David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services with regard to my Member’s statement regarding the decision to formulate a committee, the Territorial Admissions Committee, to oversee the administration and processes of individuals to long-term care facilities.

Mr. Speaker, I believe we have to have a fair and equitable system in regards to accessibility of programs and services with regard to persons who need it. We also have to be aware that there are cultural and social needs, individual needs, with regard to the regions they come...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Tabled Document 1-16(4), NWT Capital Estimates 2010-2011, and would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Mr. Speaker, someone who has been involved in the Sahtu claim process knows that the ore body we are talking about has subsurface lands which are owned by the people of the Sahtu. They have ownership at the site that we are talking about around the existing ore body. So I mean it seems like this government is either snuffing us off or not taking us seriously. This is a major deposit with regard to one of the largest deposits in North America and yet we don’t seem to be interested. So I’d like to ask the Minister, can he report back to this House exactly what your department is doing to ensure...

The main ore body that they’re talking about processing or developing is in the Northwest Territories. Basically, facilities are being developed in the Yukon so they can avoid the environmental process that they have to go through under the Mackenzie Valley Resources Management Act. So, again, it looks to me like the developer is trying to avoid regulatory responsibility in the Northwest Territories. So I’d like to ask the Minister again, have you checked to see why it is that this developer out of Vancouver is avoiding the regulatory responsibility it has in the Northwest Territories under...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to request of the Minister if she could pass on the message to the residents of the Joe Greenland Centre and, more importantly, the staff of this transitional period, what the process is and, more importantly, the residents, patients and families that this process is out there. Get the message out and get those people aware that this change has taken place and make sure it’s open and transparent so everybody can take advantage of it. Mahsi.

My concern is with the opening of the new Dementia Centre here in Yellowknife where a lot of patients will receive that special care, but, more importantly, they are presently in the territorial hospital system with regard to care facilities in Inuvik, Fort Smith, here in Yellowknife and, more importantly, to ensure that those people who need the service for dementia are given the service, but we move the people in there that need that 24-hour care and specialized care in that particular area. But by moving these people, we don’t see a decrease in regard to programs and services in the other...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Social Services announced last week they are establishing a new committee, the Territorial Administration Committee, to look at the administration of applicants to a long-term care facility. Mr. Speaker, I think that we, as a Territory, realize that we have some tenant facilities throughout the Northwest Territories, small facilities like in the Joe Greenland Centre in Aklavik to a large facility such as the Dementia Centre here in Yellowknife. Mr. Speaker, I think it is essential that we ensure that we have a fair and equitable access for process but...

I would like to call the Committee of the Whole to order. We have Tabled Document 1-16(4), NWT Capital Estimates 2010-2011. What is the wish of the committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to this issue being resolved soon. Fishing season is coming before us. I think that we’re hoping to have this, I believe in the letter it states, in July. I’d like to ask the Minister if he can have a resolution to this issue within the next two weeks, prior to the fishing season in July.

Question has been called.

---Carried

Mr. Menicoche.