Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Cavities, toothaches, bad breath and painful extractions that might have been prevented, these things aren’t talked about very often. Unfortunately, though, oral health problems are very common amongst my constituents. With a simple legislative change to the Dental Auxiliaries Act and a promise from our government to invest in visits to small communities, residents could receive timely and valuable dental care.

In nearly every Canadian province, dental hygienists are allowed to work independently. They aren’t required to work under the direction of a dentist...

I think all governments should invest into more visits to our communities.

Also in my Member’s statement, I spoke about the ability to change the Dental Auxiliaries Act to allow dental hygienists services and to provide that service. It’s another alternative way to provide better oral health to our communities. Will the Minister focus on that and move to make legislative changes? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. It’s important to engage the community, because I don’t want to be in a situation in Fort Simpson, you know, a lesson learned from Hay River. Everything was all approved, everything was going forward and then somebody realized okay, we’re short a whole bunch of beds here and that kind of stuff. So it’s important to get the community involved and to ensure that we’re getting what the community needs.

As well, I’d just like to point out that with increased development, I think Simpson got it back in the ‘80s when that facility was built, they got an oversized, it...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I noticed as we moved to health centre replacements and I’d just like to ask the Minister and his staff while he’s here, it’s not on this capital plan but a future capital plan and I think there’s a health centre replacement in Fort Simpson. I’d just like to ask him currently how the planning study is going as we move forward in the future year’s budget. Thank you.

As we go through recruitment, I guess part of the strategy – I don’t know if it’s there – is that new employees must be informed that the potential for decentralization is there. Is that part of the Regional Recruitment Strategy as we move forward and hope to fill all these empty positions? Because I understand not all the Ottawa jobs are basically unfilled.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier in my Member’s statement I spoke about decentralization and the huge opportunity for us to grow the whole of the Northwest Territories. I know that we have lots of work ahead of us with phase one and phase two, and we still have lots of heavy lifting up until April 1st, but my questions are more specifically towards phase three of the devolution plan when we can start focusing on decentralization. Perhaps I can ask Mr. Premier about what’s the bird’s-eye view of phase three in devolution and decentralization. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Certainly I’m glad for that level of detail and I’d like to be involved, perhaps, in Fort Simpson. Maybe the Minister and staff can advise of when they’re going to do planning studies or engage the community. I’d certainly like to be part of it to ensure that we have something the community wants. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. Just as we move forward with this project, I’d just like to know at what point will the community be involved, engage the chiefs, maybe presidents, the municipality in looking at the potential plans for the health centre replacement in Fort Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that in the past, there was some devolution work getting out to the communities, and during my last constituency tour, some of the smaller communities would still like to know more about devolution. Once we achieve, I guess, phase one, which is getting to April 1, 2014, making the transfers and doing all the legislation that’s there, I’m wondering if the Premier is looking at a second round of devolution to be explained to the communities and regions.

I’m glad the Premier is speaking about it being a planned and measured approach to devolution. I just want to get more about the planned and measured approach only because once we start establishing infrastructure like housing, more office spaces in the regions and the communities, then the plan is not just about plucking lives out of Yellowknife and sending them to the regions. I guess it’s about everybody being told up front that these jobs, these positions will eventually be in the communities. I know that there are lots of big deputy minister committees and everything on planning the move...