Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can appreciate the Member’s concern that he wants to ensure the system is fair, especially for the small contractor. But it would be problematic where volumes are very high like Yellowknife where they are processing hundreds of thousands of beverage containers to have individuals sitting there counting one can, another can. I think they’ve come up with ways through the recycling processes across the land in terms of weight and what that’s equivalent to in terms of the number of cans and such. So we will make sure that the process is fair, that it’s...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have training arrangements both with the Stanton Hospital, as well as Capital Health and training can be provided to nurses quite readily and on a regular basis. As well, as we look a little ways down the road, we are also moving towards further enhancing the performance service mandate of LPNs, so they can take on those kind of duties as well. In Fort Smith, for example, we’ve trained nurses. They have that duty plus others and if they are fully booked up at the dialysis unit, that’s what they do. If there is other time available, then they perform other functions...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in fact, I shared that information with the individual in question since I spend a lot time in the airport, as does he. We had a chance to talk about this, but yes I appreciate the Member’s concern and we are going to be making every effort as well to recognize the efforts of the Speaker on this because it's a very, very important issue for everybody. We are pushing very, very hard with Public Works and with our own training to make sure we are ready to go late October or early November. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We currently have dialysis services available in Yellowknife. In Fort Smith we have arrangements as well with the Capital Health Authority in Edmonton. We are in the planning process for having those services available in the community of Hay River, which we anticipate will be up and operational by the end of October or early November. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the catchment area that’s there for Hay River would be the area of service. That includes people from Fort Resolution, Kakisa, Enterprise, possibly Providence, should the need arise. Yes, we have an idea of those individuals currently requiring dialysis, as well as trying to identify those who may become candidates down the road based on indicators we have at this time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a system, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made a significant investment in setting up local authorities with representatives from the communities to administer almost 80 percent of the government’s or our Health and Social Service budget. Once again, I appreciate the Member’s concern. While it’s an option we’ll consider, our primary concern is still to try to work with the regions and the communities to ensure that these very valuable resources are supported the best way possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, June 5, 2006, I will move that Bill 7, Pharmacy Act, be read for the first time.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to announce that through the Don’t be a Butthead campaign, many young people have made the commitment to be smoke free. I have personally written to over 3,000 children and youth from every community in the NWT, congratulating them on their pledge to remain smoke free. This campaign originated in 2004 as an initiative of the Department of Health and Social Services to educate youth across the North on the benefits of staying smoke free.

This year, youth and schools in the NWT got caught up in the smoke-free fervor by entering the Create the Smoke Free Future contest in...

Mr. Chairman, there’s been at least two…Sorry, Mr. Speaker. There’s been at least two briefings that I can recollect in recent weeks and months where we’ve laid out in considerable detail all the work that’s being done across government to look at energy conservation, alleviating the high cost of living, the impact of rising energy costs, what we’re doing as a government to make government more efficient, what we’re doing as a government to work with the communities and the individuals and businesses to assist them to make the necessary steps on the energy conservation side. That is all...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, very clearly the leadership lies with the seven Members comprising of Cabinet, with myself and Mr. Bell who are tasked with bringing forward first the discussion on the White Paper on the Energy Strategy and we’ve committed to bringing forward the formal Energy Strategy by this coming fall, which will address that and many other issues and provide a framework, provide the direction and the policy base for us to move forward into this, as the Member has indicated, very important area. Thank you.