Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is no denying that I am a huge fan of CBC Arctic Air. In fact, the other day I was watching a rerun and on this rerun we saw a patient being hauled on the back of a quad on a stretcher. Very exciting, exposed to the elements, made for great TV.
It made me start to think. I did question a lot of emergency workers and care workers throughout the Territories. The reality is this is happening. This is not TV. We have many patients that are being hauled on the back of pickup trucks, sometimes on the back of vehicles and some of them in quads. They are being transported from health centres to the airstrips. We also see this happening at accident scenes. We are lacking ambulance services in a grand fashion.
Recently, we have been spending lots of time on health talking about a sunset clause of $200,000 for Municipal and Community Affairs. That was designed to assist communities for delivering ground ambulance and highway rescue services, but this is just the tip of the iceberg and I’ll tell you why. I’m going to take Members down a little snapshot, a little Polaroid, if you will, in terms of what the history of this topic is.
Back in 2007, the Cabinet of the day directed its Ministers of Municipal and Community Affairs and Health and Social Services to develop legislation, policies and funding framework to address the delivery of ground ambulance and highway services in the Northwest Territories. In 2008 an advisory committee was struck and co-chaired by the same two ministries and developed some funding and legislative framework. In fact, Mr. Speaker, in 2009 some of the projected costs coming from some of these findings indicated this could save the day with a $6 million insertion to protect our public. Six million dollars. We throw $10 million on a bridge every couple of months and we don’t even have a second glance at that, and we’re talking about $6 million. This is a small price to pay.
Since then, there has only been a number of communities that have actually accessed some funding, and in fact only three thus far: Yellowknife, Hay River and Fort Simpson. It’s clear that community governments have come forward and asked them to bring more to the table. The recent NWT Association of Communities has asked for a comprehensive and coordinated system of ground ambulance. Communities need more clarity, more responsibility and government commitment. We need solutions.
It’s been five years. Why do residents have to wait any longer? What is the price of mitigating risks on our highways? What is the price of patient safety? But more importantly, what is the price of human life?
You know, it makes for great TV, but I can’t wait to see another CBC Arctic Air episode when we join the rest of the 21st Century with proper ambulance service in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
