David Ramsay

Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to say to the Member for Monfwi, I have a great deal of respect and admiration for the job that he's done in the last while, trying to get an additional seat for his riding in Behchoko, and I have a great deal of respect, as well, for the leadership in the Monfwi riding and the Tlicho people. However, Madam Chair, I regret that I will not be able to support this amendment because I, too, have a constituency to represent in the city of Yellowknife and without another seat for Yellowknife, I cannot support any additional seats outside of Yellowknife, Madam Chair...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given what I laid out for the Minister in terms of nurses seeking employment and the staffing issues at the various health centres across the Northwest Territories, I am wondering if the Minister could give some consideration to, in fact, having a special team assigned to the recruitment and retention of health care professionals here in the Northwest Territories, because, in my mind, the current Human Resources department just isn’t fitting the bill, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 2, and would like to report that Bill 14 is ready for third reading. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a propensity for standing up in this House and questioning the government in regard to concerns my constituents are raising like the honourable Minister had when he was on this side of the House. I just wanted to point that out for the record, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister what performance measures or indicators does the Minister employ when he is trying to gauge whether, in fact, service levels are improving in the Human Resources department. I would like to ask him that specific question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I wish to make a statement about how a constituent of mine is being treated by our health care system.

The troubles began for him in December of 2003 when chest pain and tingling sensations were present. A stress test was to be performed but due to results from blood testing, a low priority was given to allow these tests to happen. The doctor quoted a wait time of six to 12 months. In January, while preparing for a vacation, my constituent consulted with his family doctor regarding concerns over travelling. While on vacation in February of 2004, my constituent...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Wednesday, October 25th, 2006, I will move that Bill 15, Elections and Plebiscites Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the instant of a constituent feeling that the health care system here in the Northwest Territories and Canada has failed them and they seek alternative medical care outside of this country, or overseas for that matter, in what way do they get some kind of compensation for the money that they've spent to get the help that they need themselves? I'm wondering what the process is for that, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to ask some questions today to the Minister of Health and Social Services and it gets back again to my Member's statement where I mentioned a constituent of mine who has gone without a diagnoses for three years, is living in chronic pain, unable to work, unable to support his family and unable to sleep for any more than 15 minutes at a time, Mr. Speaker. It's unthinkable that a government can allow a resident to suffer this long with this type of situation. I'd like to ask the Minister responsible whether or not the Government of the Northwest...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Wednesday, October 25th, 2006, I’ll move that Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 3, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think that three years is long enough for somebody to be allowed to suffer under the conditions that this individual has been allowed to suffer under, and the inability of our health care system to get him the diagnosis that he needs. He's in the process of travelling overseas to get some help, and I want to ask the Minister if he'll commit today to at least have a thorough examination of this individual's file. I'd be more than happy to sit down with the Minister and sort this out, because I think it's completely unacceptable that one of our...