Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Madam Chair. I hear the Member clearly and I share the same concerns. I don’t believe we’re in jeopardy of losing those dollars at this point. The primary delay in the EMR project has been due to extensive contract negotiations with the vendor. These negotiations included the creation of a new pricing model to reflect a health care delivery model in the Northwest Territories which is different than most other jurisdictions, and we had to work on defining the requirements for NWT-specific functionality in our environment where we have the certain technology that we do. Due to these...

Thank you. In the winter session there was some debate back and forth between myself and MLA Dolynny from Range Lake about our ability to monitor, and the Member did identify a large number of pieces of legislation and indicated that we can do a monitoring program. I was listening very closely to what the Member was saying and I asked the department for a comprehensive legal opinion on whether or not we could, and the department and the lawyers pointed out that we can’t take individual pieces of legislation and think about them independently. We have to look at how they crosslink. The bottom...

For the $98,000 its installing an electrically assisted door opening mechanism on the public wheelchair accessible washroom door and on the door to the wheelchair accessible washroom in the hallway behind the Chamber. This is estimated about $22,500. Installing an electrically assisted door opening mechanism on glass doors to Committee Room A and the library, which is estimated at $49,000. Install a companion seat in each of the two wheelchair access visitors galleries, which are up there and up there. Estimated cost is $11,500. Remove the glass door leading to the public washroom altogether...

Mr. Speaker, one of the reasons that the Anti-Poverty Strategy is as strong as it is, is because we work together collaboratively with the other partners and nobody made a unilateral decision on what programs and services would look like. I would hate to presuppose a solution when I haven’t had an opportunity to talk to my colleagues about what the Member is suggesting. I am very interested in the details from the Member. I think there might be some merit there, but I’m going to have a conversation with my colleagues on both sides of the House before I come forward with a decision. Thank you...

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Legislative Assembly, through direction of the Speaker and the Board of Management, are attempting to improve the accessibility of the Legislative Assembly and increase the ability for all of our residents to enter and enjoy this flagship facility that we have. These dollars are intended to help improve some of the accessibility issues here in the building, including some amendments to the bathrooms, putting the electronic push censors that will automatically open doors, remove some of the glass walls in the bathroom and public areas so that there is less...

Mr. Speaker, I’m not sure what part of my last answer the Member didn’t understand, but I clearly articulated that we are working as Ministers on the Social Envelope Committee. I have shared this information with committee members and we have continued to have that dialogue. Clearly, we are doing what the Member is directing.

With respect to the specifics, I am happy to take the information that the Member is providing and to bring it into the Social Envelope Committee of Cabinet to continue to have that dialogue. I do acknowledge and agree with the Member that this one clearly sounds like a...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’d like to go to the Minister of Transportation to answer that question, if you don’t mind.

Mr. Speaker, further to my Return to Written Questions 11-17(5), 12-17(5) and 14-17(5) I wish to table the following three documents, entitled “Prevalence of “Superbug” Bacterial Infections,” “Housekeeping in NWT Health Facilities,” and “Mental Health and Addictions Financial Summary.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I agree with the Member completely. We need to think outside the box and I’m certainly happy to have some conversations with the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, who is responsible for income support. I don’t know if that will work. I don’t know what mechanisms might exist, but I’m certainly willing to have that conversation and that discussion with him. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again, I’m not comfortable talking about a specific individual, but we do have a Medical Travel Policy, it is under review. In the future it will address the types of situations the Member is discussing. I’d be happy to sit down with the Member and talk about this particular situation and get the details and have the department get involved, but this is part and parcel with many of the concerns that we’re hearing about medical travel and in particular around escorts and non-medical escorts. This is work that we need to get done. Thank you.