Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize two Pages from Hay River South who have been working in the Chamber for us all week. They are two fine gentlemen, Ethan Schofield and Matthew Lafferty. Say hello to them if you get a chance to. Thank you.

I’d like to thank Minister Lafferty and his witnesses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have stated goals and initiatives of this government. For example, educating people. To that end, we boast the best SFA, student financial assistance, system in the country.

We have a stated goal of increasing the population of the NWT by 2,000 people. These are well-known goals and strategies that we work and expend resources to advance. However, every day we hear of anomalies, contradictions and decisions based on policy that fly in the face of these goals. I believe in rules and transparencies, but sometimes our policies lack discretion and common sense in applying...

If I could just turn your attention, then, back to page 13, to Education, Culture and Employment, total infrastructure investments, $8.299 million.

Thank you, Minister Lafferty. If I could direct Members’ attention, please, to page 14 under Education, Culture and Employment, infrastructure investments, $6.627 million.

Thank you, Minister Lafferty. Does committee agree?

Thank you. We will commence with that after a brief break.

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I’d like to call Committee of a Whole to order today. What is the wish of the committee, Ms. Bisaro?

I would further just like to ask the Minister, then, if he would ensure that there is consistency across the health authorities going forward and some mechanism that would remind patients or families of the need that if they want the information to be made available that they have to grant that authority or that approval in some form, maybe attached to the admission form, or some way, so that we don’t end up in the situation where someone is wanting to find out about something, which they rightfully probably should know and their parent or their loved one may want them to know.

Can we make sure...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The question I have today is for the Minister of Health and Social Services, and it may seem like a small issue, but it’s a very important issue when a family is in crisis and a loved one is in the care of a health care facility.

So, I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services if he is aware of a policy that would guide a health care professional or a person in administration when answering an inquiry about the condition of a patient. Let me give you an example. I recently had a constituent who was in the hospital who was nearing end of life, and her son...