Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Natilikmiot, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my question is directed to the honourable Minister for Health and Social Services. The Stanton Yellowknife Hospital generally has two speech therapists on staff. On occasion, there is an additional therapist-in-training on staff. The staff is responsible for speech therapy across the western Arctic and up to the Kitikmeot area. Stanton has discontinued therapy for school-aged students unless they were diagnosed prior to entering school.

Can the Minister explain why school-aged children cannot access speech therapy services at the Stanton Yellowknife Hospital? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, I'm not aware that they cannot so I'll have to take that question as notice.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife North, Mr. Ballantyne.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Studies have shown that children with speech difficulties can have problems both academically and socially which impact on their future as well-adjusted, functioning members of society. It's quite important that these difficulties are addressed and treated. My question to the Government Leader is which ministry is providing speech therapy services for school-aged children.

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, through the Department of Health. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Whitford.

Thank you. I just want to caution Members about the amount of information asked for that can be considered detailed, when posing questions to Ministers. Madam Premier, you may want to answer this. Minister of Health and Social Services, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, that's a detail that I could not express knowledgeably at this time, so I will take the question as notice.

Thank you. May I remind honourable Members that when posing questions to Ministers, detailed questions are to be asked under written questions. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Kitikmeot, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Earlier, he alluded to an MOU with the Department of Health and Social Services. I would like to ask the Minister, is that intended to clearly define the responsibilities for special needs students and to eliminate any possible overlap between the two departments? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. That is an excellent question, Madam Speaker. The Minister of Health and Social Services and I, as has been the case here for all Members, are committed to coordinating the programs and services delivered by governments. To this end, the memorandum that was signed was the first formal step and, in fact, the first MOU signed in government between these respective departments, to ensure better accessibility to social programs and services.

It is also the intention to develop a number of procedures to deliver specific services, eliminating fragmentation and to establish a process to coordinate the areas of responsibility in our respective departments. That is the need.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Earlier the Minister also mentioned that special needs issues have to be addressed in conjunction with federal government programs as well, such as Brighter Futures. I would like to ask the Minister how his department is coordinating or assessing that information in dealing with the special needs issue. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Nerysoo.

Madam Speaker, actually, I want to maybe provide additional information to the Member. But, when the first dollars were being provided to the First Nations in the Northwest Territories, I tried to get the opportunity, as a Minister, to meet with the leaders. That did not happen. In fact, I was told that it was really none of my business. That was too bad, because I think we are all interested in dealing with these issues. What we are now trying to do is have the departments involved and work once again with our colleagues in the federal Department of Health.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister what the status is with the MOU, and when he anticipates completing it. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The MOU has been signed by the respective Ministers. What we are now doing is working out the details to put in place all the issues of concern. In some cases, we have made joint assessment reports, which has never been done before. We are now working together to develop the outlines of responses to some of the issues raised here by my colleagues.