Robert Hawkins

Mr. Speaker, today I’m asking not just for bricks and mortar, because I think ultimately that is the long-term solution, but today I really need to hear the Minister commit to when will a plan be put forward to address this. I appreciate the review is looking back as to what was done, but I’m sorry to say that we have a number of experts, I would definitely define them as, who have all said the same thing, which is we need these types of resources available today rather than sitting and waiting.

I’m so passionate about this issue. It doesn’t just have to be here in Yellowknife. We could...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Menicoche.

The committee agrees with the Auditor General that the department’s capacity to achieve its priority of a sustainable, effective health system depends on the ability to monitor performance and health outcomes. As both are currently deficient, both must be improved. The government must support the department’s efforts to do this, including appropriate funding through the annual budget process. It must be understood that data collection and performance monitoring are crucial to sound planning, determining spending priorities, and shaping a...

What I found, working at the corrections centre, was that when many of these souls did dry up and cleaned up from their alcohol and drug problems, I would find that they rid themselves of those drug and alcohol demons and they were truly decent people. Clearly there is a problem.

By now what I’m trying to say is this territory needs better options. We need a treatment centre in Yellowknife and it should be a program that includes treatment for crack, meth addiction, as well as prescription abuse. I remind the Health Minister that this is truly an important issue in the public that needs...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. At this time, I’d like to move that committee reports progress. Thank you.

---Carried

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Please provide information, other than the MACA website, as to how the department publicly promotes the office of consumer affairs, along with the office’s mandate.

How many complaints or inquiries has this office had over the past two years?

Please provide a summary of these complaints or inquiries for the past two years along with any recommendations and actions taken.

Mr. Speaker, undeniably, I’ll say that you could step out of this building and get away from the throes of what the impression of what the world really wants in this building to actually getting on the street to what the real citizens will tell you, and undoubtedly, I will tell you that they will say the Northwest Territories needs a detox centre.

Mr. Speaker, it’s true that some types of demons in the drug and alcohol areas that they may require specific programming, and perhaps on-the-land programs are more appropriate for those types of problems, but, Mr. Speaker, jails aren’t always the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Sadly, as highlighted earlier today, our community has lost another youth and it’s attributed to drug use. The thing is, I continue, as many other Members here continue, to cite the issue of we need a detox centre here in Yellowknife, and if not here in Yellowknife, then somewhere in the Northwest Territories. The Minister doesn’t have to take my word for it, of course. There’s always Justice Vertes or the YK Chamber, the NWT coroner or perhaps even Stanton committee’s position on the need for these types of facilities.

My question directly to the Minister of Health and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I’d like to thank our committee chair, Mr. Menicoche, as well.

As the audit report explains, the purpose of a P3 is to shift a portion of the risks of a public project to a private sector partner who brings technical and financial capacities to the project. A P3 procurement strategy carries risks in that the public sector must establish a working relationship with a suitable partner and clearly negotiate each party’s obligations to the project.

In the case of the Deh Cho Bridge, the audit found that the project was not a P3 because the private sector partner had no...

I want to thank the Minister for that particular answer. I think he knows exactly the concern I’m on, and I think I recognize that in his response from the last questions.

Mr. Speaker, I don’t know if I need my fourth question. My third one will quite simply be: would the Minister be willing to have a meeting with some of the industry reps from the medevac community? Again, if I could coordinate them in a very succinct way that had solutions to fine tuning our medevac process or system, would he be willing to sit down with them and discuss these types of issues and perhaps maybe we can find a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like earlier today, a number of my colleagues both had statements and asked questions regarding the closure of the Edmonton Municipal Airport and the planes being diverted to the International Airport. As such, I think they thoroughly thrashed around the concerns about being involved in the process of the advisory committee.

I think the next phase of this particular problem, really we should use this as an opportunity and perhaps maybe a call to action to address how we run our medevac system, Mr. Speaker. Our health system would issue a tender and have protocols...