Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not want to make statements on unhappy issues but we all know it is different in different situations and some have health problems.
First of all, during my members' statement yesterday, I indicated that 13 people passed away from my constituency since April of this year. I would like to make a correction of that number to 14. Andy Awa was a close relative of mine. He died of a heart attack. I would also like to extend my apologies and my condolences to the family of Andy Awa.
Now, I would like to clarify the circumstances of an accident on August 27th, concerning a two-year old child, which happened during a caribou hunting trip outside of Igloolik. The child burned by a heating stove and I feel that it is important to get the facts out in the open.
From the reports I received, those involved did everything they could to help this child receive medical aid, including the RCMP and the nurse. The staff at the medical centre and George Qulaut stayed up the whole night, keeping in contact with one another. Two other men who were able to reach the victim, Dominique Angutimarik and John Nattaaq, were in constant communication as well by CB radio.
However, the weather was out, making it impossible for the helicopter, which was already in Igloolik to fly out to the camp site. It was dark outside and when morning came, so did the fog. People question as to why the medevac did not deliver the victim immediately to the hospital in Iqaluit. The aircraft can only fuel up in Hall Beach and not in Igloolik, to return to Iqaluit. But even when the weather cleared up in Igloolik, the fog still remained in the other community.
While it is very sad for this to happen and we feel for the mother and the father, there is nothing more that could be done. There is no one to blame; all the people involved did what they could under the circumstances.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
