Thank you. In my Member’s statement today I talked about medevacs and I need not remind anyone in this House how important those services are. A lot of Northerners depend on them and it’s more than just lip service when I say that in a lot of cases it is life or death on those medevac services. So of course time is very important.
Yesterday I was speaking to someone which has caused the reason why I need to make today’s statement to talk about medevacs. I found out that Deputy Premier Doug Horner of Alberta is moving towards the Edmonton Garrison solution for the medevac problem on the pending closure of the Muni Airport.
My question to the Minister of Health and Social Services is: Is his department willing to get behind this particular initiative, work with the Province of Alberta, work with the City of Edmonton and lobby the federal government so that Edmonton Garrison can be turned over to the Alberta government as a viable solution for medevacs? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Although the department and the Government of the Northwest Territories has no official role with the Alberta government in these deliberations, we do understand preliminary discussions have occurred between the government and the Department of National Defence on the possibility of using the Namao strip, which is the Garrison strip. Thank you.
Thank you. Last term our government did mention or at least talked about their somewhat willingness and participation in the Health Quality Council in Alberta in their dialogue and overview of services, and the Alberta province itself says until we have a solution we won’t be closing the Muni. This is a solution, but part of that relationship would be that the Health Council of Alberta is the Northwest Territories government through the Minister of Health’s office was formulating some relationship on this particular subject and it may have been weak, but at the same time they were still involved. That said, I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services if he will take an active role on this particular file to make sure that the northern voices are heard and protected when it comes to medevac services.
Thank you. The discussions that I was referring to were discussions about the Garrison Airport. As far as the airport and the Edmonton City Centre Airport, one runway is shut down, but medevacs are continuing to use that airport. The only time the medevacs are diverted to the International Airport at this time is because of weather. Thank you.
Thank you. The fact is we have a missed opportunity. We’re going to have to go wherever they present us. Well, let’s be part of the solution when I say where they present us. That means if they’re going to tell us what airport we can send our medevacs to, we should be on the front of this problem rather than just being told at the very end of the equation and that’s kind of what I’m getting at with the Minister of Health and Social Services here. We need to get involved in the solution to ensure that northern needs are taken care of; otherwise we’re going to have to put up with whatever they give us.
That said, I once again ask the Minister of Health and Social Services will he be willing to take an active role in finding out what’s going on and perhaps even join the deputy premier of Alberta on lobbying DND, that’s the Department of National Defence, so they’ll turn over the Edmonton Garrison for Capital Health of Alberta to ensure that our medevacs arrive safe and in a timely way in Edmonton. Thank you.
Thank you. The Department of Health in the Northwest Territories is involved with this and had been involved, but this is a relatively new development and we know that that airport could be a viable alternative to the International, but we know that it also requires upgrades and we do believe that it warrants full consideration. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is the Minister saying to this House that they’re now involved in this particular observation and discussion and evaluation of the Edmonton Garrison solution? I think it is a viable solution and I just want to make sure our government is involved in the final decision. Even if it’s a small voice on there, it needs to be a voice at that table. Thank you.
Thank you. As I indicated earlier, we play no official role but we are aware of the discussions. We’re staying in the loop, but we haven’t engaged officially either with the National Defence or any involvement with the City of Edmonton at this time. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
