Glen Abernethy

In the communities where there are health facilities, individuals can go to those health facilities and get referral and be brought in, through medical travel, to utilize the detox beds in either Inuvik or Yellowknife, whichever happens to be closer. For the smaller communities that don’t have nurses, we do have other types of professionals in those communities like CHRs, CHWs that we can have conversations with and they can get a doctor involved to make a referral so that an individual could come out and receive withdrawal management services in either Stanton or Inuvik, whichever happens to...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On my left is Jeannie Mathison who is the director of finance and on my right is Debbie DeLancey who is the deputy minister.

Mr. Chair, I’m sorry the Member is disappointed. We are still interested in discussions with the community. We’ll continue to move forward with the community. We also see an opportunity here, a possible opportunity with the Deline self-government to move forward on this initiative, but at the same time, we still need to make sure that people have the training they need to provide the programs that are required in palliative care.

I have had a conversation with a couple of the individuals that the Member just indicated and I do remember some conversations around some interest in getting a program they would like to propose. We are looking at applications from a number of those individuals. I don’t recall the title or the name, the Tulita On-the-Land Healing Program, but as I’ve indicated, we will look at our files and look for this application and give it due consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. I know the Member and all Members have expressed frustrations around medical travel in the past. I too have expressed significant frustration around medical travel. I think you’d be hard pressed to find somebody who hasn’t.

Part of the problem that we’ve had around medical travel is the clarity around it. It doesn’t seem to meet some of the people’s needs. With these changes that are coming forward, it will be more clear. We’ll clearly articulate it so it’s understood and applied consistently across the Territories. That in and of itself will reduce some of the complications that we...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. At this point our priority is actually to provide training to our community health nurses so they have the knowledge, skills and ability they need to provide palliative care in the homes, so supporting individuals in their homes as opposed to moving them to a different facility or building. Once we’ve completed that training, we are able to provide palliative support in people’s homes. We’ll be able to assess the effectiveness of that and that will help inform any future direction which could include supporting some palliative beds in some communities throughout the...

The Member has indicated that that particular organization asked us for money and I have checked with the Sahtu Health and Social Services Authority and they indicated that they never had a request and I’ve never had a request to my office asking for money for this particular program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I’m going to go to the director of finance, Jeannie, on that.

It’s certainly an intriguing idea and I get the Member’s point here. If it’s the wish of committee, we’re certainly willing to have those discussions. I will note that this may be an opportunity as we continue to expand the Integrated Case Management Program that we’re applying to the Wellness Court. So this might be an opportunity or a next logical fit. So, if it’s the wish of committee, we’re certainly willing to explore that. Thank you.

It’s my understanding that we actually do have individuals from the health authority as well as I believe there’s income support and Housing staff going in there, but I will get a confirmation of exactly who’s visiting that facility and how regularly to provide information to users of the Day Shelter.