Mr. Speaker, at a meeting on Thursday, June 18, the abortion services review committee presented me with its report. The report, with a translated introduction and recommendations, will be tabled at the appropriate time today. Translation is continuing on the remainder of the document, and it will be made available to Members as soon as it is completed.
The abortion services review committee completed the difficult task set out for it in its terms of reference tabled in this House on April 15, on time and within budget. I am pleased with the general approach taken by the committee, and support the positive nature of the 32 recommendations.
Earlier today, I met with members of the Status of Women Council of the Northwest Territories to provide them with an overview of the report. A complete briefing of the council's membership is taking place this afternoon.
In addition, the board of management of Stanton Yellowknife Hospital and the Department of Health, in consultation with other health and hospital boards, have been directed to examine the report and Its recommendations and to develop an implementation plan by July 31 of this year. I will table the implementation plan early in the fall session.
Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that the committee was given the mandate of referring any matter arising from the review for more specific investigation by a professional licensing or other disciplinary body where It considered such action to be desirable and in the public interest. The chairperson has advised me that there was no evidence of professional malpractice and no basis for recommending disciplinary action. As a result, the committee made no referrals.
The chairperson has also advised that all members of the committee were offered the opportunity of providing an addendum to the report to set out issues or facts which they believed warranted communication. In that respect, one member concurred fully with the recommendations, but would have preferred to see additional editorial changes to the body of the report, although no specific dissenting opinion was put forward.
In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank all individuals and organizations, such as the Status of Women Council, who came forward to provide information and opinion to the review committee members. All of them played a positive and
constructive role in sharing their experiences with the expressed intention of improving the delivery of abortion services in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
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