Thank you, Mr. Chairman, during our consultations a number of people with physical disabilities shared their concerns. Particular challenges include a shortage of community-based services. We heard of a lack of suitable physically accessible housing and of frustrations encountered in getting into public buildings. Some disabled people felt they had not received fair treatment under the regulations of the social assistance program. They found it frustrating and embarrassing to have to provide a doctor's note confirming that their disability prevents them from working, in order to qualify for the disability allowance. They also suggested that social assistance workers should receive disability awareness training.

As with seniors, people with disabilities and the family members who care for them spoke of their need for respite care. While some respite care is offered in some communities using hospital beds that may be available, little is available on an in-home basis. Little is needed to offer such services except the funding necessary to pay the home makers. A current initiative in Rae-Edzo to train residents as home makers shows that it can be done, if the will is there. The ongoing lack of will on the part of government is apparent in the fact that a report it prepared in 1985 called for the implementation and funding of respite care, yet no action is apparent eight years later.

Cancer Is A Major Concern

Mr. Chairman, the increased presence, detection and treatment of cancer is of particular concern in almost every community we visited.

People believe that current methods of testing in the north are incapable of detecting this disease in its early stages. We heard stories of delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis. We also learned of people who were told in their communities that they did not have cancer, only to be medevaced to another community where they were told that they did.

Governments at all levels have tried to educate people about the connection between smoking and cancer. But the message is simply not getting through. We were especially disturbed to hear of young children who are already smoking, chewing and sniffing tobacco in our communities.

People Want Additional And Improved Medical Transportation Services

Mr. Chairman, people are concerned about the availability of air and ground medical transportation in their communities.

In the case of air transportation, we heard of a shortage of interpreters and dependable escorts to accompany elders and other patients on their medical travels. Other concerns include

the administration of the medevac program itself and the lack of airstrips in some communities.

In the case of ground transportation, many communities do not have taxi services. We heard requests for additional vehicles to transport elders and other patients to local health centres, airstrips or other facilities. A number of people suggested that health centres themselves should make their vehicles available for transporting patients. On the other hand, there was concern that such a solution would place an even greater burden on health centre personnel and resources.

Income Support Benefits And Rules Are Inadequate

Mr. Chairman, there is widespread concern that the present system and level of income support benefits are simply inadequate. Particular problems include the high cost of living in the north and the fact that this cost can vary between communities.

In our second interim report we examined one issue that is of great concern: the inadequacy of the food allowance for people receiving social assistance. There remains a considerable shortfall between what the allowance will buy and the actual cost of a nutritious food supply.

Many view social assistance as a way to regain or establish a level of economic self-sufficiency. We heard of a number of recipients who manage to earn extra money through various economic activities. This activity helps people retain their pride and serves as an incentive to work. But we also heard that this incentive is reduced because extra income is deducted from the following month's social assistance payment. Many people believe that represents an unfair penalty. There is clear support for the review and reform of this rule. Regardless of how much money one is allowed to keep, we also heard that many recipients of income support lack the knowledge, experience and training to manage and budget their income effectively.

More Effective Public Education Programs Are Required

Mr. Chairman, we were told that effective public information, promotion and communications programs are required on a range of issues including AIDS, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, nutrition, addiction and pre-natal care, to name just a few.

It is clear that there is a considerable shortage of information in many of the communities we visited. Existing programs are trying to meet this demand but they are not getting through to the people they were designed for.

People want their health and social services workers to communicate with them more effectively. We heard of occasions on which patients do not feel they are being told what they need to know. We were also told of people not understanding what treatments they were being given and why.

Two barriers to more effective communications were identified. The first is a linguistic one, where the patient and care giver may speak different languages. The second is a technical one, where health and other professionals use overly technical jargon when speaking to their patients and clients.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would now like to ask our Chairman, Mr. Dent, to continue.