Jane Groenewegen

In his previous comment, the Minister indicated that the compensation package for resident physicians, locum physicians are very competitive, that money is not the issue, it is just trying to get the people to come and take up practice here in the North.

As we know, the practice of medicine has changed. It isn’t like it was in the old days when doctors were on call 24/7 in a small town. We recognize that and we respect that. Would the Department of Health and Social Services be willing to pay an organization such as a private, independent organization? They call them headhunters. When...

Thank you, Mr. Neudorf. Anything further, Mr. Bromley?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to follow up on the questions that were asked by my colleague Mr. Bouchard, from Hay River North, regarding the lack of resident physicians in Hay River.

This is not a new problem. This has been ongoing for some time. I know the health authority does the best they can with getting locums, and some of the locums are actually rotating in and out on a six-week in/six-week out basis, which is certainly better than no continuity. So I do commend the efforts of the health authority to try and address this difficult situation.

The Minister referred to the...

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Anything further, Mr. Bromley?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to make note of a couple of events recently held in Hay River. This past Saturday night was the 53rd Annual Firemen’s Ball and the 61st anniversary of the Hay River Volunteer Fire Department. This annual ball is an opportunity for members of the fire department and their flames – that’s their significant others – to attend a gala event to celebrate and receive recognition for their accomplishments of the past year.

Again this year, in Chief Ross Potter’s annual report, those gathered heard of the many calls and responses made in the community. We also...

Thank you. Members, at this time I’d like to draw your attention to the visitors gallery to a former Member and Premier of this Assembly and now president of the IRC, Nellie Cournoyea, and the mayor of Inuvik, Mr. Denny Rodgers. Welcome.

---Applause

Very timely. We were just discussing the budget allocation for the Inuvik-Tuk highway. Good timing. Thank you. Anything further? Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you. Will the Sergeant-at-Arms please escort the witnesses into the Chamber, then we’ll get ready to go with our general comments.

Mr. Miltenberger, for the record, can you please introduce your delegation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Tabled Document 2-17(1), Northwest Territories Capital Estimates 2012-13, and would like to report progress. I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. The item we will be dealing with here today is the Northwest Territories Capital Estimates 2012-2013. I’d like to turn the floor over to Minister Miltenberger for his opening remarks. Mr. Minister.