Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your long pause on Yellowknife made me worry for a moment. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, during this morning, many of my colleagues had a really I'd certainly say an enormously incredible presentation provided to the committee from the NWT climate youth advisory group. And I want to use just a moment of my time saying they were a fantastic bunch of young people. They were extremely well represented by the Hay River reps, and they spoke well and clear and they had wonderful focus. I think they are truly the promise of tomorrow.

But, Mr. Speaker, when I asked them do they have...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As my colleague, Mr. Testart had said today, we're talking about health care and the survey we had discussed as well as the actions and desperate needs our citizens are suffering from. As noted by MLA Testart, we held a joint town hall, a conversation with the community, Mr. Speaker, around health care. It was desperately needed. The Minister of health was invited but declined and suggested a different date almost three months hence from the inquiry of when could you be available. Unreasonable scheduling I considered, but it is what it is. My good colleague in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table a survey authorized by both myself and Mr. Testart. This survey is called Your Health Care Patient Experience in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are more concerns and, apparently, that's been highlighted many times, and I think even another MLA pointed out scheduling. These doctors are saying they could provide suggestions through efficiency and management of time by doing their own scheduling and they're reaching the point that they're considering leaving, if not some have already left. Maybe we could start with the first clarity on this particular issue is how many primary care doctors do we have in Yellowknife and working in the Stanton hospital? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question for the -- is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Doctors are complaining about not being able to provide timely and effective feedback with respect to the structure of the system and the problems they see. Primary care doctors more specifically have proposed initiatives. I'm asking what forum does the Minister allow good conversations and discussions about proposals that doctors are providing that can help save the health care system? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I'll certainly look forward to what I'm being told -- or sorry, looking forward to the Minister's response. And further to that question, the other issue is accessibility to their information, Mr. Speaker. So, of course, the Minister did say they've moved in there, but it's been five months.

The next problem of course is, as I said, accessibility of medical records. Patients aren't getting their records referred to south and they can't get the responses from their needs -- from their tests et cetera. So what can the Minister do to improve those rates, and does she track them? Thank...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if I had a longer Member's statement, I could probably talk for hours on this particular subject. But that said, there were a lot of concerns I did want raise and hence the question -- oral question period, sorry.

Mr. Speaker, one of the issues that was raised passionately about was being able to call for appointments, and the phone rings and rings and rings, finally takes a message, and it takes days for someone to reply if they reply. Some constituents have complained that no one even calls them back. Mr. Speaker, even my email to the Minister highlighting...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to rise on a point of personal explanation under section 1.8(1) of our rules. It says a Member may rise -- or sorry, raise a point of personal explanation in the Assembly at the earliest opportunity. This is my first opportunity.

The headline in the front page of today's Northern News Services, the Yellowknifer, reads as follows: YK Centre MLA wants finance Minister ousted. The headline is misleading with their word choice of "ousted". It leads the reading with the confusing impression that I want the Minister removed from Cabinet. I know this because a few people...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've been made aware that it's close to five or six doctors have either left or just recently have given their notice of leaving. I'd like that to be confirmed with respect to the numbers I've asked a few moments ago. Is the Minister aware of this, and what is she doing about it? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that answer from the Minister, but when the doctors are suggesting to open up the CT scan that -- system and creating avenues to help patient care and expedite it in the sense of service and save money, it's going on deaf ears. So what next if no one seems to care about the advice and direction offered by doctors, especially our primary care doctors? Thank you.