Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t have the exact amount but I do know that if we’re talking about medical travel, medevac planes landing in Alberta, we land there approximately 350 times a year.

Yes, we have, based on some recent deaths and how we recognize that the authorities are handling the compassion, the assistance to the families and so on. We’ve looked at a policy that was once developed but never signed by a particular health authority and we are looking at that to develop a policy for the sick, dying and also in the area of compassion.

Yes, we will contact the appropriate people. My understanding is the Department of National Defence are the owners of the strip and we’ll be in touch with them to see if this is a viable option for medevac flights.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the discussion previously that involved the Municipal Airport and International Airport, the GNWT provided input to the Health Quality Council last winter. From the Territories we had our deputy minister, the Stanton Senior Management Team, we had the Joint Senior Management Council representative, we had a medical director, we had the emergency physician and personnel representative. We also had representatives from the medical travel people involved with this. So we have been involved in that discussion. This is a relatively new thing and we’re aware of some of the...

Thank you. The Department of Health in the Northwest Territories is involved with this and had been involved, but this is a relatively new development and we know that that airport could be a viable alternative to the International, but we know that it also requires upgrades and we do believe that it warrants full consideration. Thank you.

This very important item for the department is part of our overall prevention strategy. We have had discussions at a national level on childhood obesity which leads to diabetes among other things. Not only is this something that we are paying attention to in the Northwest Territories, but really it is a national issue. We are all on board and we all want to see a decrease in diabetes. It is a very bad disease. Many people have died from diabetes in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Although the department and the Government of the Northwest Territories has no official role with the Alberta government in these deliberations, we do understand preliminary discussions have occurred between the government and the Department of National Defence on the possibility of using the Namao strip, which is the Garrison strip. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The home care people will work with the feet of elders, especially elders with diabetes and so on and also trying to work with programs such as advising people with diabetes on activity and also diet. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The closure of the Joe Greenland building coincides with the government’s plan to provide long-term care where the care can be provided best, where there were services available with doctors and nurses and so on. However, with the closure of the Joe Greenland building, the department has increased their support for elders in the community as well.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The health authorities had run diabetes programs and so on. I recognize that recently a diabetes program was shut down, but the services right now are basically in consultation with the health professionals in the various communities in the Sahtu at this time. That is what is available.