Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We had a meeting that we attended in Tsiigehtchic, along with the Minister of Health and the Minister of Justice, in which the issue came up about nursing. The community made it clear to the Minister at that meeting that there was a nurse in the community who’s served there several years. She’s usually there during breakup and freeze-up — six weeks here, six weeks there. She’s presently working up in Holman and also in Tuktoyaktuk.
The community asked her to follow up on that by way of checking with the individual to see if she’s willing to spend more time in the communities so that they can have someone there. If we can’t get full time, at least have someone committed to serve the communities in different spurts. I’d like to ask the Minister: did she follow up on that recommendation that came out of the public meeting we had in Tsiigehtchic?
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Yes, I have, Mr. Speaker, and I have asked the CEO of the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Authority, who was also at the meeting with me, to follow up on that. My understanding is that this nurse is employed by the authority, and she floats around in different communities. She will, and I have already indicated that. I have directed the department, with the Beaufort-Delta, to look at extending nursing services in Tsiigehtchic.
I believe I’ve made this commitment at least ten times in the last two weeks. I’m not sure how else I could say that, Mr. Speaker. I am committed to seeing how she spends the nursing services in Tsiigehtchic.
Mr. Speaker, like I stated in my earlier question, there was a nurse who basically was there full time about six years ago. She was paid. The money is there for the health centre. She lived in the community for a number of years.
I’d like to ask the Minister: is there that commitment that this position will be committed full time knowing that there’s an individual out there who’s willing to stay in the community for that period of time?
Mr. Speaker, I have committed to the Member that we will work to extend the nursing coverage in Tsiigehtchic. The community has expressed interest in extending the nurse visits there, because right now the nurse visits weekly, and then they have extended stays during the freeze-up and breakup.
I have committed to the Member in writing, verbally, in meetings, in committees that I have directed the department to revisit this issue and look at all options available to extend the nursing covering in Tsiigehtchic.
Mr. Speaker, I just got off the phone with the individual. The individual told me herself that she likes working in Tsiigehtchic; she likes the people there; she’s willing to stay longer if that’s the point. Why is it that arrangements can’t be accommodated with a person who’s willing and committed to that community to serve that community? Why is it there are still roadblocks in the way by way of not offering that person a full time contract to work in that community rather than simply as and when?
Mr. Speaker, that option is not out of question; it’s just that it is up to the board authority to agree to put this position full time in that community.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Mr. Speaker, I don’t know how else to put this. The person is committed. The money is already budgeted for that health centre to operate in regard to its O&M — the cost to operate, the cost of health care — for that community. There are dollars earmarked from this Legislature to run a health centre in Tsiigehtchic.
The community is more than willing to work with the health department to do this, but because the Department of Health or the board in Inuvik, which has 45 vacancies, which they can’t even administer.... They run a deficit.
Mr. Speaker, I’m not too sure how else to put it, but exactly why is there such a complicated situation here where a community’s health is at risk and you have a person committed to helping the community solve its position? It’s been outstanding for six years. But now that we have a solution to the problem, we still have roadblocks to solve this situation.
I’d like to ask the Minister: could the Minister get directly involved, make this appointment as the Minister, use her authority and override the decision of the board in Inuvik, which doesn’t seem to want to do anything?
I tell you, I’d give him everything I owned if I could. I don’t know what else to say, Mr. Speaker. The rule is that we need to have at least two nurses in each community. That’s one of the reasons I have committed to the Member that I will look at all options available to see if we could have this person stay there.
Mr. Speaker, if I had the power to order that right now, I would. I have to work through the health authority. We do have the Beaufort-Delta health authority board. They decide on how their block funding will be spent. I will get back to the Member. I’ve given him the commitment to review all options available to see how we could extend nursing covering in Tsiigehtchic.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
