Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, back on August 18th the Member and myself and some other folks sat down in Fort Liard when we were doing a tour of the Nahendeh. We met with the chief and we talked about the concern about the alcohol and drug worker in the community which has been converted into a community wellness worker and a mental health and addictions counsellor that was being hired. Those are two separate positions. It was agreed at that time that there would be a staffing process initiated for the mental health worker. As well, we would be looking at filling the community wellness...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this issue has been on the table for some time. There’s another round of collective bargaining that’s going to be underway here and that will continue to be discussed. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the renovations in Hay River are slated to go ahead. We are just in the process of concluding a report that’s been looking at the facility review of all the facilities in the Northwest Territories on the acute care side, the long-term care side and the usage and anticipated needs in the future. Once that report is done, we will be moving ahead with the actual master planning for the mid-life renovations in Hay River. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at the meeting, we will, of course, look at all aspects of this issue and how best to proceed with the fundamental issue: how do we encourage and educate people to make the right personal choice so that they don’t start abusing alcohol or start using the drugs that have been mentioned in this House today. That involves the individuals. It involves the parents, families as well as the community, so, when we have this discussion at our next meeting, we will make sure that we look at all those aspects. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct. In the North, we continue to, for example, consume and abuse alcohol at two-and-a-half to three times the national average. There is an increasing inflow of drugs from the South like cocaine and crack cocaine and probably crystal meth. Northerners have shown a prodigious appetite for those substances. It is not something that we have been able to turn around at this point. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there were interviews held just recently, and the person being interviewed didn’t pass the interview. So they are re-advertising that as we speak. So hopefully in the next few weeks we’ll get some successful applicants interviewed and staffed. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker it is unfortunate that there are no current services but, as I indicated, the process is already underway to re-advertise for the mental health position. I will commit to the Member to get more specific detail of the direct appointment of one of the local staff who is currently working at the health centre in terms of having her moved into the community wellness worker’s position. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is one of the key pieces in the negotiations that are going to be underway. One of the outstanding issues, let me put it this way, is the issue of pensions. That has yet to be resolved. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, out of the $8.4 million, we put in funding for additional doctors in the Deh Cho, into the Sahtu and for the Inuvik region, as well. So we’ve added doctors, we are looking at adding nurse practitioners, we are trying to come up with a special program to better mentor community health nurses so that we can get many of the recent graduates qualified as soon as possible and agree to work in the communities. So we are very aware and very concerned about the service in the regions and in the communities, and these are some of the things we are doing. Thank...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated yesterday in this House, there was about $8.4 million put into hiring doctors and nurses and midwifes late in the 14th Assembly. I also submit that the agreement that we’ve reached with the Medical Association factors in the quality of life issues, referenced by my colleague, and that is an issue of concern for the doctors. Thank you.