Sandy Lee

The section 7 I believe is the interpretation clause which helps us within the legislation to interpret the other clauses. Anyway, we could have this discussion.

The other example that the Member mentioned, it is true. I just want to make sure that I put it on record and that I just want to express to the Members again, which is what we spoke about yesterday, yes, I would like to work with the committee. I am committed to work with the committee. We need to find a common ground. We have to work it on the basis of mutual respect and understanding. I need the committee to know that we are...

Mr. Chairman, we will do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I generally agree with what the Member is saying. I think we will be able to have more discussion once we could make the proposal available to the House and the public. Thank you.

Right now our focus is to expand them, but I understand the need to evaluate and take stock, so I will commit to doing that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government’s response lays out our response where we say that we have accepted 22 recommendations and on the whole we’ve accepted 61 out of 73 recommendations. In reading those recommendations, we have explained what our responses are. We have made the effort to include as much information as possible. I understand and I am encouraged by the Member’s statement earlier and other Members saying that we have a good start. They like some of the things that we have said. They are happy with the fact that we have accepted so many of those recommendations. I understand...

Mr. Chairman, yes, the answer is yes. We will have the strategic plan done this fiscal year. We are hoping by August and we will work with the committee. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have Deputy Minister Paddy Meade and director of finance, Mr. Derek Elkin. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Healers and other initiatives that the Member mentioned would have to come from other sources of money. This is something that I’ve been communicating with the Member and it is an ongoing challenge for us to come up with those resources.

Thank you. As we’ve discussed over the last two days, the use of agency nurses has gone down substantially. Locum nurses we have in Stanton, for example, are really, really hard to recruit nurses. So as the Member knows, or anybody who knows about nursing, nurses all come with different training, different backgrounds, different skill sets that we need. So I don’t think we should be distracted by having to use some locum nurses that means that we’re not giving those jobs to new grads. New grads have to go through the Graduate Employment Program, they need more training in different settings...

Mr. Chairman, on family violence issues as with the situation with some other like topics, we work very closely with departments like Justice. Family Violence Coalition is comprised of NGOs that are involved in this work as well as the Department of Justice and Health and Social Services and other people who are working in that field. Mr. Chairman, I can assure the Member that a lot of the same people are involved in sharing information and working on strategies and evaluating the programs and such. Thank you.