Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The decision on medical travel is a clinical decision, so it would be a physician. It could be a doctor; it could be a nurse practitioner or possibly even a registered nurse, when the person is in recovery and going back home. Thank you.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I am no expert in this area, but I notice that over the last couple of years a lot of the days that are dedicated to things such as this were started off by interest groups. So my first recommendation would be that if there’s an interest group that wants to discuss this with our department, that would be a good place to start.

Mr. Speaker, we all know the terrible toll that addictions take on our people and our communities. Widespread addictions are one of the biggest barriers to achieving the vision and priorities of this Assembly. It is a driving force behind family breakdown, incarceration, homelessness, and developmental delays in children.

As a government, we have invested millions of dollars into tackling this issue and commissioned numerous reports, but we haven’t seen much improvement.

This is why I convened the Minister’s Forum on Addictions and Community Wellness. I believe that our communities and our...

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Minister’s Forum on Addiction sand Community Wellness: Healing Voices – April 30, 2013.”

The decision on where the capital… Like, this lands on the overall infrastructure capital plan; it’s not mine. That decision is made by the House as a whole. What I can do is tell the Members that I will ensure that the planning study is completed this fiscal year and that the department will put the planning study into the capital acquisition plan for inclusion as quickly as possible. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, yes, that is going to be part of the review. In places where they don’t have any nursing or places that don’t have any actual health centre or nursing station, we’re going to try to accommodate those communities as much as possible in the new changes to the Medical Travel Program.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize that it’s an issue in the medical travel. Right now the budget for individuals to come and travel to a community is very, very minimal, and we are examining that and recognizing the fact that the amount of money allocated on a daily basis, the per diem for meals, is insufficient to cover the amount needed to be able to eat three meals when you’re on travel. Thank you.

Also, once the information is in, I think the next process we’ll have to look at is maybe a motion from the Member from the House to look at designating such a day. Thank you.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize Paul Andrew and Laurie Sarkadi, from the Minister’s Forum on Addictions and Community Wellness. I’ll be tabling their report.

I see I’m also given opportunity to represent a couple of other folks who are supporting people: Dr. David Pontin, president of the NWT Medical Association, and Mr. Paul Bennett, principal of Sissons School. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Nutritious food into the communities is very important to the government, and diet and exercise. A good diet and exercise are essential for the health care system. Affordable, nutritious foods going into the communities that otherwise cannot get nutritious food at an affordable rate is essential, and the government considers this to be a good motion and we’ll vote in support. Thank you.