Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the area I want to focus on is on the recruitment and retention programs. As we know, it’s been noted that the issue of doctors in the Northwest Territories into our regions is very tough right now in terms of having good doctors coming to our regions and there are vacancies in the health care system. I want to ask in terms of have we seen a slight increase in terms of securing some doctors in our communities and some of the nurses in our health boards. I’m not just speaking for my own region but for the North in general. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I seek unanimous consent to go back to orders of the day item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Mr. Speaker, in terms of the consultation framework and the various departments that interpret, I’m trying to think if this is what the Minister is saying, that each department interprets their own process of consultation. Can the Minister then provide to this House in terms of how does the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs monitor and evaluate if this is the process that we’re going to use in terms of lessons to be learned through this exercise.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs. I want to ask the Minister: does the Minister have a government-wide consultation guideline policy when it comes to aboriginal people in the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this morning about 5:00, I was reading a book...

My last comment would be directed to the Minister regarding the seniors in terms of future discussions. I know the seniors have been very active in a lot of the business of the GNWT. I make reference to the elders in the Sahtu region and the seniors in terms of their relationship to this government. Has this Minister, in terms of meeting with the seniors as her duties as the Minister responsible for seniors, had some discussions with the seniors?

Seniors can be elevated almost to another level of authority such as a secretariat for the seniors. Right now they’re an advisory council. There is...

Mr. Chair, the telehealth coordinators were funded by the authority agencies. I was just doing some checking and I know my regional health centres, all the communities have telehealth technology. In terms of the coordinators and operations of telehealth, it would greatly be appreciated that at these four health centres and health station, Colville Lake, that if this telehealth would be used for the people. Is this something that the coordinators are going to work on? I am not too sure of their job descriptions in terms of ensuring that...if I’m right. I do apologize. They talked about...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The comment from the deputy minister on looking at the delivery system in the Northwest Territories, because of this issue that we are facing here, would I dare say that are you looking at an overhaul in terms of how we deliver our health care in our communities or our regions in terms of coming to a centralized system of health care delivery as to what the regions and the communities want to see more health care delivery in their communities. I know there are some specialists that come in the regions on a rotation basis, doctors do come in on a certain rotation basis...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to welcome the Assembly of First Nations legal counsel, Ken Young, to the House, and also our national vice-chief of the Assembly of First Nations and national chief of the Dene Nation, Bill Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the legal court cases, I think it’s the Delgamuukw court case that puts the issue of government-wide consultation guidelines in terms of affected parties such as the aboriginal peoples and their rights. The Minister has indicated the implementation plan and possibly this side of the House will see some discussion paper on policy in terms of the consultation. I’m very surprised that we have not yet seen, to date, the implementation plan or just how they’re going to be used by this department. I would ask if the Minister would share that with the House...