Kevin A. Menicoche

Mr. Speaker, the last time I went down this road, our government gave all kinds of reasons not to establish nursing services in Wrigley. I think here I was using the point that there is extra development and extra impact on the community of Wrigley because of the development in the Sahtu. That alone makes the case that we should examine the need for nursing in Wrigley. Can he also include the impacts of development on Wrigley in his assessment? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services a question regarding nursing in Wrigley. I know when he was a Regular MLA, he certainly supported my cause in putting a nurse in Wrigley during the 16th Assembly and that was much appreciated. Now that there’s increased demand for it, will the Minister of Health and Social Services commit to re-examining and reopening the nursing station in Wrigley? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources if he has received an update from Enbridge Pipelines about the reported contaminated soil on the remediation digs outside of Fort Simpson.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to ask some questions on the… I don’t know if the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment had any update on the contaminated soil that was recently exposed by Enbridge Pipelines during their remediation digs. I’d just like to ask the Minister if he has had an update on the contaminated soil that was dug up. Mahsi.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to recognize the passing of Mr. Stephen Rowan, a long-time resident of Fort Simpson.

Stephen Hamilton Rowan was born in England and was educated in the United States, serving as a volunteer ambulance driver during World War II. He arrived in the Canadian North in 1963, after training as a teacher. Mr. Rowan also worked in Iqaluit, northern Quebec, Sanikiluaq, and Gameti, where he became a citizen of Canada in 1980. He also worked in Trout Lake, Behchoko and, finally, Fort Simpson. He retired in Fort Simpson, from the position of superintendent of...

Madam Chair, I know there’s lots of history there, but at the same time, we’re talking about a community of about 500 people and I think that’s all it’s going to impact. I don’t think we’re pushing to have clients from Ulukhaktok to go to Fort Nelson, either, just the ability to make lives easier for the residents of Fort Liard. It’s basically a two and a half hour drive from there to get their medical needs met in Fort Nelson, BC. I don’t think it would be a huge impact on their services. As well, it’s about developing the same kind of relationship that we have with Alberta Health Services...

Madam Chair, I can assure the Minister that’s the confidence that the leadership of Fort Liard and the constituents do want me to raise this issue. I would like to get some assurance that the Minister can begin the process of negotiating or talking with the BC government in advance of him coming over to Fort Liard. I know that we’re working on something for him to come over in June, but I don’t want the Minister to go there and say, thank you for letting me know, we’ll check into it now. He should be checking into it. That’s why I’m raising it in this House and raising it during Member’s...

Just for the Minister’s last point, I think, as we determine new positions, that’s got to be one of the qualifiers. It doesn’t have to be Yellowknife all the time. Just because they’ve got the said infrastructure or whatever reasoning that their planners come up with for these new positions, they should always ask the question as part of their assessment. Can it be in the regions? Can it be in the communities? I’d like to ask the Minister if, in the future, he’s willing to consider that with his department officials.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I might be actually jumping ahead of myself, but it is under directorate. Just in terms of active positions. I don’t know if Madam Chair will allow me to ask that. There’s an increment of four positions over the last fiscal year. Maybe I can ask the Minister about that.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m glad that ENR is now working with Enbridge Pipelines. How soon does that information get to the Department of ENR should there be another incident, as it were?