Hay River North

Statements in Debates

Debates of , (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it’s very confusing. I can see why it’s so confusing for seniors when they are trying to see where their benefits come from. Is there any move on the government’s part to bring in a program where all seniors or all people are treated equally under the health care plan? Right now, there are about four different ones that seniors especially are trying to find out where they fit into. Is there any move to try to bring everybody under the same umbrella? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Michael Miltenberger. Mr. Speaker, I hope that in my Member’s statement I didn’t confuse Members as to how our health benefit program is working in the Northwest Territories. When I started looking into it, it was certainly confusing to me. Maybe the Minister has an example like the water glass to make it simple for everybody here.

As I alluded to in my Member’s statement, I don’t believe that our government is doing everything it can to provide adequate health care coverage for...

Debates of , (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to address an apparent inequity in our health care system; that being that our First Nations people -- particularly our First Nations seniors -- are not receiving the same level of service from our government that non-native seniors are receiving in the area of health care benefits.

Mr. Speaker, I have often said in this House that access to adequate health care is a fundamental right of our citizens. However, it appears that that may not be the case. Mr. Speaker, for example, an aboriginal senior who requires a prescription must have their...

Debates of , (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just to put a little bit more perspective on this subject, if I understand this correctly, a non-aboriginal senior, for example, can move into the Northwest Territories after not having lived there ever before in their life, and after three months of residency, they qualify for full health care benefits under the GNWT seniors program. That seniors program covers everything from prescriptions to mobility aids right down to multivitamins and band aids. Conversely, an aboriginal senior who may have lived here all their life is not entitled to apply for GNWT...

Debates of , (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Metis program of health benefits was instituted in 1997 to offer Metis people similar benefits to status persons, but it wasn’t 100 per cent coverage. Since April of 2002, Metis persons have since been provided 100 per cent coverage under this program and it’s administered through our government. Will the Minister please state in this House if there are any negotiations -- and he just mentioned the federal government -- underway to enable our government to provide the same level of health care coverage to status persons that is currently provided to...

Debates of , (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. First Nations clients are not eligible for coverage under the EHB program that is administered by our government. There is something inherently wrong here, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I urge this government to do the right thing and afford aboriginal clients the same level of health care benefits that all other Northwest Territories residents enjoy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Debates of , (day 1)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Justice, the Honourable Charles Dent. As I stated in my Member's statement, the Honourable Chief Judge Robert Halifax retired in the fall after some 26 years of distinguished service to the North. In view of the fact that this has created a vacancy in Hay River, and indeed in the judicial system in the North, could the Minister explain to this House what his role is in filling this vacancy created by the retirement of the resident judge in the South Slave? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , (day 1)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as most Members are aware, the Honourable Chief Judge Robert Halifax has retired after some 26 years of distinguished service to the residents of the North. A common theme that was echoed by many at Chief Judge Halifax’s retirement party, Mr. Speaker, was the relationship with the people of all nine of the communities south of the lake that Robert Halifax was able to establish as a resident judge based in Hay River.

Mr. Speaker, in 1976, the Government of the Northwest Territories made an important decision to place a resident judge in Hay River upon the...

Debates of , (day 1)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Premier just said that when the paper comes to Cabinet they will look at all the information and make a decision at that time. What avenue do we have or do people have to get the information to Cabinet that we want Cabinet to look at, not just the information that comes from the judiciary? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , (day 1)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would hope that the Minister would make sure that he has all the accurate information in front of him on all aspects of this issue before he makes a decision. It is my understanding in reading the act that the Minister can make a recommendation to Executive Council when he does present a short list to council. Would the Minister commit that he recommends that this resident judge be placed in Hay River or in the South Slave? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.