David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, Mr. Chairman, I didn’t want to lose my opportunity to talk about the Department of Health and Social Services but, more importantly, the lack of programs and services we see in our small, isolated communities. We seem to be doing a lot to increase large programs and services with regards to the dementia centre, amalgamated clinics, large-scale hospitals, but we haven’t done much by ensuring or improving the quality of health care services in our small communities. I, for one, have been raising this issue prior to division, and if you look at statistics going back...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Minister’s Statement 47-16(4) be moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Sergeant-at-Arms, escort the witnesses in.

Ms. Lee, for the record, would you introduce your witnesses.

At this time I would like to ask the Minister if she will be bringing in any witnesses. Ms. Lee.

General Comments. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you. Next on the list I have Mr. Jacobson.

Good day. Welcome to the House. At this time I would like to recognize a former Speaker of the House and also Premier, Minister, Mr. Richard Nerysoo. Welcome to the House.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize a former resident of Fort McPherson who now lives here in Yellowknife, Annie Kendi. Welcome, Annie.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of a long-term care facility for Fort McPherson. Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 114 signatures of Fort McPherson residents. Mr Speaker, the petition is to request the establishment of a permanent long-term care facility for the hamlet of Fort McPherson.

I request the Premier to do an audit on the Inuvik health board dealing with the community of Tsiigehtchic from the information that was provided by the Minister in which in one year they made 20 visits and they were there for 120 hours. For me, that’s unacceptable. I’d like to know from the Premier if he can tell me exactly how many dollars are being expended on the health operations in the community of Tsiigehtchic out of that $300 million that we’ve spent on behalf of this government, how much is really being spent in communities and not operating a health board, which goes in a deficit...