Robert Hawkins

Mr. Speaker, I have questions for Minister Miltenberger as well. I was listening closely to Mr. Yakeleya’s question and the response from Minister Miltenberger. Mr. Yakeleya’s question was basically what is stopping you from stopping this. Minister Miltenberger’s somewhat response is, if the Legislature decides. So, Mr. Speaker, I think this question could be put to rest today clearly and simply. Mr. Speaker, my question to Minister Miltenberger is, if this Legislature passed the motion today to stop board reform, would the Minister heed that recommendation and take it back to Cabinet to stop...

Mr. Speaker, today I publicly demand Minister Miltenberger please put down your board reform pen and join the side of the people. If there is a time for unity, a vision where Northerners need to work together during these fiscally tight and uncertain times, the time is certainly now. The thinking of “government knows best” has been heard and is certainly now refuted by the people who are demanding better from their elected officials. From the turnout today, it is proof enough that the people want their government Ministers to now listen.

Mr. Speaker, if I may, the dream of a democratic approach...

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Chamber today to inform the Assembly and my constituents that I cannot support this motion that is one that in a sweeping way fires the current Premier and entire Cabinet indiscriminately. No one can deny that we in the NWT face unparalleled recession, economic downturn that is deepening, and it’s even finding threats here in the North where once we believed that we had an economic boom led by diamonds, the pipeline and even hydro.

Let’s not mince words here. This is a time of uncertainty for many people whose jobs could be affected by this economic climate. This is...

Mr. Speaker, can I get some time frames on when we can get some of these dates on. I’ll tell you, the reason I keep pointing at the TPA as a solution is because it seems to be the proven solution that works well and although alternatives are being presented and that will be good news for folks, not than anyone plans a stroke, but certainly in the context of if one happens people know the tools are there. I just want to make sure that we have some sense that this stuff is available and when. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I have a family in the constituency of Yellowknife Centre and one of them had a stroke. When they got to the hospital they did not have the clot busting drug called TPA. It’s been a little more than a year later and they’re doing much better, but the fact is my research recently has shown that there is no clot busting drug for strokes called TPA being used at present at the Stanton Hospital.

I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, will she investigate this to see if this type of drug could be used and brought into the common day-to-day use for any type of stroke...

Mr. Speaker, today I’d like to talk about strokes and possible solutions for them for northern residents. Stroke is an injury to the part of the brain. It happens when something goes wrong with the blood flow to the brain. Blood vessels, called arteries, carry blood and nutrients through the body. One way the brain may be injured is when an artery of the brain becomes blocked and the blood supply is cut off. Without a supply of blood, the brain does not get the oxygen and nutrients it definitely needs. The patient will suffer permanent brain damage if blood supply is cut off for more than a...

Mr. Speaker, quite obviously I support this motion without any type of hesitation. The fact is I stand with the citizens that are going to be hurt by this policy and I think that the government needs to hear and realize this. I’ve also suggested to the Minister that if she goes back and reworks this policy and makes it fair and reasonable to all, that I’ll support her in those efforts and, of course, if the policy comes back I’ve also explained to the Minister that my choice of support has been taken away from me. This is that chance and I think that she has heard loud and clear that this...

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister’s answer but that still doesn’t mean we couldn’t have this drug sitting on the shelf so that when things do line up and we do have a visiting radiologist or we have all the staff and all the equipment working at that time, that this could not be the option that that family may be depending on. Would the Minister look at a strategy to make sure that that drug is available when we do have all our stars lined up in the context of staff there who can do the job and whatnot?. Mr. Speaker, it’s very important. Would she look at that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize Chuck and Muriel Tolley up at the back there, constituents of Yellowknife Centre. I believe I see Jenna Jones. There she is; she’s waving there. It’s a pleasure to have visitors from Yellowknife Centre here. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister did allude to it in a certain way. I just want to make sure that it’s absolutely clear and on the record, income threshold, when it comes to a couple of needs to be revisited in recognition of the cost of living and whatnot. So will the Minister make sure these are clearly on the record, that these are the types of things that would be looked at and considered in this consultation? Thank you.