This is page numbers 821 - 851 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 7th 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 health.

Topics

Further Return To Question 401-12(7): Premier's Balancing Of Departmental And Overall Responsibilities
Question 401-12(7): Premier's Balancing Of Departmental And Overall Responsibilities
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you.

Further Return To Question 401-12(7): Premier's Balancing Of Departmental And Overall Responsibilities
Question 401-12(7): Premier's Balancing Of Departmental And Overall Responsibilities
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

(Microphone turned off)

Further Return To Question 401-12(7): Premier's Balancing Of Departmental And Overall Responsibilities
Question 401-12(7): Premier's Balancing Of Departmental And Overall Responsibilities
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

I'm sorry, Mr. Patterson, I think you used your final supplementary. I've just been informed by the Clerk. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Koe.

Fred Koe Inuvik

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I, too, have a question for the Premier. The Premier is responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services and the major initiative in those departments has been an amalgamation which has taken a lot of time and requires attention not only from the Minister, but from the departmental staff. The next major step in this amalgamation is to deal within the regions. So can the Premier advise us the amount of time she spends on Health and Social Services issues? Can she give us a percentage of her time spent on the work she does dealing with issues relating to Health and Social Services?

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, it is difficult to say exactly what percentage of time one spends on a portfolio. It seems that, at different times, as the Premier, I spend time on Health. There are overall questions that are being deliberated across Canada. The Premiers and the Ministers of Health and the Ministers of Finance have to get together to see how collectively they can resolve some of the changes in the social programs and the social network that will affect the various jurisdictional areas. So it is very difficult to determine exactly how much time is spent on each portfolio, but I will take it as notice and try to do a calculation. Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. The question was taken as notice. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Lewis.

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Premier, since the issue of recall is on our order paper, will Members of Cabinet be given a free vote as a matter of conscience on this issue?

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Good question.

Return To Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, as the Member has indicated, one of our Members was gone from Cabinet and I suggested that if we had an extra day to discuss it as Cabinet, we would be discussing it. At this time, I cannot determine what the outcome of our discussions will be. Thank you.

Return To Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 831

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

April 4th, 1995

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Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Since the Premier operates by consensus, by her own admission in response to another Member, does this mean that the decisions that you have made will not be based upon your own particular feeling about this bill, but the wisdom that you collectively get from other Members?

Supplementary To Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 831

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 831

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, I don't believe that there is another way to do it, with the way we operate. We discuss it, and weigh the pros and cons. If it isn't a free vote, it is a decision that is made based on everybody's input. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 831

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 831

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Have the Premier and her colleagues developed any kind of protocol or conventions so that you can be guided on which votes could be considered matters of conscience? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 831

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 831

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, we never could come to that consensus.

Further Return To Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Question 403-12(7): Free Vote For Ministers On Recall Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 831

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Health. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I commented on communication that I received from the Fort Smith Society for Disabled Persons regarding the issue of mercy killing. I know, Mr. Speaker, that many would state that this is a moral issue. However, regardless of each individual's own feelings and beliefs, it is something we should have discussions on at the territorial level. I would like to ask the Minister of Health if she can indicate this government's current stand regarding decisions not to prolong life through extended medical treatment and regarding physician-assisted suicides as it pertains to severely disabled people in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Cournoyea.

Return To Question 404-12(7): GNWT Position On Euthanasia
Question 404-12(7): GNWT Position On Euthanasia
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, to my knowledge, there has not been a request for the government's position on assisted suicides. To my knowledge, we don't have a stated position as a government, in terms of providing medication. This is generally the deliberation between the doctor and the individual. We have not taken any position on assisted suicides. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 404-12(7): GNWT Position On Euthanasia
Question 404-12(7): GNWT Position On Euthanasia
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 831

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Supplementary To Question 404-12(7): GNWT Position On Euthanasia
Question 404-12(7): GNWT Position On Euthanasia
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 832

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since the government hasn't taken any stand, Mr. Speaker, recognizing that the Bourque commission report, Working Towards a Common Future, included a recommendation that would see a right to refuse life-prolonging medical treatment for individuals and their minor children and recognizing that the Rodriguez case and the Latimer trial have been brought to the attention of people and the governments across Canada, has the Minister of Health and Social Services given any consideration to engage in a dialogue with regard to this topic with the medical community advocacy groups and agencies that help the disabled people of the NWT? Thank you.