Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are also for the Minister of Health and Social Services. I want to follow up and see if there is a chance for clarification here. I did want to mention by intro that I do have communication from the Minister of ECE’s office that, in fact, the Intro to Advanced Practice nursing program has been cancelled. That is refuted, however, by Aurora College. Correspondence says that, in fact, it is ongoing if there are sufficient people to be registered. But they also note that the Health and Social Services has stopped funding employees. I am wondering if the Minister can confirm that and if the department has also stopped funding students that they would have funded before; for example, the bachelor program. Many of them were funded to take the IAP program. Is that still happening or has that been cancelled? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Mr. Speaker, there were two or three questions pertaining to the details of the employees being paid to attend such a program. I need to get back to the Member as to whether they were required to do that before, and get the information that the Member needs. I will undertake to get back to the Member on that.
I do agree with the Member that I did have information that that program is not available this time, the introductory one, because of lack of enrolment. I will get back to the Member on the two or three questions that he asked. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Time for question period has expired. I will allow a short supplementary question. Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister’s commitment to get back to me with those details. I just want to know if the Minister was aware that since its inception we have had three to five intakes per year, three on average, with an average of 12 students per intake. I fail to see how we won’t have those registrants unless, of course, we stop our funding. I am wondering if the Minister can commit to getting clarification on that as well. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, my information is that there is lack of enrolment. I do not know the reasons for that. I will get back to the Member on the questions about what he committed to get back to. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, thank you for that commitment. I guess I would like to know when we can expect to hear about that, just to be sure we have a time frame to work with, and also when decisions are made for renewing that program that currently are hearing is to end in 2012. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, we approve the budget a year at a time. We are considering the budget for 2011-12. The next year’s consideration will go through the regular business plan process this May through September, I would think. Mr. Speaker, by then I am sure that we would have the information.
We need to look at the needs for nurse practitioners and all the other HR issues that the Department of Health and Social Services consider. As I committed already, my officials and the Department of ECE are going to continue to work on this issue, as they came to our attention in the last couple of weeks. Let me just say that the first question that the Member asked, I will undertake to get back to the Member by this afternoon. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, replies to budget address. Item 12, petitions. Item 13, reports of standing and special committees. Item 14, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 15, tabling of documents. Item 16, notices of motion. Item 17, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 18, motions. Item 19, first reading of bills. Item 20, second reading of bills. Item 21, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 4-16(5), Executive Summary of the Report of the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project; Tabled Document 30-16(5), 2010 Review of Members’ Compensation and Benefits; Tabled Document 38-16(5), Supplementary Health Benefits – What We Heard; Tabled Document 62-16(5), Northwest Territories Water Stewardship Strategy; Tabled Document 75-16(5), Response to the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project on the Federal and Territorial Governments’ Interim Response to Foundation for a Sustainable Northern Future; Tabled Document 103-16(5), GNWT Contracts over $5,000 Report, Year Ending March 31, 2010; Tabled Document 133-16(5), NWT Main Estimates, 2011-2012; Tabled Document 135-16(5), Response to the Standing Committee on Social Programs Report on the Review of the Child and Family Services Act; Bill 4, An Act to Amend the Social Assistance Act; Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Conflict of Interest Act; Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act; Bill 20, An Act to Amend the Evidence Act; Minister’s Statement 65-16(5), Devolution Agreement-in-Principle, Impact on Land Claims and Protection of Aboriginal Rights; and Minister’s Statement 88-16(5), Sessional Statement, with Mr. Bromley in the chair.
