Sandy Lee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the space issues at the hospital I acknowledge impact on the treatment services for the patients as well as for staff. It’s something that’s been brought up, I believe, in the latest human resource review process. I have visited the facility recently, as Minister, and I can attest to that fact as well. I can advise the Member, Mr. Speaker, that there has been an RFP issued to look at the space issues and the report of that RFP, the contract work done, we’re hoping will be concluded by April of next year. They’ve been asked to focus specifically on...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t have a specific number of patients with diabetes that require dialysis services in Deh Cho. I know there is most definitely a need to have that service in Simpson and we are working to make that happen in Simpson in that area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do understand the desire on the part of the Member and the community to be able to provide services to the seniors in their local community as much as possible. I am committed to that. I am reviewing the programs we have to see how we can accommodate that. I have also had conversations with the chief of Deninu Kue and the Member extensively. I hope to get to the community soon and look at all options available to see how we can accommodate seniors in that community as much as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the information that I have is that Mr. McLeod’s constituent was approved for a wheelchair -- first a manual one and later on an electric one -- and it was with the support of the medical advisor, the doctor, as well as the health authority. There was a lot of support for this constituent to have that wheelchair equipment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I believe it only took a second for me to tell him that I’ll get back to him, but it will take some time to review the issue at hand. The program to give or to support people obtaining pets as a means of health program is something that needs, it’s more complex, and there are two individuals involved. We need to find out whether they are eligible or not and how we can accommodate that. So I will get back to the Member as soon as I get that information and we are working on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can advise the House that, in fact, the Member has asked for this request to have involvement of Glenrose and I’d be happy to make that commitment to do that. Specific to the Member’s constituent, however, Mr. Speaker, I could advise you that I think the reason why the electric wheelchair might have been taken away, or not taken away but it was out of service, is because of the incident that there was in a long-term health care facility where the electric wheelchair was seen to be dangerous to the facility and it was a policy that was made. But I am...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, first of all I’d just like to thank the Member, who is also the chair of the Standing Committee on Social Programs, for asking me the very first question as Minister of this government.

Mr. Speaker, in terms of the decisions about who gets access to health equipment, it’s provided by the health authorities that govern the health programs in our regions, along with the advice from the medical advisor.

Specific to the constituent that the Member mentioned earlier, I just want to express and send our condolences to the families. It was really hard to hear from...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Members should be aware that that is an absolute commitment on my part because we have worked on other issues for people with disabilities within the life of this Assembly. Within the last two or three weeks, in fact. So the Member knows that I have a commitment to that. Of course, issues about things for persons with disabilities is definitely in the front of my agenda and I make a commitment again to the Member that I will get back to him on this information probably by the end of the week. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, I did receive that e-mail. We’re still investigating the issue and I will make the commitment to get back to the Member as soon as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am happy to also support this motion. I will make a very short comment to say we all know that we can have all the rules and we already have the laws in the books, outside and inside of here. We can all be on very good behaviour without rules. No rules in the world can govern the best behaviour if it’s not the person who is making the decisions acting to the best standard of integrity. I want to just say that I think, with or without these guidelines, I think a lot of Members are honourable; most Members are. We all work here very hard and everybody has worked really...