Jane Groenewegen

I do appreciate the Minister is right that there was an exception made in one instance. However, it doesn’t really address the problem going forward and ongoing. I think that a more in-depth analysis needs to be done of the situation. For example, even if there is a neurologist now resident in Yellowknife, what is the caseload of that neurologist? How long will additional patients being added to the caseload have to wait in order to see them? Is there an extraordinary heavy caseload? Is it a light patient load whereby if we don’t include these other folks then they won’t be able to continue to...

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. I’d like to take the opportunity today to speak about an issue that has arisen in Hay River which has caused a great deal of concern. It may seem like a small thing to this government, but the timing of this particular ad, the NWT Power Corporation is recruiting for a new president.

Recently Hay River has seen the departure of some senior management folks at NTCL and then to read an ad in the paper recruiting a president for NTPC saying that this individual can live in Hay River or Yellowknife reverberated through the community with some very negative reaction.

The good...

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.