Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to make some statements about the situation at the Inuvik Regional Hospital. In May of 1991, an article appeared in the Inuvik Drum dealing with the concerns of employees at the Inuvik Regional Hospital, and how staff were concerned that certain management practices were affecting staff morale and staff turnover.

In the same month there was a letter in the Inuvik Drum from the regional vice-president of the Union of Northern Workers, again addressing the issue of staff morale. A subsequent issue in the Inuvik Drum, again in May 1991, ran an article on how the chief executive officer of the Inuvik Regional Hospital had met with a committee of hospital workers to address their concerns. The staff were assured that these concerns would be looked after.

However, recent demonstrations by the hospital and Union of Northern Workers employees indicate that morale has not improved. It has, in fact, declined to the point where members of the community are getting concerned about the ability to receive proper health care and concern about the impact this morale problem will have on the level of care for themselves and their families. This decline in staff morale also has a ripple effect on the community as staff continue to change and are unhappy, and it has a serious social impact on the community. Employees are working in stressful environments and take this home with them, and it has a ripple effect at home.

Mr. Speaker, I have received over 80 letters and numerous phone calls from residents of Inuvik relating to this issue, and I will later today be tabling these letters in the House. Mahsi.