Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement today is on the reinstatement of the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Board.
One of the main reasons for setting up regional health authorities back in the 1980s was to provide for local input and influence on the way health and social services are delivered.
In the Beaufort-Delta, people had a way to voice their concerns up until 2010. That’s when the last government dismissed the board and appointed the deputy minister of Health as the public administrator. Then, in 2011, a public administrator was appointed. That was shortly before the territorial election. At the time, the public administrator told the media that after the election a new board would be appointed.
The current Minister confirmed that in this House last year on February 8th. He said, “The department will work with the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Authority to appoint a full board as soon as possible.”
Now, here we are 16 months later and we are still without a board. That’s three full years without a voice in our health care system and no way to set regional priorities for service. It is very frustrating for everyone in the region. We continue to have communities without nurses and a lot of other problems. It is action that is lacking along with the accountability.
When there is a regional board, its members have to listen to the people and explain the decisions they make. That system designed by the government was in place for well over 20 years. The government is very overdue on keeping its promise to the region and I will have questions later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
