Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, tieing it back to the obstetrics issue, again we're talking about children in the context of birthing and supporting. How do we meet these needs through locum nurses and how does through the evidencebased process, how is it defined as cheaper or smarter? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the NGOs out there are the real super heros. They may not wear capes or have special rings, they don't fly invisible jets, but they are a beacon of hope. Sometimes they're the only light out there in the dark.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to taking responsibilities, the government doesn't want to get its hands dirty, who does it call? An NGO, Mr. Speaker.

Now, we shouldn't view NGOs as they continually be as the agency of last report. Take the Yellowknife Sobering Centre, Mr. Speaker. When it was ran by an NGO, they were capped at under $800,000 a year. When...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. For sake of time and energy, of course I won't run through all the comments highlighted earlier today by a few of the previous speakers here. But the truth be told is, you know, we talk about these challenges at Justice, and I can tell you being the Member for the downtown riding, it is stressful for many people. And so whether you live on the edge on one side of it or closer to the Ruth Inch Pool or you live on the other side towards the Salvation Army area, I mean, it just seems to be one of the most interesting catchall areas from one end to the other. And by the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Not specific in the context of this current budget, although that sort of is the answer, but I'm not questioning the current budget, but what is the program funded with? Where do we get our funding and how much do we fund on this?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For something completely different, we'll like the Maytag repair man, we'll go to questions to the Minister of ECC I guess. He doesn't get a lot of questions. We'll give him a chance today.

So, Mr. Speaker, my question for him today is about the Guardians of the Land. Could he describe what the program is, where it is, and how much it's being supported in the Northwest Territories when he describes what it is. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am very curious on how the Minister reconciles taking away from the communities by supporting the expansion or fulfilling the current program of midwifery in Yellowknife that supports the communities. So, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain exactly how this takes away from the communities, she keeps saying that, by not supporting the Yellowknife midwifery program? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm really glad we agree. So then I am looking forward to the next agreeable answer from the Minister when she explains the role of the Midwifery Advisory Council on how the services of midwifery are being rolled out in the Northwest Territories to serve sometimes the first choices of expectant mothers to go through that process. At the same time, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to also hear how the Minister expresses the advisory committee's advice on how we do job postings and reaching out in recruitment of midwives. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, midwives are more than just baby catchers. As a matter of fact, they provide counselling, they provide information on pregnancy, sexual health, they order tests, they provide order ultrasounds, they do PAP smears, prescribe medication. Mr. Speaker, the list goes on.

Mr. Speaker, they also provide continuing education during and after the birth. Mr. Speaker, they help with lactation consultation, infant feeding. And, Mr. Speaker, they have truly become a continuation of the health care system.

Mr. Speaker, if you're not convinced by the human side, well...

This is the plans.

Mr. Speaker, would the Minister be willing to provide some type of response to me before the beginning of the next session in the fall? That will give the department enough time to come up with some options and ideas that we'd be able to look at as a broader picture as a response to the issue. Thank you.