on a regular basis and those individuals who are ready to take advantage of some of the programming we have will get that treatment. So, we do have a disagreement.

I believe we have many programs and services available. I believe the day shelter is a great access point, a great place to bring people together and share information. When those individuals are ready to take treatment, we are here...