Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Strategic planning is an essential management principle based on the published strategic plan for the health department caring for our people in the Northwest Territories. As part of this vision, can the Minister ensure, for example, H. pylori workshops through education in the Sahtu communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know that we do have some resources out there when it comes to H. pylori and providing information. As far as workshops, I'm not sure that we've actually provided workshops in the past or that we actually have the information to provide workshops, but I will talk to the department to find out how best we can get that information out to residents of the Sahtu but also to the Northwest Territories where appropriate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thanks to the Minister for that reply. Making residents aware of the strategic plan and sharing information is always very important for the remote communities, knowing that healthcare is behind them, with them, for them.
I was very happy to hear, reading the minutes of the Regional Wellness Council, that they had their Sahtu board meeting in the community of Tulita and they engaged with the public there. It was a meet-and-greet, which I thought was perfect in sharing that vision. Bringing health awareness to the remote community residents in that area, can the Minister also ensure health services for additional services provided by the Health Department through communication workshops in every community on a circulating basis?
With the move to a single authority in the Regional Wellness Councils, we are hoping that the Regional Wellness Councils do have an opportunity to travel throughout the regions that they represent. As the Member said, the Regional Wellness Council in the Sahtu did have a meeting in Tulita. They have a meeting scheduled in Colville Lake and they will over time get to all the communities that they represent.
As far as getting information, program information, out to the communities, one of the reasons that the Regional Wellness Councils are so important is they can help us tailor our message to the different regions and communities on what is the best way to get the information out. We do give a lot of responsibility to them to help us identify the best ways and we are constantly looking for that information from them so that we can tailor our delivery to the regions as appropriate.
Will the Minister schedule one of the quarterly board meetings in the town of Norman Wells as we approach closure to the transitional opening of the regional facility in Norman Wells which is scheduled to open later in these coming months?
I do not sit on one of the Regional Wellness Councils. The Regional Wellness Councils are the ones who, to some degree, determine when they are going to schedule their meetings. They are required to have one meeting, I think it is annually in public. All their meetings are supposed to be in public to some degree. They can go in camera. I am not prepared to, and I am not going to, dictate when and where they have their meetings. I think we need to leave that up to them. They know their regions best, and they know when they need to get together to have those conversations.
Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.
My next question, Mr. Speaker, is that scheduling the upcoming regional council meeting here in Norman Wells would be a joint effort to have the regional authority there, as well as the opening session of the Sahtu Health Building when it does open. That is all I am asking, is if it can be scheduled and coordinated together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The opening of the new health centre and long-term care facility in Norman Wells will be a significant accomplishment for the region, for the delivery of services in Norman Wells and that region. We will definitely have an opening ceremony event. The Regional Wellness Council will absolutely, without question, be involved, as well as regional leadership and the MLA, of course. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
