Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is one of the key pieces in the negotiations that are going to be underway. One of the outstanding issues, let me put it this way, is the issue of pensions. That has yet to be resolved. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the project is in the capital plan and main estimates and it will be done.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will commit to the Member that we will make sure that this is an agenda item on our next meeting with the social envelope Ministers, which is going to happen within the next couple of weeks. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have a Mental Health and Addictions Strategy that has had the first two years completed. We’ve put staff in nearly all the communities, both mental health workers as well as community wellness workers. We’re working on ensuring they are properly trained and able to deal with the alcohol and drug issues that arise.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there will be contingency backup arrangements made out of Fort Simpson to fill in the service gaps on a temporary basis until we can rectify and staff these two positions. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, back on August 18th the Member and myself and some other folks sat down in Fort Liard when we were doing a tour of the Nahendeh. We met with the chief and we talked about the concern about the alcohol and drug worker in the community which has been converted into a community wellness worker and a mental health and addictions counsellor that was being hired. Those are two separate positions. It was agreed at that time that there would be a staffing process initiated for the mental health worker. As well, we would be looking at filling the community wellness...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this issue has been on the table for some time. There’s another round of collective bargaining that’s going to be underway here and that will continue to be discussed. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the renovations in Hay River are slated to go ahead. We are just in the process of concluding a report that’s been looking at the facility review of all the facilities in the Northwest Territories on the acute care side, the long-term care side and the usage and anticipated needs in the future. Once that report is done, we will be moving ahead with the actual master planning for the mid-life renovations in Hay River. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that applies to both general practitioners and specialists. It’s a four-year agreement that will expire, I believe, in 2007 or 2008. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have just in the last number of months, in our first year, signed a four-year agreement with the Medical Association of the Northwest Territories, that gives the doctors a very competitive pay and benefits package. We have many perks in there that make it very competitive. The pay is good. There are lots of good benefits. As well, we are also funding and helping to assist some northern students who are currently in medical school, who will hopefully be graduating in a number of years. I think there are four currently in school that are going to be...