Norman Yakeleya

Certainly, Mr. Chairman, I agree with the Member for speaking in support of the bandwidth. Certainly we would see it beneficial in our communities and to lend our support to see this government put some resources that would eliminate some of the headaches that we have in our smaller health centres in terms of providing efficient health care to our residents in the Sahtu and other communities that certainly would benefit from an e-health care system. If you could work closely with your Cabinet colleagues.

I want to ask the Minister in terms of working with our health boards. It’s about three...

I have a question for clarification. I want to ask the Minister, Mr. Chair, if the Tlicho cultural coordinator, is this part of their self-government arrangements in regards to this position. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I talked about the youth. Certainly we do our best to support the youth. We want to keep our youth alive. I want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services what types of programs are in her department that would gear towards working with the youth and specifically the elders in terms of having them come together and look at programs or initiatives that they can do to support each other in the challenges that both the elders and the youth face today.

I certainly look forward to seeing what type of information the Minister can provide to me. I know we’re in operations and maintenance expense budget and I’m not too sure of where it fits in terms of operations and maintenance of the Colville Lake Health Centre there, our nursing centre, in terms of what I’m asking for in terms of the planning or to advance it to funding for capital expenditures, and if that’s something that should be at another table here. I look forward to whatever the Minister can give in terms of how do we improve that health centre there to where now they’re going to have...

I pose this question because it’s a big issue. That’s what we’re dealing with in our communities, some of the changes. We could have a discussion but somewhere it gets lost in the system. Some of the communities in my region want to have some programs, like, for example, to develop their own home care service in Colville Lake, but we’re just unable to get into the system. Why not have the system get into the needs of Colville Lake? The books and policies say we can’t do this, we know you’re going to do this, you shouldn’t do this. It gets lost and after awhile they say we’re not really serving...

Mr. Chairman, the response from the Minister, I’m having a hard time accepting it. I know that’s part of life, I guess, when you get into a relationship. You know, the husband or the wife wants to move here or stay there. However, I don’t know if that’s one of the requirements of this government here or this department here hiring social workers or our nurses. I mean, that’s part of life. I hope the Minister will be big enough to see that the whole community needs one of our workers in that community and to tell the community of Tulita because of our social worker is now in a relationship, so...

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister provide to the House if there is any type of analysis as to why NTPC does not have representation in the Sahtu, specifically a request to have one in Norman Wells? I know there are personnel in Inuvik, Fort Simpson and Fort Smith that have to fly into the region for situations like this. Can he bring that also to the attention of the regions, how we could have representation in Norman Wells to expand our support services to the communities?

The Minister indicated there were several new personalities within NTPC. Hopefully this will satisfy residents in the Sahtu, especially the community of Norman Wells.

I want to ask the Minister if his office is going to respond in terms of having a meeting between himself and the town council of Norman Wells to look at some of the issues that were raised in the January 7th letter addressed to him about the response and role of NTPC.

Mr. Speaker, I’m seeking unanimous consent to return to item 7, oral questions, on the orders of the day.

---Unanimous consent granted

Certainly the Town of Norman Wells and myself are very pleased that the Premier/Minister is making commitments to come to Norman Wells to talk to the Town of Norman Wells on these issues.

I want to ask the Minister about the backup system and the adequacy of the power plant. Is that something that’s going to be looked into right away? I know there were discussions to see how fit this power plant could be of use to the community if the power does go out in the next week or so.