Shane Thompson

I thank the Minister for his answer. I will follow up with him with the specific concerns residents have talked to me about. Like most places, food is usually an issue for some. The concern isn’t about the quality; it is about the traditional food. How does the department ensure the boarding room has access to traditional food that can be provided to the patient? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, I have heard a lot of positive things about the boarding home here in Yellowknife, however like most things, there are a few concerns that residents have raised, and I would like to raise them here today. Mr. Speaker, there are patients that have to stay in the boarding home long-term. Even some have resided permanently. Has the department looked at placing them in their own home without having short-term patients staying in their place? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for the answer. It kind of leads in to my next question. With people with chemo treatments and that, can the Minister start working with these patients to put them in hotels until a policy is in place so their immune systems don’t allow them to catch other diseases such as colds and stuff like that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for that answer and I look forward to having a conversation with him. Can the Minister please tell us if there are support groups available for patients with cancer and if these patients are told about this type of program?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for that answer. It does clear up a little bit of concerns out there so I am able to share that with my constituents. Mr. Speaker, due to appointments and flight schedules, patients sometimes miss meals. How does the department ensure that the patients are fed? Do they get a food allowance to cover this additional cost that is put onto them, because the flights are not? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to follow up on my Member's statement with questions for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Mr. Speaker, since the community initiated the evacuation to Ford Liard, does the department cover the costs incurred by the community of Nahanni Butte? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for that information. I will be sharing this information with my residents that have concerns, and I thank him for that. I guess my last question here is: can the Minister explain what the process is for outoftown hunters or outofterritory hunters to come in and check in so that we are aware that they are out there?

I thank the Minister for that answer. I guess the big concern is that when we see the hunters, it is usually on Friday to Sunday and Monday. We are hoping, with the Minister's permission, that they can start working with the department and the communities about this. The other issue is with these nonresidents that come in is that they are leaving garbage, and they are using people's cabins. Is this something that the department does monitor, or is it just that people are able to leave garbage and use whatever facilities are available to them?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I agree with you. I hope it never has to happen again. Unfortunately, in my 23 years, I have seen a number of evacuations. I am hoping that you are going to be working with the Hamlet of Fort Liard so they can be better prepared. My last question is about the communication system. Unfortunately, the community used Facebook as their way of getting information out about how to evacuate, and the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs used emergency bulletins and web pages to get that information. However, when the community evacuates, they are on the other side of...

I thank the Minister for that answer. During this situation where they evacuated, halfway through, all of a sudden the EMO committee was activated, and they actually encouraged the residents to stay in Ford Liard. With that extra day of costs, will the department be covering those costs?