Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like some of my other colleagues, we have frustrations with medical travel. For many residents of the NWT, though, the promise of equitable health care is a broken one.

Medical travel programs were designed to be a bridge to specialize care but instead, Mr. Speaker, often constituents tell me it feels more like a barrier. From staggering out to these convoluted policies, expenses to a labyrinth of confusing unanswered calls, Mr. Speaker, the system becomes so convoluted that you almost need a navigator for your navigator to navigate through the process, Mr. Speaker.

The...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know I am not the only person who's asked this question. I know my colleague from Range Lake has asked this question about where this software is. Did the Minister just say in some way -- and I will allow her to clarify -- is the public service saying no? Are they refusing to do it? Are they refusing to take directions? Can the Minister at the very least commit in this House that she'll have this so-called analysis produced before the end of the second quarter of this current year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are again to the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, on the weekend I was reminded by a Member of our community -- happens to be a senior -- and they were saying to me that how they wish they could book their health appointments online. They mentioned the last time they were uncomfortable standing up, getting there early and having to stand and wait at the door to squeeze in, and when they try to call, the fact is no one answers until after 8 o'clock and hence all the appointments are gone by then, Mr. Speaker, which they said begs the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate it. I was trying to get a context on the record here because the next questions are when my colleague for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh talks about families, including infants, being left in the cold -- I am not going to go through all the examples -- but the examples here really talk about the criteria for non-medical escorts such as breastfeeding infants, elderly people, people with language disabilities, etcetera, etcetera, Mr. Speaker. The question is why are these people still not -- you know, if they meet the qualification of the four-page policy -- and that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My next question to the Minister of health is about a health envoy. Now, I am not sure we need a senior health envoy. I don't know if we can afford a senior health envoy. But, Mr. Speaker, many people will tell me that their service response or service standards aren't being met, which is they go out, there's disconnect on timing, people delayed getting back to them, whether it's phone calls or emails, and the fact is they feel stranded and alone and there is the panic and frustration and hence that's why we're talking about it today, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in short...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if I know of one policy that's been reviewed or could be referred to as an ongoing living document, it would be the medical travel modernization process. I can go back to memory of 2004 I was talking about it.

Mr. Speaker, my questions should -- if they're not aware yet who I am asking, I am asking the health Minister.

Mr. Speaker, my Member's statement today I talked about asking for an exit interview; in other words, people who go through the medical travel process, acknowledging formally right now most will probably not be a problem and they'll say it was...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When is enough enough? Last night the capital plunged into darkness for three and a half hours at minus 25. In the North, where would you ever deem power a luxury? It's the difference between a safe home and a public health emergency.

Mr. Speaker, when the lights go out at these temperatures, the clock isn't just ticking; it's counting down to a potential catastrophe. Yellowknifers are demanding explanation, reasons, why such failure happened. Mr. Speaker, was it an unforeseeable failure? Was it human error? Or was it just simply the system is buckling because of the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the system is supposed to be uninterruptible and although we know that that's worth what it's worth, that statement, that said it's not meant to be three and a half hours to four hours.

Mr. Speaker, I proposed in my Member's statement today creating a business mitigation and recovery fund that would help businesses who are stung hardly on these initiatives --it affects fried equipment, lost revenue, and insurance nightmares -- with some solutions. Would the Minister be willing to look at those solutions I've proposed? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First I'll acknowledge the group as a whole sitting in the gallery, the NUP delegation of the Yellowknife Community Services Corp. Mr. Speaker, in particular, saving the best for last of course, no offence to the first one, I'd like to recognize Stewart Olden, a friend for a long time. Ann Peters is on the board. Lloyd Henderson who's been a family friend for I'd say a generation. And my favourite constituent, I could spend ten Member's statements just doing the introduction of the gold standard senior Vivian Squires who means so much to me and many people in this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the corporation is the only game in town. So I'll give two clear -- we have the land titles system that has an assurance program. They're responsible in case there's a mistake in the system that has impacts. Mr. Speaker, the auto industry takes responsibility when something goes wrong and they try to make it right, Mr. Speaker. And lastly, Mr. Speaker, I am suggesting an insurance program of some sort that creates reimbursements for no -- for damaged equipment and operating loss credits of some form, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister be able to look at these...