Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for your anticipation that I would want to have an oral question today. My question today will be directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services regarding the concerns that I raised in my Member’s statement today, which is the lack of emergency services provided to people on the land or even at lodges who may be seriously injured.
Mr. Speaker, the direct question to the Minister on this particular subject is: what is he doing to fix this policy so that we do not have a serious and significant gap that our citizens are left fending for themselves when their health and certainly life could be in jeopardy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mir. Miltenberger.
Mr. Speaker, I note that in jurisdictions other than the Northwest Territories, cost for being outside the communities, if there is an emergency call-out on the land for whatever reason, are 100 percent recoverable from the folks that are involved in the incident. In our case, the policy we have is for communities and service within communities. The Member is right; it’s not an insured service, and we do not have the money or resources in our budget to close that gap at this time.
I’m well aware that the Minister himself has had problems with this particular policy, and as I understand it, he’s even had constituents in his own riding who have had trouble by this very, I would say, cold and unwelcoming policy.
Is the Minister of Health and Social Services willing to look and see if there are ways to amend it? Because as we heard through Mrs. Groenewegen’s question regarding healthy lifestyle, healthy choices, and the Minister of Health and Social Services underscored what an important and dominant theme that is for both he and governments, so what would the Minister be willing to do to help bridge the gap -- maybe not completely fill it -- and ensure that this policy gap is addressed in some form?
I’ve done a number of fiscal updates in this House and we’ve pointed out very clearly some of the challenges that we face. Today alone we’ve heard requests for potentially significant investments in emergency evacuations and assisting communities in situations like Northland, autism, addictions. We have a huge list of things that people want us to invest in and at the same time be fiscally responsible.
We have a budget that’s fully subscribed to. The Member is asking for an increase to a program at a time when such a consideration is not possible. This year if there is an interest, there will be a business planning process that will kick into gear that the new Assembly will look at those priorities and others that they will have to decide on.
I’m very aware of people who have met tragic ends outside of regional municipalities, be it large communities or small communities. I can think of one particular case where one lady fell through the ice on a skidoo. The access to emergency services is very important. I’m not asking the Minister to solve all the world’s problems, although that would certainly be nice, but I’m asking him to investigate and use this opportunity to investigate developing some type of program that can offer assistance. Because when people are in jeopardy on the land, whether they’re skidooing, hunting, or visiting the lodges, living that active lifestyle, they shouldn’t be left out in the cold to say good luck and find your way into the health centre and we’ll do our best when you get here but you’re on your own until you get there. All I’m asking for is a little compassion from a man who probably knows the health system a little bit better than any of us, and find a way to make something palatable for everyone.
There has been work on this issue. I’ve as well had some questions. This leads into an area if there’s going to be emergency search and rescue, is that the expectation that nurses or whoever is in the community will leave and fly into other communities. Are they going to be trained to do that kind of extraction? Is it a case of calling in search and rescue from the military?
There are very few places, I think, other than Yellowknife, that have, I think, the benefit of highly skilled folks in this regard. This is an issue that has some considerable perplexity. It’s not just a case of saying, yes, we’re going to do it and it will all happen. There’s a cost. There’s also finding the resources to do this. It’s the type of project expansion at this point that we’re not in the position, I don’t think, to consider it. If the new government comes in and wants to see this as a priority and they can find the money, then I’m sure that will be looked at. For this Assembly we will be continuing on to deliver all the great many programs that we’ve budgeted for.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I recall, if memory serves me correctly, that this was an important issue when our present Health Minister wasn’t the Health Minister. Now that he’s Health Minister, I’m sure the theocrats have educated him about the ins and outs. All I’m asking for today is, quite simply, would the Minister be willing to take this on as an initiative that we should be looking into and seeing how we can address it and give it it’s fair due and consideration whereas we can get a sense of costing it out and let that sit before committee, let that sit before the Assembly, and let it decide if the cost is worth that type of coverage. Give it a chance on that particular case. Let’s not put people at risk when we encourage them to live a healthy lifestyle. We should also ensure that they’re protected as well. I think that’s our duty here in the House.
In fact, the Member has the chronology wrong. I had to deal with this issue, as well, with constituents and inform them of what was covered and what was not. I’d also point out that there’s also an expectation that when people leave the Northwest Territories to go anywhere, if they do not have third-party coverage and they require any kind of medevac services in Alberta or any other jurisdiction, that is fully their cost. It’s not covered by anybody, any government, this or any other. It is a situation where people should be very cognizant when they go, of what the risks are and what kind of protection they do have.
The Member has asked if I bring this to committee. He knows we have six days -- five days now -- left in sitting and that it’s a situation that’s not going to happen. It’s good for discussion in this House and it’s an important topic and there will be plenty of time for those that come back to have that discussion about new priorities.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Before I go on to the next Member, I’d like to recognize a couple of gentlemen in the gallery: Willard Hagen and Richard Edjericon.
The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
