Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister keeps telling us that this is the best program in Canada. I can’t argue that. On paper, it’s the best in Canada and certainly the most lucrative. But when she says that it doesn’t actually include the cost of living in the Northwest Territories, and slight changes will send us to a tipping point that may well result in people leaving the Northwest Territories, yet there’s no evidence of research done -- and I’ve said this several times -- to suggest that they’ve even done any analysis on that. Will the Minister commit to actually doing the research on the...

The motion to do this review happened well over a year ago. I noticed that the Minister points out that they spoke to the advisory group, which I understand is a GNWT. I didn’t hear any reference at all to actually meeting or talking with the stakeholders, the seniors, the NWT Council of Persons with Disabilities. So I’d like to thank the Minister for confirming that they didn’t, in fact, do that.

I see zero evidence in any of the information provided by the Minister that the Department of Health and Social Services conducted any research into the possible effects of proposed changes resulting...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to follow up on my colleague Wendy Bisaro’s Member’s statement from last Friday on the changes to the Supplemental Health Benefits Program. For the record, I completely agree with Ms. Bisaro. I, too, find the document released by the Department of Health and Social Services leading. It’s clear that the Minister has a preferred course of action on the changes to the program and has released information that will ensure that the department gets what the department wants.

I encourage the Minister to remember the motion that was passed in this House. The...

The motion is clear. I was wondering if the Minister could tell us why the Minister ignored what the motion said.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on the questions I was asking earlier today. First off, I’d like to recognize that I agree with the Minister in her response to Mr. Hawkins that, yes, we have a collective responsibility to make this program work better for the residents of the Northwest Territories. I couldn’t agree more. The problem is I think we need information to do that.

The Minister also said, in responding to some of my questions, that we need some good dialogue between us and the stakeholders and the department. Once again, I couldn’t agree more, but we need to make sure...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister can reiterate it all she wants. The bottom line is that people are waiting an extended period of time. I’m asking her to get her department, and Stanton specifically, to find a way to expedite those times as much as they can and to work with our residents to remind them that their appointments are coming so that they don’t feel like they are left in the dark. Once again, I was wondering if I could get the Minister to commit to actually putting in a process that ensures that residents are regularly updated about the time and date of their colonoscopy as well...

Thank you to the Minister for that. I’m not sure that is always the case. I know there are a number of people who have emergency situations or blood has appeared in their samples to suggest that an appointment should happen within three months, as the department indicated in the newspaper several weeks ago. There are delays that are far longer than that. Given that there is such an extensive wait list for colon cancer screening, how does the system, and Stanton specifically, ensure that residents are regularly updated as to the status of their appointment? That is one of the problems that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On Tuesday I made a Member’s statement and asked some questions concerning colon cancer screening in the Northwest Territories. I am frustrated that the Minister seems unwilling to meet with the Stanton Foundation to work towards real partnerships and potential solutions. However, as I indicated at the time, I am supportive of the Department of Health and Social Services’ direction to encourage residents over 50 to get screened every one or two years. Given the high rate of colon cancer in the Northwest Territories, this is the right thing to do.

Given that the health...

Residents could die within two years. We need to make sure that people are getting these treatments as quickly as possible.

Just for the record, I think the individuals at Stanton performing the procedures are experts and are awesome at what they do and they deserve to be patted on the back. I’m not talking about the actual performance of the procedure; I’m talking about screening and getting the procedures to happen and scheduled on a regular basis.

I’m wondering if I could get the Minister to commit to having Stanton implement a monitoring and reminder process that ensures that residents are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As indicated during my Member’s statement, I believe that as a system we must own some responsibility for patients missing their appointments, especially when they are for appointments which take place several months from the time when patients are originally notified of the requirement for a procedure.

I’ve talked with some residents who have indicated that they have been told by their physician that they are being recommended for colon cancer screening but they don’t hear anything from Stanton for months. Could the Minister of Health and Social Services please tell me...