Mr. Chairman, the department certainly supports the important role of the certified nursing assistants and we are happy to have been involved in the development of this program. These people are critical in hospital and senior citizens homes. I want to see the program linked with our professional nurse training programs so that, as we have done with classroom assistants in the past, we can build on these people to train them as nurses, so they can eventually replace the nurses that we largely import from the south.
Mr. Chairman, I believe the Member may be referring to the issue that has arisen in Stanton Yellowknife Hospital, and to my knowledge, that is the only place, right now, where we have a problem, where C.N.A.s are feeling that they are not being appreciated, shall we say.
I have received an expression of concern on the part of the Status of Women about that issue, and I am concerned. I want to tell the Member that I am working to resolve that issue with the Stanton Yellowknife Hospital board, I am hoping that it can be worked out. I am concerned about it, and I will take his advice that perhaps the policies of the department could be looked at with a view to ensure the appropriate role for these certified nursing assistants. Thank you.