Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. It’s in reference to the leadership meeting that we had in January, again, where he did a presentation. There was a lot of really strong support for reinstating a board for the regional health and social services authority. I just want to get an update as the Minister had agreed to look into this matter. I’d like to get an update from the Minister on what’s been done – the Minister of Health and Social Services – since the discussions back on January 10th. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. The Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member is aware, we have a public administrator in place for the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Authority. That’s not our desire. We would prefer to have a board; however, in consultation with the community, it was recommended that we fill the CEO position. At this time we have gone out for advertising to try to fill the CEO position. We want to fill the CEO position and then develop, again, and reappoint a board after we have a CEO position. Thank you.
With all due respect, in filling the CEO position there are a lot of people in the surrounding communities who just listened to the Member for the Mackenzie Delta and his issues that he has that need to be addressed, and I think they need to be addressed before a CEO is put into place, and that comes with a board. Can the Minister please provide me with a definite timeline as to when a board can be in place with the Beaufort-Delta Health Authority?
The Member is right; during our meetings of the Beaufort-Delta leadership and the Gwich’in, we had indicated that we were going to work on reappointing the board. I was not totally up to speed on why the board was removed initially, but there seemed to be a strong desire to have a board in place and the department will work with the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Authority to appoint a full board in the Beaufort-Delta as soon as possible. Thank you.
I would just like to recognize that I do understand that the Minister has quite the workload becoming the new Minister of Health and Social Services, and I do also like to recognize that I’ll take into consideration that as soon as possible means that as early as tomorrow starting up some conversations, even just sending out some…opening up discussions with our leaders in the Beaufort-Delta region that will affect what’s been going on in that region for the last little while.
No further questions.
A comment. The Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Member’s comments. I will talk to the deputy minister and we will do a call for boards before the end of the session. Thank you.
The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
