Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have begun our work around the whole extended benefits policy and that work is underway right now. We’re not picking out a specific piece, for example, a list of what is covered in that area at this time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the issue of wait times is not, as I stated, an issue that is concluded. It is an area where we are challenged. We are going to continue to be challenged, especially when you look at the partners that we have in the Northwest Territories, in delivering health care. Yes, I will work and provide information. I will gladly sit down with the Social Programs committee or all Members of this Assembly to show how we work through this and how we have come up to highlight where we think we need to focus on this time and, in fact, some of the areas we are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in a couple of areas we are already meeting what times we have talked about and discussed. For example, hips and knees and cataracts are areas where we have already got fairly good coverage, so we are meeting on some of those targets the federal government has sort of aimed at as we feel we are adequate in those areas. Our challenges are, and we continue to be challenged, for example in primary care first contact. When a patient goes into a health centre or a hospital, what are our challenges? Our greatest challenges are in the smallest communities....

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is continuing on his view of this. The situation is, as a government, if we had more money to put into our extended health benefits policy, would this be one of the priorities, and that has to come under the equation. We'd have to look at a whole number of procedures that are not included now that people would have to pay on their own or go to other jurisdictions that we can't provide. As I stated before, there are procedures, surgeries done on patients. Once they've gone home, they have to pay and pick up the tab on a number of other things...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it’s not just a matter of one subject or one disability over another being added to the list. There are many that don’t make the list, whether it’s in the drug side, particular procedures and, as well, we’d have to look at, as we do with a lot of our programs, income of individuals and whether they qualify for some of our programs or not. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just recently travelled back to my home and held a constituency meeting. I thought I would take this opportunity to relay the messages that I heard in the community at my recent constituency meeting.

May 2nd I had an opportunity to hold a constituency meeting in the Inuvik Centennial Library and, as at a number of my recent constituency meetings, the turnout was low, but it gave me an opportunity to have a good discussion with the people who did show up. A number of the issues that were raised we hear around this Assembly coming from other communities, but...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Friday, May 11, 2007, I will move that Bill 8, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2007-2008, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when you do a comparison with what is happening in the territorial health area, Health and Social Services with other jurisdictions, we have a pretty good system in place. How we are able to meet the demands. If you go to Alberta even, which is seen as one of the richest areas of the country, and look at the demands on their system and some of the wait times there, we are doing okay here in the Northwest Territories. Yes, we need to continue to improve. That is why we are continuing to work with Capital Health Authority on the diagnostic imaging area....

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the issue of the wait times discussions that went on between the federal government, provinces and territories was one where the three northern territories were very concerned with how that was moving and what impact that may have on us, because a lot of our critical care needs are done in southern jurisdictions. If they decided to change how they dealt with us, it could have an impact on the overall health care delivery. So we looked at the issues where we felt had our greatest pressures and worked with federal Health in that area. Yes, the Member is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The work around formula financing has begun. There have been a number of technical meetings on what a new formula will look like. We understand that as part of this federal budget that will be launched, I guess you can say, on March 19th will include new arrangements for formula financing as well as equalization. So there is work in those areas and we’re waiting to see some of the detail on that. Thank you.