Sandy Lee

The previous question from the Member for Kam Lake dealt with the ingredients. I think there is so much information about this vaccine, I think it is helpful for us to get questions in the House. I do my best to answer them, but there is a flu line and public health officials in our Territories are doing their best job to answer us. I just want to get the message out. When a resident goes to the flu clinic, and I would invite them to go there -- I think Hay River is having a flu fair on Thursday -- even if they are not sure if they want to do that or not, the computer screen is standardized...

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I’d be happy to work with the Member in any way we can to improve our services to our residents in medical travel as well as medevac.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to announce the launch of a new career website for the Department of Health and Social Services. The Department of Health and Social Services, in collaboration with the Department of Human Resources, has developed a recruitment and retention website, www.practicenorth.ca, aimed at current and potential Health and Social Services professionals in the Northwest Territories. Www.practicenorth.ca will become the central recruitment backbone of the department, complementing the department’s existing activities and acting as a content hub for existing and...

Mr. Speaker, I’d be happy to undertake to do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think we should be clear about the distinction between medevac travel and medical travel. In this case, I understand the patient was scheduled to fly on medical travel on a regularly scheduled flight and the private airline company cancelled the flight due to lack of passengers on that given day. The airline contacted the patient in question and rescheduled the travel to the next available time. It is unfortunate that that had to happen, but once in a while airlines do cancel their flights or sometimes they are delayed. We made a commitment to contact the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Member for that question. I did, in fact, talk to the particular constituents the Member is referring to and I have directed the department to look at ways to change our policies to allow patients to be able to claim a rental car as opposed to other modes of transportation like taxis, because things have changed now where renting a vehicle is often cheaper than riding in taxis. I think it’s a matter of changing paperwork. That’s why I have not been able to get back to that particular constituent. I will follow up in writing to the Member. Thank...

I’ve said that in e-mails to him at least three times, I will meet with standing committee or the Members to discuss input or to get their input and have further discussions. I have asked committee to meet at any time. So, yes, I would be happy to do that. I’ve always said that I will and I’ve e-mailed him at least three times to say that.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize Blake Lyons, who is president of the Yellowknife Seniors’ Society. I’d also like to recognize Byrne Richards, who is executive director of Aurora Osprey Society, and Heidi-Ann Wild, who is a constituent of Range Lake.

Mr. Speaker, I don’t know exactly what the process is. I believe obviously if we change the Medical Travel Policy to allow alternative modes of transportation, then that rule has to be communicated to those who will be going on medical travel and they will have to be advised as to, you know, you can either take a taxi or rent a vehicle, whichever is cheaper and so on. So that information item or informing the public will have to be part of that change and will be part of that. Thank you.

Everybody here knows that and I have committed. I don’t know if I need to explain more of that. I want to come and meet with the Standing Committee on Social Programs. I understand that we have a very short session, so the committee’s time is always of high value. I think it’s important and we are available to meet at any time to discuss. And we are not, we haven’t moved further, I don’t want that to be out there that we are somehow moving forward because I keep getting e-mails from Members suggesting that.

I want to make it clear that myself, as the Minister, and the government heard loud and...