Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Just a follow-up on my honourable colleague’s intensity with regard to his debate with Cabinet. He’s entirely right; our jobs as MLAs is to urge, influence and persuade government, and to that end we have many tools at our disposal. But the main thing that we do is to pursue the goals and interests of our constituents and communities. Just getting back to my Member’s statement, the goal of Wrigley and of mine is to see a resident nurse in Wrigley in the long term. However, I can see my way to relax this demand if at the minimum we enhance current services and get a commitment that there is a nursing position classified as a Wrigley position. Will the Minister of Health and Social Services give me the assurance and commitment she will work towards a dedicated nursing position for Wrigley as well as enhance nursing services for 2010? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated earlier, the department and authorities right now are discussing a proposal to enhance nursing services in small communities in Deh Cho. This is subject to approval by the board, so this is why I am just giving the Member as much information as I can. Mr. Speaker, I understand that he has made his desire for the community of Wrigley. We are working on the system where the regional board oversees the health and social services for the entire region. So whenever we do anything, we need to do it on a regional basis. The board has given me a proposal to consider. We are having a conversation on that. The Member has been given some information on that and we will continue to work on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I’m not entirely convinced with the Minister’s answer. Once again, one of the tools at my disposal while we’re sitting here during debate of the budget is to delay the budget, Mr. Speaker, and I am prepared to go that far in order to get answers for my constituents. I want the Minister of Health and Social Services to have the same confidence as the Minister of Justice did today and say that nursing is a priority for Wrigley and Tsiigehtchic out loud, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister do that? Thank you.
Nursing coverage for Tsiigehtchic and Wrigley is my priority and I am happy to commit to do as much or more than what the Minister of Justice is doing in that regard.
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The Minister is going to have to explain how her commitment translates into real resources for those communities. Thank you.
I have committed that in the past. We understand and we accept that the RCMP for Wrigley is based in Simpson and they have increased their visits to Wrigley and that’s the proposal we have for communities in Deh Cho and that’s what we continue to work on for the region in Beaufort-Delta. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just for clarification, did the Minister say there was going to be a dedicated position for Wrigley in Fort Simpson? Can she answer that? As well, again, I would like to get a commitment that services, nursing services will be enhanced at least in 2010 as we work towards this dedicated position? Thank you.
Currently we have four dedicated nurses in Simpson that services Wrigley, Nahanni Butte, Trout Lake and Jean Marie River. Yes, we have a proposal that would enhance nursing coverage in Wrigley and those three communities in 2010. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
