Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, tuberculosis continues to exist as a disease and there are approximately eight to 12 cases a year. What has improved is our ability to make sure that we don’t miss those cases. We had a case a number of years ago, I believe the Member will recall in his own riding, and there was a lot of circumstances and we learned a very hard lesson from that and have taken great steps to ensure the medical staff in the communities is trained, that there are TB protocols that are adhered to and when things are identified, this is one of the things tested for and when TB...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just quickly to recap, on May 17th an individual was sent out for treatment for what was thought to be cancer, and it turned out to be a very contagious form of TB. It was judged at that time that this individual had been in the community for a while, and being as it was highly infectious there were steps taken to go to the community with health practitioners. About 15 individuals were subsequently flown to Inuvik where they were tested. The majority of them returned home. Some have been identified that they may require follow-up and treatment. They...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the intent of the alcohol and drug mental health strategy was to specifically initially look at the alcohol and drug workers, and recognized that for years they have laboured in relative isolation and at a very, very low level of pay with no benefits. Tied in with that was the recognized need that mental health services, as well, can supplement the work done by alcohol and drug workers. The alcohol and drug workers are subsequently reclassified, and need title to community wellness workers, and we have added some mental health workers to the mix as well...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are waiting lists, I would suggest, in every community for housing. If the Member has a specific suggestion in terms of some creative partnerships and financing that could be done that’s not going to require capital, then I am sure, as a government and as a Housing Corporation, the Minister would be very interested in hearing what those suggestions are. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Housing Corporation came up with a seniors’ housing strategy back in 2000 that goes from 2000 to 2005. There was a needs assessment done. Currently there are 10 units slated for Yellowknife and four or five to be built as part of that strategy. In addition, Mr. Speaker, there is an extensive number of programs for seniors. There is the senior citizen home repair program, the seniors’ disabled preventative maintenance initiative, home adaptations for seniors' independent program and emergency home repair and homeowner residential rehabilitation...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this particular situation is being monitored very closely. We’ve been working with the lay dispenser in Colville Lake. There has been close contact with Inuvik and there will continue to be, and they are mapping out the medical requirements to ensure that there is proper follow-up and that the required staff are in the community when they are needed for as long as they are needed. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the Member that we are fully committed to involving the Sahtu, and at the time that report was drafted and written it was done when the Sahtu was still part of the Inuvik region. In any future reports, they will recognize that there is a separate health board and authority in the Sahtu. But the point of the question being that every community in the Northwest Territories is going to be paid attention to when it comes to dealing with tuberculosis. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a government, as a department, we're committed to the recommendations made with regard to TB and responding to the need to better deal with that particular situation. My comments to situations that may involve the school is that yes, I will give the commitment that we will be working closely with the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. We have meetings planned in the near future with the social envelope to talk about issues where we have common concerns and obligations. So that will be on the list.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thought that was for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation and I didn’t follow the question. I apologize and ask the Member if he could restate the question.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we will be working with the Sahtu health board that has been set up in the Sahtu. We will be working with, of course, Inuvik through the transition period. We have the staff out of headquarters, we have the staff at the regional level, as well as the staff in the nursing stations. We've made a special effort to ensure that our protocols are up to date, that we have the proper checks and balances in place to ensure that the issue of TB is front and centre, and we encourage people to get checked. So we are going to be working with all the communities in...