Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m happy to hear that. Given that we’re all supposed to be equal partners in working towards the best interests of the people of the Northwest Territories, I’d like the Premier to commit to working with the Members on this side of the House and providing us with timely, upfront information in the future when it comes to items such as resource revenue sharing and devolution, as well as any other big picture items that the government might be proceeding with in the future.

Yes, I remember when it was suggested that devolution and resource revenue sharing were off the agenda. We all were obviously concerned, and we pushed for him to get it on, and it’s on. That’s good; that’s fantastic. What I’m talking about is a proposal that has now gone forward to the feds. We don’t know anything about it. We don’t know the details. We didn’t find out until September 29, which was 38 days after you made the proposal to the federal government.

I’m still curious, and this is going to go back to my first question. Why wasn’t this information on the specifics of this proposal...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last June I made a Member’s statement about Cabinet communication and consensus government. As I indicated then, I believe in consensus government. I feel that it can and does work. However, for it to be effective, it will take cooperation from all Members: those in Cabinet and those on this side of the House. Unfortunately, open two way communication and open dialogue does not always occur.

Toward the end of the May–June session I was optimistic that effective two way communication between Cabinet and the rest of us was going to be a reality. Since then there has been...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Standing Committee on Social Programs had a public hearing on Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act, on September 11, 2008, and after being forced to adjourn due to a small fire, again on September 12, 2008.

The proposed amendments will bring the regulation of the legal profession in line with the best practices and standards being applied in the rest of Canada. The amendments were developed with active participation by the NWT Law Society and reflect the needs and wishes of the profession while still ensuring that the rights of the clients are protected.

Th...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a written question for the Minister of Health and Social Services.

Could the Minister of Health and Social Services provide me with a comprehensive breakdown of the usage of the three Stanton Territorial Hospital operating rooms during the 2007–2008 fiscal year and the 2008–2009 fiscal year to date. Specifically:

the number of days each operating room was opened;

the number of days each operating room was closed;

the number of hours each room was not in operation; and

a list of days that each was closed.

I’m hardly suggesting it’s time to take down the sails. I share my other colleagues’ advice: it’s time to get the sails up, and it’s time for us to move forward. What I’m simply suggesting is that when it comes to something as important as resource revenue sharing and devolution, it’s important to keep us all on the same page, which I don’t feel actually occurred in this case. I mean, I would like to know the details.

I guess the second question, since I really didn’t get the first question answered, is: when are we going to get the full description of what this proposal entails and what the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I want some clarification on that response that was just provided. It sounds an awful lot like you’re telling me that this government will work with dental surgeons in Inuvik and Fort Smith to provide them with facilities for their oral surgeons, but if you happen to be a dentist in Yellowknife, no, we’re not going to help you; do it on your own. Is that kind of what you’re telling me now, Ms. Minister?

That sounded an awful lot like a no. Yellowknife does have the largest aboriginal population in the Northwest Territories, the largest single population of aboriginals. So there are individuals who live in Yellowknife who would be able to get those advantages. I understand that there is a waiting list in Yellowknife as well and that there are young children who require dental surgery services in Yellowknife who will have to ship out to Edmonton or other locations if we can’t find a way to get it to happen here.

I understand that there are some issues at Stanton, but at the same time I also know...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In June I asked the Minister of Health and Social Services a number of questions on the provision of dental surgery services in the Northwest Territories. At that time the Minister indicated that the department was investigating the possibility of making services available.

Since then it has come to my attention that senior officials with the Department of Health and Social Services had discussed the issue with Health Canada, who has agreed to increase the coverage under NIHB for the facility teams associated with provision of First Nations and Inuit children’s dental...

That still sounds like a no. I don’t quite understand why the Minister isn’t willing to work with the dentists in Yellowknife to provide these services in Yellowknife. I understand the importance of providing it to the other communities as well. I’m not suggesting we stop, but the lists are large, and there are dentists here who are qualified to do this work and are willing to do this work.

At the risk of repeating myself, I think I’ll ask a very similar question. Will the Minister work with the local dentists to find a way to provide oral dental surgeries in Yellowknife as well as the other...