Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In that report it cites that long term patients need long care meal plans. That’s typically based on a 30 day meal plan. I’d like to know exactly who will be making the meals for the dementia centre. Is it strictly based on YACCS only having the Sodexo contractors to go to? Or are they able to design and cook and create their own meal plans within their own facility? Which is it?

Mr. Speaker, this reminds me of the old adage that when it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, it must be a duck. If YACCS is only paid in Sodexo coupons and there’s only one place that takes Sodexo coupons and they are privatized food services that offer only short term food delivery based on a seven day meal plan, what is the Minister doing to accommodate the long term meal plan as designed by the single point design that this dementia centre is designed on?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Quickly, the fact is that public health is run by the Department of Health, which is also led and supervised by the Minister of Health and Social Services. Is public health not an issue under her responsibility that also covers the area of infectious disease?

Mr. Speaker, obviously the Minister had her coffee this morning.

You know, it’s kind of shocking to hear a Yellowknife MLA — the Minister, who happens also to be a Yellowknife MLA — complain about the investment in Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the Minister misunderstood the point. My riding actually doesn’t cover the Bailey House. And by the way, the Bailey House and the Salvation Army? That’s not in downtown Yellowknife.

The question really comes down to what leadership role is she suggesting? She keeps telling the city to do this. This is not a mandate of the city. I have spoken to the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, it is a significant issue, and many cities are working hard on this. I want to compliment cities like Winnipeg. It is a winter city, and they are trying to deal with this problem. I have even read that they have had architects come forward offering free service to design a public washroom to help deal with this problem.

Mr. Speaker, I’m going to close by stressing that access to public washrooms is also a health issue. If the Minister has never heard of infectious disease, then let me be the first to tell her about it. There are certainly her officials who can...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will be supporting the motion. I just want to note for the record that I do support the completion of the work that does need to be done on the road to Fort Smith, but it’s the priority of public safety that I’m supporting. That should not, in my view, ever be a question. If people are at risk in any way, we should absolutely be making sure our dollars are spent in that regard. Public safety over public pride of the road…. It should never be a question of whose road is the prettiest or the smoothest. If people are being put at risk and we have to close roads because...

I’d like to table a document. It is page 3 of the Yellowknifer dated Friday, October 17, 2008, which is today. The article is titled “34-Hour Reading,” and it makes specific note of a memo that was received. Thank you.

Document 107-16(2), NNSL article, tabled.

Mr. Speaker, I’m not alarming the public. The bell has already rung. I cannot unring the bell that’s been rung, that’s been brought to me. The fear and concern is because YACCS is not allowed to build their own independent kitchen at this time. The fact is that no one’s one hundred per cent clear where these meals are going to come from, and no one’s one hundred per cent sure at this time why you would have three kitchens when you only need one. So where are the meals coming from? Clearly, the question simply is: will the meal plan be delivered by Sodexo, and is that privatization of the meal...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 8 on our agenda, oral questions. Thank you.

Unanimous consent granted.

Mr. Speaker, I certainly wish we were in a court of law so we could treat the Minister like a hostile witness to get her to answer the question. The answer wasn’t in there anywhere. My question was about the detail of communication.

All indications are that there is information that flows from Capital Health to the Northwest Territories through Capital Health, maybe through to Stanton, then it gets to the Minister’s office. So, Mr. Speaker, I will have to find another way to say the same question: is there any type of communication that gives the detail that beds are full or not?