Robert Hawkins

Through this program is the Government of the Northwest Territories paying for the training for RNs to become NPs at a rate at which we cannot fill empty positions? Because they do not exist. If that’s the case, how many do we have in training school? How many have we trained to date? How many openings do we have to provide for these people who have taken this training the territorial government has paid for?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m just trying to get a grip on some positions here. Are all the positions listed on this page funded?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you, colleagues, for that.

Mr. Chairman, there’s a section under Human Resources, and it talks about recruitment and retention. If I understand it, there’s the difficulty of balancing this out. I’m just trying to find out what the activities are that this would apply to. If I can get some breakdown as to some examples of how they’re reaching out.

As we move forward, I continue to share a number of Members’ frustration over trying to get the details on what type of work was done.

I’m just going to take a position here, and I want them to explain to me how it worked. It was already highlighted in the House that it was the communications position that’s been targeted for reduction. I’d like to know what analysis was done and the procedure of how they decided that communications wasn’t required or who is going to pick up those duties. That’s the type of analysis I’m trying to get to understand this.

Further highlighting the concern I’m...

No, that’s it.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question is specific to page 6-8. I thank the Minister and the staff for providing this layout as to the description of the positions. I find it very useful, and I appreciate that work.

A similar question to Mr. Abernethy’s is: if I could get some information as to what analysis was done to determine why a specific position was needed or not needed? Was there any specific analysis to weigh out whether a position was needed or not needed?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Earlier today we were provided with a list of position reductions under Health and Social Services. I just want to be clear. Under Active Positions here there seems to be a loss of eight positions. If the Minister could clarify which positions have been re-profiled in the bigger scheme of things.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is as good an opportunity as any to bring this up. I notice that the Minister’s opening remarks, with the eight pages…. As highlighted by another Member, it seems to be lacking in recognition or a plan — or, I should say, even further — on addictions. Addictions, as we know, is a very significant problem here. It’s horrible. That’s all I’m going to say. I could probably go on at length about that. The fact is that addictions isn’t highlighted. I’ve looked through the budget, and of course, we don’t have any specific line item for addictions.

The problem with that...

There is another area I forgot to mention, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t bring it up. I’ve heard from a number of nurses — and it’s been heard by a number of Members throughout this Assembly, and I’m sure even the Minister must have heard this from time to time.... The nursing staff have been described as over-prescribed in work and undersubscribed in relief. Does the Minister — speaking of Stanton specifically — have a grip on the actual numbers of staffing of nurses there, and how many? Is there a difference between how many we have staffed and how many we have in the sense of funded...

I appreciate that answer. I respect that. We certainly want to be very inclusive on specific legislation like this, because it’s very important to us. When can I expect that type of communication and consultation to come out to the general public?