Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you very much. Okay, so out of the six positions, do they need to be filled and where exactly is the department, what jobs are they and does the department need those six or have they been flagged anywhere where they may be not needed? Thank you.

Just in light of our discussion about vacant positions, perhaps I’d just ask the Minister specifically the first section there under regional allocations. How many of those are real positions, Mr. Chair? Thank you.

I think by improving our system, we do that by creating statistics. In fact, does the department keep track of incorrect diagnoses in our individual centres? If not, why isn’t this information being recorded? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I just want to follow up on my Member’s statement earlier. Falls are the most common cause of injures among senior citizens and our elders, and the top reason for admission for trauma. Falls account for 85 percent of all fractures among people aged 65 years and older and the top fracture being hips.

I want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, do we have any protocols or procedures for treating seniors who fall? I think, in particular, as well, in my Member’s statement I also raised the concern of the family that only one X-ray was taken. Is this...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to use that momentum and improve the Jean Marie access road. We can do more.

Residents of Jean Marie and the leadership have long wished to see the upgrade to a highway. Currently, it is listed as a seasonal access road in Jean Marie. It is truly a seasonal road. During the spring runoff and summer rain storms, the road gets soggy and muddy and almost impossible and impassable at times.

I urge the Department of Transportation to review funding and include the upgrading of this access road in the upcoming multi-model strategy that the department is...

I think the Minister meant Yellowknife standards where it’s chipsealed, as well, all their access roads. Just with that, it’s a priority of the community. It’s always been. I’ve been in this Legislature raising it time and time again.

Is the Minister aware of any other capital dollars aside from this operations and maintenance budget that is going towards the Jean Marie access road?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I touched on the Jean Marie access road earlier in my Member’s statement, so I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation some questions about the access road at Jean Marie.

Are there any plans in this fiscal year in the maintenance budget to do some specific work on that access road to Jean Marie? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps if the Minister can check firstly on the capital and then what specifically is in the O and M budget for the Jean Marie access road and get that back to me there.

Thank you very much. I’m really glad to hear that and maybe the Minister can specifically tell me what strategy that’s in, because it is a seasonal access road right now, meaning it does get soggy and people do get stuck. So the community would like assurance that they will get it upgraded to a highway status, passable year-round. Once again, would the Minister confirm that?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that we report progress.

---Carried