Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department is currently working on the development of a pharmaceutical strategy. It is not moving as quickly as we want. Included in that strategy is the management of pharmaceuticals.

As far as actual policy that the doctors use or any of the health authorities use to dispense or prescribe medicine or drugs to individuals, it should be a standard process right across from the Beaufort-Delta down to Fort Smith.

I think we can do that. Since 63 percent of the population of the Northwest Territories considers themselves to be overweight or are considered to be overweight, we couldn’t do everyone, so I would say that we would have to have some other indication that these individuals would be eligible should this ever become part of our system.

I guess there are various ways that a department can go about collecting information and the most recent information in the field of addictions, things do change. There are up and down issues and trends on addictions and so on.

The main thing that we want to focus in on is alcohol. This is an alcohol forum. There is no indication to me from the Department of Health and Social Services that we had reports specific to the state of alcohol in the communities. We felt that right now is a good time to go out there and gather that information and see what the people have to say about how they wish to...

I’m assuming that the Member is asking about the cost of me and my staff.

---Interjection

There is no indication that Health and Social Services has funded the laparoscopic adjustment band surgery in the past. What I do know is it is not an insured service in the NWT.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we have terms of reference and, yes, they are available to the public.

One bed in each facility comes to mind, but I don’t have that information with me. Thank you.

Certainly, one of the good opportunities for youth and elders alike to speak on health issues and addictions issues is going to be during the Minister’s Forum on Addictions when they travel to the various communities across the North. Having said that, yes, I would work on something with the Minister responsible for Youth. It may not mean that we need to get some money together. It could mean as simple as the Member indicates, just challenging them to come to such a forum or conference to have an opportunity to hear firsthand what the elders have to say about the situations in the communities.

As the Member indicated, clinical practice guidelines are used to determine how we are treating diabetes. I don’t have the monitoring information here with me, but I do know that we get information on where the diabetes is across the Territories, the prevalence of diabetes from region to region.

Thank you. No, there’s no other area in long-term care, dementia or assisted living where there are units that are vacant that are ready to be used. There could possibly be units that are vacant that are not ready to be used at this time. Thank you.