This is page numbers 464 - 491 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was chairman.

Topics

Return To Question O382-12(2): Clarification Of The Process The Minister Stands Behind Re Abortions
Question O382-12(2): Clarification Of The Process The Minister Stands Behind Re Abortions
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 467

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, I apologize. I see the point that the Member is raising. As I mentioned yesterday, the Stanton board has been asked to conduct a review of hospital abortion practices or procedures. The review will be done by someone who does not work for the hospital or the Department of Health. It will be comprehensive, objective and respect the confidentiality of patients. It will be open to outside input. And finally, the conclusions and recommendations of the review will be made available to the public and Members of this House. I will circulate my letter that I have written to the Stanton board on the matter later this afternoon.

I would also like to say, Mr. Speaker, that we are prepared to have Dr. Kinloch of the Department of Health, and the executive director of the hospital, Ms. Olenek, available as professional witnesses during the discussions on my capital budget in committee of the whole, to answer specific questions on abortion procedures. We are also attempting to arrange a suitable time for representatives of the hospital board and staff and my department to meet with the media to answer any questions that they might have on this.

Return To Question O382-12(2): Clarification Of The Process The Minister Stands Behind Re Abortions
Question O382-12(2): Clarification Of The Process The Minister Stands Behind Re Abortions
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 467

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Supplementary To Question O382-12(2): Clarification Of The Process The Minister Stands Behind Re Abortions
Question O382-12(2): Clarification Of The Process The Minister Stands Behind Re Abortions
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 467

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, that does not answer my question, but I will pursue the issue at hand. Yesterday the Minister indicated, and I checked unedited Hansard, that he was going to look into this matter through a public review. Later on in question period, at the point that I did ask him about the public review, he did indicate that he did not state it was a public review, and when I asked him to check Hansard he said he would check Hansard and correct his statement. I have not heard any correction to the statement that he made. Could the Minister now clarify what type of review will be conducted into this matter? and will it be a public review as he stated publicly?

Supplementary To Question O382-12(2): Clarification Of The Process The Minister Stands Behind Re Abortions
Question O382-12(2): Clarification Of The Process The Minister Stands Behind Re Abortions
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 467

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Mr. Whitford.

Further Return Question O382-12(2): Clarification Of The Process The Minister Stands Behind Re Abortions
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 467

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the honourable Member for bringing this to my attention. I did mention to her yesterday that I did state in this House, and as I was talking I guess I did say a lot, and in error I said the word "public," that it would be a public statement. It is going to be a review, and the results will be made public. It is not going to be a public review, but it will be an independent review and the results and the recommendations will be made public.

Further Return Question O382-12(2): Clarification Of The Process The Minister Stands Behind Re Abortions
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 467

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Supplementary To Question O382-12(2): Clarification Of The Process The Minister Stands Behind Re Abortions
Further Return Question O382-12(2): Clarification Of The Process The Minister Stands Behind Re Abortions
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 467

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Taking into consideration that the Minister will be doing a review in respect to this matter, can the Minister inform this House when he expects that this review will be completed and a report received by his office?

Supplementary To Question O382-12(2): Clarification Of The Process The Minister Stands Behind Re Abortions
Further Return Question O382-12(2): Clarification Of The Process The Minister Stands Behind Re Abortions
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 467

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Mr. Whitford.

Further Return Question O382-12(2): Clarification Of The Process The Minister Stands Behind Re Abortions
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 467

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are endeavouring to proceed with this matter with all haste, but as with anything else, we have time against us. I will endeavour to have the committee in place by the first of April, and the results of this will certainly be presented to the House in June.

Further Return Question O382-12(2): Clarification Of The Process The Minister Stands Behind Re Abortions
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 467

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

New question, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 467

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

If I may ask a new question to the same Minister. I was somewhat astounded, as I kept reading through the unedited Hansard of yesterday, that when I asked the Minister yesterday if the issue of the medical procedures used in abortions have ever been brought to his attention or his department officials' attention, he indicated it was never brought to his attention. I would like to quote Hansard, in one particular area, where he has many time discussed issues with the executive director of the Status of Women Council to the degree where he states, and I quote: "I meet the executive director quite frequently in different social functions, and this has never been addressed to me." Does the Minister expect that the issue of abortions and medical procedures should be addressed to him at social functions?

Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 467

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Mr. Whitford.

Return To Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 467

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, I also did state in Hansard somewhere along the way here that I am a very public person and I think I was referring to the fact that I do meet many people, and I certainly meet the executive director at many social functions. I do not anticipate that we will discuss the issue of abortion at a social function. However, it is a medium for the meeting of the member and the Minister, and certainly at a time like that it could be said that you have a problem that you would like to discuss at another time. I think this is what I was referring to. At a time like that, they can say they have something to talk about and arrange a time. That is what I was meaning by that.

Return To Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 467

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Supplementary To Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 467

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Has the Minister been able to ascertain whether or not his department officials were aware of the medical procedures used in respect to abortions and brought to the department's attention?

Supplementary To Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 467

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Mr. Whitford.

Further Return To Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 467

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, I can only reiterate

my offer to have my assistant deputy minister of the Department of Health and the executive director from the hospital, Ms. Olenek, to be made available to answer any technical questions that may be asked.

Further Return To Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 468

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Supplementary To Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 468

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, I recognize that the Minister may want to bring the issue into committee of the whole for discussion, but I am asking the Minister a question. Have department officials been aware of the issue prior to it becoming a public issue? The Minister indicated, yesterday, that he would determine and ascertain from his department whether or not it was brought to their attention. I would like to know whether it was brought to the department's attention. He did not answer my previous question.

Supplementary To Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 468

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Mr. Whitford.

Further Return To Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 468

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

No, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Question O383-12(2): Abortion Issues Brought To Attention Of Minister
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 468

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Oral questions. I apologize to Members. That was a new question by Mrs. Marie-Jewell. I should have gone to Mr. Todd for a new question. Mr. Todd.

Question O384-12(2):lack Of Departmental Communication To Minister Of Health
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 468

John Todd Keewatin Central

It is not my intent to prolong the debate on this abortion issue; however, I do have a bureaucratic concern with respect to it. I have some concerns that officials at the Stanton Yellowknife Hospital and/or the Department of Health may have been with holding information from the Minister. At 11:15 o'clock this morning, I spoke to Lynn Brooks of the Status of Women Council. Ms. Brooks confirms that she raised this issue in detail during a lengthy conversation with Dr. Richard Nuttal, who is the regional medical health officer in the Department of Health. She also indicated that she had discussed women's complaints about the abortion procedures with Dr. Donald Hadley at the Stanton Yellowknife Hospital, as well as with Dr. Jack Bromley of the NWT Medical Association. This is what the lady told me at 11:15 o'clock this morning. These medical professionals were aware of this problem. Did they bother to convey this knowledge to the Minister?

Question O384-12(2):lack Of Departmental Communication To Minister Of Health
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 468

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Mr. Whitford.

Return To Question O384-12(2): Lack Of Departmental Communication To Minister Of Health
Question O384-12(2):lack Of Departmental Communication To Minister Of Health
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 468

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No.