Minister of Health.
Debates of Dec. 18th, 1991
Topics
Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 192
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Return To Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 192
Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is a difficult question to answer because I do not have references to what it used to be, but if I could express an opinion from my own personal observations over the years as a northern resident, it has tremendously improved.
Return To Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 192
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.
Supplementary To Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 192
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I disagree with you because I think in the smaller communities, the health situation has deteriorated drastically. I think you should really take a serious look at that. What are you going to do, since you say you have a difficult time answering this, and if you have no references as to how it used to be, how can you find out how it used to be and how it is today?
Supplementary To Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 192
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Minister of Health.
Further Return To Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 192
Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Mr. Speaker, I will endeavour to be meeting with groups as we go along. If there is any particular concern that can be addressed specifically, I think that would be a good way for me to proceed because to say that health services across the whole of the NWT is not good, would not be accurate. Since the transfer from Ottawa, we are more accountable and we have better services in the communities and in the North in general.
There may be specific areas that are not quite up to par and there may be specific instances that may need addressing as we go along. I do not know whether we can work on that. I would certainly like to meet with Members as time allows and issues present themselves to discuss some discrepancies with health services in a community and match them against what we are trying to deliver in those areas. I would entertain that, but that is about all I can say at the moment.
Further Return To Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Oral questions. Mr. Antoine, your second supplementary.
Supplementary To Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
If it has improved so tremendously, why do the people of Nahanni Butte have to pay their own way to go to the hospital in Fort Nelson in BC to get medical attention instead of going to the regional centre in Fort Simpson?
Supplementary To Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Minister of Health.
Supplementary To Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not know the answer to that and perhaps I can take that question as notice and try to ascertain why this situation is allowed to continue or has continued. If the Member will bear with me, I will endeavour to find out what kind of situation prevails in Nahanni Butte and how this can be improved.
Supplementary To Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Question O168-12(1): Improvement In Health Services
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
The question is taken as notice. Oral questions. Mr. Zoe.
Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
Henry Zoe North Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. On Monday, Mr. Speaker, I raised a question with regard to the cash flow problem that the municipality of Rae-Edzo is encountering right now. My question to the Minister is, and he assured me earlier on during the week that they are making every effort to try to solve this particular problem, if it is a priority, what measures or what assistance have they provided to the municipality as of today?
Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Patterson.
Return To Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
Dennis Patterson Iqaluit
Mr. Speaker, the ground water outflow problem has cost the hamlet about $46,000, I understand. It comes from two consumers which are the responsibility of Government of the Northwest Territories departments or agencies. I can tell the honourable Member that my department feels that the sources of that ground water, namely those two institutional buildings, should take responsibility for those costs. My department, and my deputy minister, is working actively with his peers responsible in those areas for recovering those costs to assist the hamlet. As of today, I have no cheque to offer the Member or the hamlet, but I can assure him that I am aware that the hamlet is facing cash flow problems and I have conveyed the urgency to my deputy. Thank you.
Return To Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Zoe.
Return To Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
Henry Zoe North Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I ask my supplementary, could I seek unanimous consent to extend question period?
Return To Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Unanimous consent has been requested to extend question period. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Question period is extended. Proceed, Mr. Zoe.
Supplementary To Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
Henry Zoe North Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, my supplementary to the Minister. Mr. Speaker, this is a serious problem for the municipality. It is a financial problem and the department has the responsibility. We know where the problem is and it is from the two sources that he indicated earlier. The problem to date is that they are having cash flow problems, there is no money in the bank to pay their accounts payable and they are about three months behind in payments. The contractors and the people that they rent space from have not been paid for the last three months, and so forth. The problem has a ripple effect throughout the whole community, and the municipality has gone to MACA to see if they can assist them financially. My question to the Minister is, are they going to do that before the end of this month?
Supplementary To Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Further Return To Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
Dennis Patterson Iqaluit
Mr. Speaker, I should correct myself. I said $46,000, it is $46,000 a month that this problem is costing. As I understand it, the accumulated cost now, due to that problem and other problems, is in the order of $160,000. Mr. Speaker, I can only repeat what I have told the Member. It is a priority to find a solution. We are not going to stand by and see the hamlet bankrupted by this problem, and one way or another I can assure the honourable Member that I am committed to finding a solution, and certainly before the end of this month is a reasonable deadline which I can accept. Thank you.
Further Return To Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Zoe.
Supplementary To Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
Henry Zoe North Slave
Mr. Speaker, this problem is so serious that they are barely making payroll, so I would ask the Minister to consider -- I know I indicated the end of the month but preferably before Christmas if possible because all the contractors and all the people that are affected have not been paid for the last three months. Would the Minister take that into consideration.
Supplementary To Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Mr. Patterson.
Further Return To Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
Dennis Patterson Iqaluit
Yes, certainly, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Further Return To Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Question O169-12(1): Rae-edzo Cash Flow Difficulties
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 193
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Oral questions. Mr. Todd.