Sandy Lee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member has brought this to my attention. At about 1 o’clock today I asked my department to take a look at that and see what we can do in that situation.

Non-medical travel is not always approved, but I do appreciate the circumstances that the Member has brought forward, and I will commit to the Member that I will get back to him, hopefully by the end of the day.

I was not suggesting that I was going to engage in any consultation. The fact is that McPherson has a nursing station and residence and nurses there. Tsiigehtchic has nursing service. It’s just that the nurses visit, I believe, once a week or every second week or so. We are working with Beaufort-Delta to extend the nursing coverage in Tsiigehtchic. I have asked them to give me all options possible, and I have committed to the Member that I will have an answer for him by the next business plan meeting, which is in November.

Mr. Speaker, yes, this new process has required that unless there is a very specific plan in an advanced stage, some of the capital projects that were on the books got taken off — the Stanton master plan is one of them — and they are being redirected to work through this new capital plan process. I commit to the Member that I will revisit this capital project to see where it is and put it into the process.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The capital project for Deh Cho has not been made available to me. We have just finished our ’09–10 Capital Plan, and we’re getting into the new stage. I’d be willing to look at what the Dehcho Authority is proposing.

In my tour to Deh Cho the administration had suggested that they would like some work done at the hospital as well as, perhaps, Fort Providence. I think there was some suggestion that they might want to use the surplus money to do that. I understand that’s not the right way to spend the surplus money, but Deh Cho has the right to make their submission and...

I do not have all of the list available. I could get the Member that information. I am aware that there are a number of our NWT residents with MS who get assistance for devices that they need. I understand that this device she purchased is in a pilot program in Alberta. Until the pilot program is finished, we have not decided to put that on the list. It may be that it could get on the list. It appears that this is an experimental device.

Mr. Speaker, I’m sure that if the constituent would go in and talk to the officials, we could give her a whole…. I believe she was given the list of things...

Mr. Speaker, the NWT EHB Program is one of the best in the country. I understand that Mr. Ramsay’s constituent’s equipment, called a functional electrical stimulation system, was denied for benefit because it was not on the formulary guidelines. She was advised on three occasions that that was not on the list. She did not have a doctor’s referral from the NWT. She went to Alberta and purchased this equipment for $4,500, which is under a pilot program. The Alberta government has not even decided that they’re going to use this.

If I would have given the Member that straight answer, it would have...

Mr. Speaker, that option is not out of question; it’s just that it is up to the board authority to agree to put this position full time in that community.

Yes, I have, Mr. Speaker, and I have asked the CEO of the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Authority, who was also at the meeting with me, to follow up on that. My understanding is that this nurse is employed by the authority, and she floats around in different communities. She will, and I have already indicated that. I have directed the department, with the Beaufort-Delta, to look at extending nursing services in Tsiigehtchic.

I believe I’ve made this commitment at least ten times in the last two weeks. I’m not sure how else I could say that, Mr. Speaker. I am committed to seeing how...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Absolutely, and I have been having that dialogue and discussion. I’ve had a meeting not only with Chief Nerysoo but also with a former president of the Gwich’in Tribal Council, Fred Carmichael. I’ve also met with health reps of the Gwich’in Tribal Council. I had a meeting with the staff at Gwich’in Wellness Centre when we were there. We do have an active proposal on my desk and in the department. We are working through to see how we could assist with the wellness centre in the next upcoming business plan.

As the Member is well aware, the health centres and health care programs are being delivered by Beaufort-Delta health authority. The department is working really closely with them to look at all the funding available and see how we could help, from the department level, to enhance the nursing services in Tsiigehtchic. We do have a shortage of nurses everywhere. I know the Member wanted me to see if the visiting nurse at Tsiigehtchic could spend more time there. I am looking at that option, and I will get back to the Member as soon as I can.