Debates of March 15, 2018 (day 27)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a couple of questions for the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, during my constituency meeting, an elder brought up the need for sending elders to Inuvik during spring break-up and freeze-up, as we have a couple of elders in the community with serious health issues. I would like to ask the Minister: will the Minister and his department send elders with health issues to Inuvik for spring break-up and freeze-up? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Tsiigehtchic is unique in the fact that it doesn't have an airport. If we did have an issue, medevacs are certainly more complicated. They certainly would be more expensive as a result of having to use a helicopter.

We do try to provide additional support during freeze-up or break-up by having a nurse in the community during those periods of time, but I do hear the Member. I would say that anything that we do would have to be on a case-by-case basis, and it would have to be determined based on risk, the issue that the senior has. I wouldn't say that every senior would have to be removed, but those with complicated conditions who are at risk, we may want to consider that.

Frankly, I don't know enough about the patients that the Member is referring to. I don't know enough about the conditions. I would love to have a sit-down with the Member to discuss this to see whether or not this is something that would be appropriate, and recognizing that we are trying to provide other supports during freeze-up and break-up. I'm certainly interested in learning more and having a discussion with the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

At the moment, we have about 10 elders in the community. Of that, two or three have a serious health issue. Would the Minister and his department be willing to, well, if two out of those three were identified as having serious issues and wanted to go to Inuvik, would the Minister house elders in Inuvik, whether it's long-term care or other means by that?

As I said, I know that there are some unique situations in Tsiigehtchic, given, like I said, that they don't have an airport. During freeze-up and break-up, they are truly isolated. There is no road. There is no airport.

I would be happy to sit down with the Member and talk about options that we might be able to deploy here, but every situation is going to have to be unique. We have to make sure, you know, what level of service we can provide during freeze-up and break-up to the individual, and if that is something that there is a big concern about, an individual, and their particular care. I'm open to having this conversation. I'll try to find some solutions, but until we look at them case-by-case, I'm not sure what we can do other than explore options. It may mean bringing somebody in. It may not. It may depend on what we can provide. I'm happy to have that conversation with the Member in order to support the community.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.