Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services some questions about nursing services in the community of Wrigley. When the highway was first opened up, there were two nurses in Wrigley only because there was increased development expected from traffic, et cetera, in the community of Wrigley. Since then, the two nurses have been removed. They have been removed for well in excess of 10 years now. But now, again the community is faced with the pressures of development as traffic and business increase due to the development in the Sahtu.

I’d like to ask...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I take my role as MLA very seriously and when we are in the House, everything is certainly public, Mr. Speaker. But I do stand on my opinion on this matter. I regret that I have to stand in this House on a point of privilege by a Yellowknife Member and the community of Yellowknife because they were offended. I don’t believe I said anything out of the ordinary and stand by my opinion, Mr. Speaker.

Unfortunately, of all the good work we are doing together, this is not a vision I would like to see for a voice from a small community, an MLA from a small community...

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. The media was quick to pick up in the capital plan that there’s nothing for Yellowknife, and I’m glad.

---Laughter

Well, I’ve been at this table here for 10 years and finally the needs in the regions and communities have outstripped what’s going to be spent, most particularly for one fiscal year. But at the same time I’m not lost to the fact that inclusion of the Inuvik-Tuk highway has taken a lot of capital away from all regions. In fact, I think it’s like $70 million this coming fiscal year. So we have to keep in mind how many resources that takes away as we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to follow up on my questions on the Lafferty ferry operations to the Minister of Transportation. Given that there is an increased demand for opening up the ferry sooner, like a 6 a.m. start, how can the Minister facilitate this by working with the community and work towards an earlier ferry start? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I’m glad that the Minister is open to discussing that with the community. Without pressing the matter further, I certainly would like to invite the Minister. Probably before Christmas we could arrange a meeting like that, if the Minister could commit to coming to Fort Simpson. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to speak about the Lafferty ferry in Fort Simpson. At a recent constituency meeting, constituents raised the idea that perhaps it’s time for our ferry to start opening earlier, about 6:00 a.m. It currently runs at 8:00 a.m. until midnight. I believe that’s a great idea, because in the past two years I’ve seen an increased demand for ferry services at an earlier hour.

As well, constituents have raised the idea that it will, in fact, help constituents with their travel plans for better travelling connections, so I believe the 6:00 a.m. start is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to hear that that was just a bird’s eye view and that they’re not going there. Once again, Mr. Minister had travelled with me earlier in the year to the Nahendeh communities, and I would like to continue to invite him to complete the tour. Then I think we may have to make an extended tour again, because people do want to hear more about Deh Cho Health and Social Services, they want the programs and services to improve.

So will the Minister come with me on a tour, and as well as a plan with his department of addressing consultations with the communities as...

Thank you very much. Certainly, there were some issues there, like elders continuing to be sent home with aspirins instead of getting proper checkups. There was another instance of an incomplete and misdiagnosed elder who broke her wrist and wasn’t diagnosed for months. So I know that the public administrator was just put in place, but what is the plan to improve the programs and services for Deh Cho health and social services at this point? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. During my fall constituency tour, residents and communities are very concerned about the potential changes to the structure of our Deh Cho Health and Social Services. Rumour has it that the Minister and the Department of Health and Social Services are contemplating major changes since the health board was not reappointed in March of this year. The plan, we hear, is to have a new CEO appointed in Hay River, and then this individual would then run both the Hay River Health Board and the Deh Cho Health Board. This is incredible.

Communities and regions want more...

The communities certainly want to have these consultations, they want to be advised, they want to be involved. But at the same time, rumours continue to persist. Improving services like providing better services to the communities surrounding Hay River and using their facilities certainly makes sense. What doesn’t make sense is removing the power and control over the Deh Cho Health and Social Services. So what is the plan there and will the Minister address that?