Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just want to follow up on my Member’s statement about the Dehcho Health and Social Services Authority and where we are and where we’re going.

I was pleased that the Minister of Health and Social Services was in Fort Simpson and had the ability to explain to residents, I think it was like a bird’s eye view plan of the health authority. So I’d just like to ask the Minister and get it on record here in the House, once again, on behalf of my constituents, the Dehcho Health and Social Services Authority does not have an existing board.

What is the plan for the...

Probably no point in going on, but I will just ask the Minister if he can follow up with my office and I can let my constituents know if there is a technical reason. If there is any way at all, perhaps I can ask the Minister, is there a way that patients can get Internet? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise today to say goodbye to Billy “Boy” Cholo of Fort Simpson. In December 2013 Billy Cholo, sadly and tragically, passed away in Fort Simpson.

Billy wasn’t famous, important or rich, but he was just as big a part of our lives and our communities. The important thing I want to say, on behalf of his family and our community, is that he will be deeply missed.

Billy “Boy” Cholo will always be remembered for his sense of humour and being a jokester. Just as important is that he came from the land and thoroughly enjoyed our Aboriginal culture of hunting and trapping.

Duri...

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services questions about the Stanton Territorial Hospital.

I do visit many constituents as I pass through the hospital and some of them are there for extended stays. One of the common questions they do ask me is that they have their smartphones, they have laptops, et cetera, so they are asking me to raise the issue why they cannot get Wi-Fi or wireless feed into the hospital. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

I guess my experience has been that often when we’ve got lack of housing issues, some of those government department jobs do get sent to bigger, larger centres, and they often stay there only because citing, of course, that there’s no housing.

Is there a strategy in place where the new recruits, or whoever is being hired, are advised that at some future point they will be relocating to the regions and communities?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to focus a little bit about decentralization and moving jobs to the communities as laid out in the Minister’s budget speech. That’s a key part of devolution. He’s talking about phase 1 and phase 2. Perhaps I’ll just ask on phase 1. What is being planned for phase 1 right now? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m glad for that answer, but I guess the key thing is that, well, just in the newspaper, as well, is that a lot of our regions and communities, it’s government jobs that is our sector only because of lack of industry at this point in time.

Once again, when will the government be deciding on which region, what kind of breakdown will these 50 jobs be slated for?

I was just wondering: has the department or does government have a rough idea about what regions may be getting jobs? I know that office space is an issue, and housing, but we’ve got a little bit of an infrastructure plan with housing. I’m not too sure about the office, but have they got a sense of what regions will benefit from these 50 positions?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. While I support many of the initiatives in the 2014-15 budget, I remain very concerned about the funding to schools and highways in my region. I recognize the hard work involved in bringing forward a budget that meets residents’ expectations within challenging constraints and competing priorities; however, I cannot overemphasize some of the real needs that continue to put pressure on program delivery in communities within the Nahendeh riding.

I was disappointed that my favorite two words, Highway 7, did not make it in the budget speech. Highway No. 7 did...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. If the Minister had said it was going to be completed this year, I would like him to meet with the community and myself and say that’s what is going to happen, because the reports I saw, it won’t be completely completed until next year.