Robert Hawkins

Mr. Speaker, I look for clarification on the official record from the Minister. By all means, I really hope I’m wrong on this particular case, but I have been informed that community health nurses at their health stations have no ability to leave their station to provide health care if there’s an incident on the highway or within close proximity. Maybe the Minister could help shed some light on that particular case. If it is a rumour out there or misinterpretation, maybe he can help put that to rest. The fact is we want to make sure people are helping.

Are nurses hamstrung or nurse...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about the need to support first responders. I was really highlighting about the importance in the communities, how they need that type of support. Without those first responders, whether you are in Ulukhaktok, Gameti or, certainly, Lutselk’e, first responders provide a critical role. If they are untrained, they put themselves as well as the person they are trying to help at great risk.

Knowing that every community deserves some type of support, is the Minister of Health aware in some manner or such of what type of program exists to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In Yellowknife we’re very fortunate to have organized first responders in our city. I know I’m very grateful, as well as many other people in our city. However, not every community has this privilege, and for obvious reasons; sometimes it’s not feasible, but that doesn’t make it any more right and it certainly doesn’t make it fair. By coincidence, if you happen to live in the Tu Nedhe riding – that’s either in Lutselk'e or Fort Resolution – and just by chance there happens to be a terrible situation in that particular area, who responds? Who has the skills and...

Would the Minister be able to elaborate exactly where they are in proximity to Yellowknife and the Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to table a poster here today. It belongs to the NWT Disabilities Council regarding their annual auction, of course, which is being held November 24th, between 7 and 11, and you’ll see that on the poster if you click on it on-line. Thank you.

I appreciate the Minister recognizing those two particular issues, the ones I’ve raised, but I think he’s missed the concern that they’re well outside the ability to manage it at Stanton.

The Department of Health sets the mandate and value of what they will provide the authority for physician costs, as well as medical travel costs, but their burdened to run the actuals. In other words, the department provides a budget and the Stanton authority has to do the actual, which always puts them in deficit. That’s why I once again ask, would the Minister be able to take a look at the situation and ask...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have been quite fortunate as I’ve grown up and had many courses and training, and offered training as an instructor for first response types of techniques. I have even had the few occasions of waiting out in the Mackenzie to help people who have been in serious jeopardy. But I couldn’t have done that without these types of skills through St. John Ambulance and Royal Life Saving Society and many other types of support mechanisms along the way. The reason I describe it that way is, without that type of support and confidence, you can’t just do that.

What can the Health...

Mr. Speaker, I’m glad to hear that there is an interdepartmental committee. This is actually the first time I have heard of this particular case. This issue has been brought forward to me by a particular person who is very familiar with the communities and said that as such, as I mentioned, Kirk Hughes had to step up to the plate where there were gaps.

What can the Minister of Health and Social Services do to help step up to the plate on this particular issue to demonstrate some leadership in communities where we don’t have first responders but we have equipment, so if an incident does happen...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my understanding I have three constituents in the gallery and they all belong to the Elkin family, so I’m going to list them in order of importance. So first I’d like to recognize Cappy Elkin, followed by Lynn Elkin and – sorry, Larry – Larry Elkin.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Minister of ENR was explaining earlier to me about lightning rods and I’d like to know how many lightning rod detectors we have in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.