Tom Beaulieu

We will work on the policy. As I indicated, Tsiigehtchic is one of at least six communities across the North that don’t have nursing units, therefore don’t have nurses living in the community. We are trying to work on the model that will allow that to happen. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, whether I make a Minister’s statement on this vaccination or not would be determined within Cabinet. We do have a certain amount of Ministers’ statements that we would like to present in the House for providing information. If I’m not able to do the Minister’s statement, I would be pleased to provide it in writing to the Member or to the House. Thank you.

In Tsiigehtchic and other communities where nurses do not stay, do not overnight, I know that during freeze-up and breakup in Tsiigehtchic we do place a registered nurse in the community on a full-time basis at that point. But to have somebody stay overnight in all these communities, we have not been able to do that just because of the situation.

The model is actually asking for a minimum of two nurses, if we are going to place nurses into a community, and also that there be RCMP officers in the community when we place nurses in the community. Therefore, that model kicks in at a certain...

Mr. Speaker, I’m prepared to have the department check with the physicians that make a decision on which individual groups should be getting a certain type of shot for certain types of viruses. If young men or young boys are not getting the shot for the virus due to an oversight on the part of the department, then we will give them shots too. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I will ask that the Minister of Public Works and Services provide that response to the Member. We are having discussions with that department. I think there is going to be a bit more time before we are able to do that type of evaluation on the building, as the building is still being used as a hospital at this time. Soon, I think, prior to us moving into the new hospital, that evaluation on future use of that building will be completed. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this point that plan is being contemplated by the department at the deputy minister level with other deputy ministers responsible for infrastructure in the GNWT. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I guess I can talk to some of the individuals. I do believe that the board is now non-functioning. The properties that they presented to us, I don’t know who has the ownership of it. I don’t know whether or not I would be allowed to table a document such as that. If I can, I would be glad to do it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We received some documentation from the board, and that’s something that we could move forward with. Thank you.

Yes, I do think it’s the responsibility of the board or the public administrator of the health authority to do a press release. The timing I guess is something that has to be sorted out. Obviously, it has caused some issue with the timing of the release. In the future when there are other CEOs that are being contemplated or hired in the various authorities, we can find a way added into the process to advise the MLAs, all MLAs or the Assembly. Usually that’s what we try to do. As I said, it’s just an unfortunate thing that had occurred. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The current process right now as it stands is that various health and social services authorities and the one agency is responsible for releasing information on hiring of the CEO for their authorities. Thank you.