Tom Beaulieu

This will be part of the repackaging of the way we are doing business. Communities that have success in programs and then have the program cut off after one year is not something that we want to continue. If communities have success with good programs in the schools or in the communities that are helping with prevention and are doing good upstream work for the Department of Health and for the people in the North, we are going to continue to fund those. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve had discussions with the department at the deputy minister level, and I’ve talked to the CEOs of the health authorities in one short lunch meeting and have advised them that this is the direction that I’m hoping to take the department more into prevention. Thank you.

Like I indicated, running through the local health authorities across the North – and we have all the communities in one of the health authorities across the North – and right now the Diabetes Pilot Program and management of chronic diseases, the outcome to hopefully have better long-term results in diabetes prevention is being piloted in Norman Wells, Yellowknife and Behchoko.

I’m hoping that the evaluation that the department would do, working with the John Howard Society, looks at continuing the things that the shelter was put there for, with access to washrooms, telephone, Internet and so on, and also some counselling to the individuals who are accessing the shelter, to try and improve their lives.

Yes, that is the intention. The City of Yellowknife has put their money forward to extend the shelter. Health and Social Services has done a review of the service that has been provided, and once that review is done, the intention is to follow the City of Yellowknife and extend the money through 2012-2013.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize the Grade 5 class of Sissons, and Monique as well. I often go and visit with the students over there.

At this time our intention was to have the chief medical officer go to Fort Good Hope to meet with the people there. I know I have talked to the chairman of the Sahtu Health and Social Services Board and she’s interested in myself, along with some departmental staff and the MLA to go to the Sahtu and travel to all the communities, including Fort Good Hope, and maybe from that type of discussion could evolve into something that is more focused on this particular issue.

Thank you, Madam Chair. That work is being done with the people at Stanton and it’s part of the planning study that’s in progress at this time.

The department will be publishing the report which covers 2001-2009, actually. The report is scheduled to be released in 2012, the earlier part of 2012 is my hope, and the information will cover such things as cancer incidents, mortality, cancer screening and also the stages of cancer diagnosis.

Thank you, Madam Chair. To my right I have the deputy minister, Debbie DeLancey, Health and Social Services. To my left, the assistant deputy minister, Derek Elkin.