Sandy Lee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to report today that H1N1 clinics in the Northwest Territories have been successfully launched and that the H1N1 vaccine is now being administered to residents in the Northwest Territories.

In the short period of time since the vaccine was officially authorized by the Public Health Agency of Canada last Wednesday, over 2,500 NWT residents have already received their H1N1 shot.

Mr. Speaker, this is a testament to the success of our efforts, both to prepare for, and to communicate the important steps that we are taking to ensure that this vaccine is available...

Yes, I want to let the Member know that I am available most of November and December, except for the holidays, to visit Tuktoyaktuk and his other communities, because I have not been able to get there with the Member.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to assure the Member that this is a priority for the department and for the government. We understand that we need to do things differently in delivering mental health and addictions programming, and I commit to the Member that we have an action plan in place and we will work on those. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the government does support communities. The Department of Health and Social Services is currently in the process of conducting a review of mental health and addiction services across the NWT. The purpose of this review is to examine the services offered in various regions and communities and how well they fit the needs of the residents. The Department of Health has also been working closely with aboriginal organizations to establish community-based, culturally relevant addictions programming options in the Beaufort-Delta region. These pilot projects will be...

Yes, I will commit to the Member that I will work with the Member to do that. Thank you.

I understand the Member’s concern and I want to assure the Member that our plan is not to move residents from regional centres in smaller communities and move them into Yellowknife into the Territorial Dementia Centre, thereby decreasing the use of these long-term care facilities in communities like Aklavik. Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the Member that the Territorial Dementia Centre, not only that, but, say, the assisted living campus in Hay River, is specialized, very high-level care facilities that are in desperate need. We have residents with severe dementia that are at the hospital right...

I think it is important. This is a very serious public health issue. All of the experts are doing everything they can to get the information out. We should be very careful about not creating fear. I think what we want to do is to get the information out.

Mr. Speaker, I want to say, as the Minister of Health, that all vaccinations in Canada are subject to a very strict authorization process. They have a very high standard. The vaccine that is being used in Canada is not what is being used in the States. Not only is it a different vaccine, it is a different type of vaccine and it is manufactured...

Mr. Speaker, I could assure the Member and perhaps I think anybody could go to the clinic there. I want to tell the House that the staff and the public health officer have been working really hard to answer any questions any residents have. I am aware that people have been calling about the ingredients. I know those questions are being answered. When a resident walks into the clinic, there is lots of staff there. There are nurses, doctors, anybody at the door and people are greeted and they are made to feel at ease. This is happening right now at the multiplex.

I understand the Member’s concern...

Thank you. It is actually untrue for the Member to say it hasn’t been tested. Now, it has been tested. Mr. Speaker, I’m asking people to go with the advice of Dr. Butler-Jones who was here on Friday and said that based on the clinical trials, that he is satisfied, that he will recommend this to the people of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I think the H1N1 pamphlet that the Member is referring to was written quite a few weeks ago and it is true there is a little bit of adjuvant in this vaccine and it is there to boost the effectiveness of the vaccine, but I think that we should be careful that when we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that all parents do worry, and that it is important that residents out there, especially with young children, get the information.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to inform the Member that since this vaccine was manufactured, clinical studies were done on young children in a number of settings including international clinical trials, and the results have shown, and it has satisfied all of the experts in the Public Health Agency of Canada, that the results are safe.

The second thing is, prior to this vaccine being made, there were some who knew about impending or...

It may be that that may the way it turns out, but we do need to look into it more, Mr. Speaker, because government sometimes gets to be found in a more onerous and responsible position than would a private person. If it is found that our government does fund for renting vehicles, there might be extended liability to the government, and also we understand that government faces liabilities in all kinds of things and we have waited to protect that by insuring it and it is not certain that we could cover that insurance to those who are renting vehicles for their use, but that they will be asking...