Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my colleague Ms. Bisaro, I’d like to recognize the hard work of all our Pages that have been helping us here for the past six weeks, but specifically I’d also like to make special note of two Sir John students who are residents of Yellowknife Centre; that is Theresa Johnson and Karol Manning. Thank you for your hard work and we appreciate the work you do.

Maybe it’s the weather that’s stopping the Minister from breaking the hard exterior of the answer, no, we’re not helping in the sense of funding, we’ll write a letter and that’s the best we can do. Maybe the 259 families aren’t touching a note. What about the approximate 600 children that live in that riding, in that small, medium-sized community that’s representative, as I probably said in a comparative value only, of the size of Aklavik? Mr. Speaker, is there no extraordinary funding that MACA couldn’t find for this particular issue to make sure that these 600 children, the 259 families are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about the concerns of the water and sewer infrastructure in Northland Trailer Park. It’s reached about as bad as it can get, Mr. Speaker. To put the problem into perspective, in the sense of comparative value, Mr. Speaker, Northland would be representative of a medium-sized community here in the Northwest Territories. If you want to lay it out in another way, 259 families probably captures in a similar comparison as maybe the community of Aklavik. Again, just as a comparative size of a medium-sized community. Mr. Speaker, we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The problem with water and sewer infrastructure at Northland Trailer Park continues to be a serious problem. For the past two weeks many of its residents are still trying to cope without water and sewer. These residents undeniably are in a difficult situation and immediate action needs to happen to save our homes. To date the discussion around financial responsibilities continues to overshadow or overtake the problems of health and safety concerns of the 259 families that are at serious risk of losing everything.

As such, the GNWT needs to rise to the occasion and help...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, there certainly should be. Both the public and the industry are demanding fair and reasonable regulations. My last question would be: in unedited Hansard of yesterday the Minister was quoted as saying I want to say that those that are licensed to practice as a therapist or naturopathic practitioner, and even acupuncturists, all of those professionals are allowed to practice in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, what governing body, registration style of body, or legislation or, certainly, regulation licence these people in the Northwest Territories to...

Thank you. Absolutely nothing, yes, that’s the problem. What rules, regulations or anything of that nature are out there and any type of regulation that ensures that these people are qualified to do the job that they are doing? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have to speak today again regarding the Minister’s lack of answers to the House regarding naturopath therapy as well as massage therapy in the inclusion of the coming forward omnibus legislation.

Mr. Speaker, it continues to be increasingly clear that the Minister continues down a conservative agenda and shows little interest in deliberalizing health care reform that would help people of the Northwest Territories. In areas such as massage and naturopathic therapy there have been numerous calls by people in industry as well as individual constituents that feel strongly...

So I guess the Minister should maybe explain to us what group association in the sense of regulation and legislation that actually recognizes these qualifications, because apparently she said earlier there is nothing out there to define that. Can she maybe clarify that for the House?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member’s statement today, I continue to raise concern about how conservative this government continues to be and leans towards stepping forward with government-appropriate legislation to protect people. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services what rules and regulations are out there that are in place at this moment to stop someone from calling themselves a massage therapist or a naturopath therapist. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. About three-quarters of Canadians seek some type of alternative therapy. Therefore, I’m standing today to speak in support of fair and reasonable regulations over alternative therapies such as chiropractic, massage, acupuncture and naturopath therapy.

Mr. Speaker, regulation has been called for many times by many of these people and these organizations. It’s been calling out to this government by both therapists and clients. These people would like the government to move forward on regulations and protection measures that would ensure both the therapists and the clients...