Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to talk about a situation that has come to my attention in my constituency office from numerous constituents. Mr. Speaker, it has to do with the delivery of specialist health services. In theory, it would be a great achievement to attract medical specialists to the Northwest Territories Stanton Territorial Hospital and to service people of the NWT in their home territory and avoiding things such as the high cost of travel, accommodation when they have to go to the city, separating families when they need medical attention.

Mr. Speaker, when a new...

For further clarity then, in the case where a patient with MS has had a longstanding relationship with a physician, with a specialist, a neurologist in the south, has been travelling out to see that specialist, is it only the medical travel portion that is affected? So, in fact, if the patient said it is so important to me that I need to see this particular doctor because they know my case, I know them, there’s a trust relationship built, is it possible for that patient to say, okay, I will pay for my own medical travel to get to Edmonton? Will the department then continue to support that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said in my Member’s statement today, I have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. This has to do with the delivery of specialist care, specialist services to residents of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, I fully understand and applaud the department for attempting to attract, recruit and retain specialists of various disciplines here in the Northwest Territories. It makes sense. However, Mr. Speaker, the truth of the matter is that specialists are sometimes available here in the North and sometimes not.

In the last several weeks in Hay...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister consider grandfathering people who already have a longstanding, established relationship with a specialist in the south?

Also, can the Minister confirm that the neurologist who is currently located in Yellowknife, does that specialist have a full patient load or do they have capacity to take on more patients?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would still like to have the Premier commit to formally communicating with the acting chair of the board of directors, expressing strongly that the preference of this government would be that the president and CEO of NTPC reside where the headquarters is located in Hay River. Thank you.

The day-to-day operations of an organization, whether or not the leader is there every day or not is largely -- and the Premier knows this as a leader of this organization -- the leadership is a huge piece of the good working and productivity and contentment of the folks who work in the headquarters in Hay River.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT hydro piece, which is a subsidiary of the NWT Power Corporation, having to come here to do that work when the Taltson is located in the South Slave. Hay River is in the South Slave. We as a government have got to look for ways of sustaining the smaller communities...

Thank you. I’d also like to recognize our former colleague and former Speaker and now grand chief for the Dehcho. It’s good to see that there is life after serving in the territorial Assembly, and Mr. Antoine from Nahendeh and Mr. Gargan adhere to the principle of recycle, reuse.

---Laughter

Mr. Chairman, I move that we report progress.

If I can get the Premier to agree, concur that the morale of the headquarters staff in Hay River would be enhanced by having the president and CEO also be a resident of that community to interact with those folks in the very many things you do in a small community, that that would be a valuable asset and would enhance the morale of the folks who work in the headquarters in NTPC. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about this one small line in this recruitment ad that has caused such a stir in Hay River. I really can’t overstate that, Mr. Speaker. I know it may not seem like a big thing, because one extra executive or CEO in Yellowknife may not be a big thing, but in Hay River, in a small community, this is a large thing. As our government, we say that we’re committed to vibrant, sustainable communities, and there’s good air service between Hay River and Yellowknife, there are certainly good communication systems in place and, like I said...