Glen Abernethy

It might be an interesting opportunity in the short term, but I think our priority needs to be to continue to staff the positions in the communities to make sure that people have somebody they can talk to face to face and eye to eye. Thank you.

In addition to Med-Response, I also mentioned some training on first responder training. I know that MACA has already begun delivering training on first responder in Tsiigehtchic. I believe that started in June 2014.

With respect to Med-Response, the residents are not the individuals who would call Med-Response, it would be the professionals in the community; in this case the CHR or CHW that happen to be in Tsiigehtchic. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not actually aware of any programs like that, so if the Member does have some information she’d like to share, I’d be happy to read it and share it with the department

If committee would like, I’d be happy to come and have a briefing with committee to show them where we are to date and help us get some advice and guidance as we move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Recognizing that we do have an Extended Health Program, we are moving forward with the pharmaceutical strategy, which is going to actually cover the exact types of issues that the Member is talking about. We will continue to move forward and work with other provinces and territories who are trying to put forward programs to address the high cost of pharmaceuticals as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I’m not quite aware of the specific details as to why they can’t fill it out on that day or whether they have to wait a couple days, but I’ll certainly get that information and provide it to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

At the birth of a child the parents can put their names on the birth certificate, and the name of a parent who is not present, the father in this case, could have been included on the certificate, as well, and it would have required no additional fee. To change a certificate after the fact there is some administrative requirements and as a result there is a fee, but I would strongly encourage parents to get their names on their certificates when they first fill out their application, both mother and father.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d also like to recognize a few Great Slave constituents who are here, who are either participating or involved in organizing the NWT Campaign School. They are Karen Willy, Kathy Paul-Drover as well as Samantha Thomas. Thank you all for coming today.

It’s not a matter of dragging our heels; we are in fact working on this particular issue. However, lack of in-house pharmaceutical expertise does make the project of this nature quite challenging.

The department has actually hired an expert consultant on pharmaceuticals to assist in the guiding of the understanding of this complex issue. As a pharmacist, I know the Member does understand how complex this can be. We have made recent amendments to the Pharmacy Act to enable a prescription drug monitoring program to be implemented here in the Northwest Territories. The Program Review Office is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a man with a passion for pharmaceuticals, I am happy the Member has raised this question here today. The department is not at this time pursuing a catastrophic drug program here in the Northwest Territories. Rather, we’re working on the development of a pharmaceutical strategy which is building on the work that has been done over the past few years, including the report the Member mentioned that was done by Alberta Blue Cross – Pharmaceutical Strategy Options for the Government of the Northwest Territories – as well as ongoing work that is being done by the Program...