Kevin O'Reilly

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I will be very interested to see how this rolls out over the next while. Some in this House have called for the development of large hydro projects that could even flood communities to export power. Earlier, I spoke of another vision for the NTPC where it would basically be doing itself out of a job by building energy self-sufficiency in communities and households across the NWT. Can the Minister explain: what is the current vision of NTPC? Will it become an instrument of this government for big hydro for export or build energy self-sufficiency? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. The reason why I’m asking these questions about midwifery here is because it’s community health programs, that’s where midwifery was found in the business plan.. I don’t know why the Minister is talking about nursing when I want to talk about midwifery, but anything he can do to help clarify would be great because if I wasn’t confused before by his explanation, I certainly am now.. If he’s got a diagram that’ll help that would be great. I guess at the end of this we still don’t have midwifery services in Yellowknife, and that’s why we had a person in the gallery earlier...

I thank the Minister for his response. The recently released North Slave Resiliency Study did not consider climate change and made no predictions of future water levels. Low waters have caused this government to burn through more than $60 million in diesel subsidies in recent years. That is money that could have gone into renewable energy development. What role does the Minister see the NTCP playing in building capacity for wind, solar, and biomass in the North Slave region?

Okay, thanks, Mr. Chair. While I encourage the department to find more money for early childhood development and for working with the Minister on the 2017-18 budget. I want to go back to one of his favourite topics which is midwifery. Earlier the Minister talked about how there was a consulting position that was sun setting around for midwifery. Then I understand that there’s two people doing work that had been hired as consultants on midwifery.. Can the Minister explain what position was sunsetted and why we hired two other consultants? I think I know the answer to the second part, but can...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We have some advocates for midwifery in the Northwest Territories in the gallery with us today, some constituents, Sue Posynick with her son Uri and her daughter Eleanor I believe are up there. Lindsay Arseneau is also in the gallery. She recently travelled to Hay River to have her baby Aveline and she’s also here with her son Felix. She had to go to Hay River because there’s no midwifery services available in Yellowknife, Mr. Speaker. But welcome to the gallery and they’re here to watch our debate and discussion when we come in Committee of the Whole about our Health and...

Thanks.

Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That’ s it for me on this. Obviously, I’m not very happy with our failure to act on this a little more quickly. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Chair, I don’t want to prolong this, but when are we going to get this Federal Engagement Strategy and why does that have to wait for the Minister to write to his federal counterpart? I don’t understand what the problem is in picking up a piece of paper and a pen and writing to the Minister saying that we want this resolved, and even doing it in collaboration with other health Ministers. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’m just trying to understand what our government has actually done on this file. Have we actually written to federal Ministers on this issue to find out when it might get resolved and when we might expect to see some money flowing? Thank you, Mr. Chair.