Jane Groenewegen

So am I to understand that even if there is room on the plane that is being used for the medevac for an additional passenger, it would be the policy of this government that that passenger or family member would not be allowed on that medical charter? Is that what the Minister is saying? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My colleague beat me to it. I was going to recognize Mr. Shane Thompson, a former resident of Hay River and it sounds like soon to be resident of Hay River again. Bring it on home. Thank you. You’ve heard it here first.

I’m not completely familiar with what type of planes are used for medical evacuations, and certainly I understand that if a person is having a medical emergency, they do need to have a trained medical professional accompany them on that medevac if required.

My question is: Does the medical practitioner at the originating end of the medevac have the discretionary ability, if there’s room over and above medical staff on that charter, to allow a family member to accompany the patient on that charter?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. It is in reference to my Member’s statement.

I would like to ask the Minister what is the policy of this government and of his department with respect to a family member accompanying a patient on a medical evacuation charter. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Lots of things about the North and how we deliver programs and services to our constituents is very unique to the North. Many rural and remote communities and, in fact, all of our communities have to occasionally rely on an employee, the use of medical evacuation charters. It is nothing like being in a large urban centre with a hospital where family and friends can support a family member through a medical emergency. It’s not even a given that a family member can fly later in a timely manner or travel by road if it is an off-road community, or can necessarily afford a...

I would like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. The first standing committee report we’re going to deal with is 6-17(3), the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure, their report on the 2012 Hydraulic Fracturing Study Tour: Toward a Policy Framework for Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Hawkins.

Agreed. Thank you. Our next committee report is from the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures, Report on the Use of Tablet Computers in Formal Session of the Legislative Assembly. Mr. Bromley. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you. Is committee agreed?

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Your motion is in order. To the motion.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will not be supporting the motion. I am sick and tired of the Northwest Territories having the dubious distinction of being the most difficult place in which to develop resources.

Ten years ago I went to the Prospectors and Developers Conference in Toronto. I was a speaker there on behalf of our government, and we were talking about the same things then: the red tape, the environmental assessment process. That’s our distinction. That’s what we’re known for in the Northwest Territories. You want to go to a place where you can never get business done? Go to the Northwest...