Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, those resources and supports would be at the regional level. It may not be specialists but, certainly the programs would be outlined and individuals would be provided some of the support through the regional health and social services boards or through the regional education boards, depending on the circumstances and the requirements of the individuals, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Debates of Jan. 29th, 1998
Topics
Further Return To Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 411
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Further Return To Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 411
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.
Supplementary To Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 411
Edward Picco Iqaluit
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not going to argue the point. Mr. Speaker, I have been in contact, for example, this morning with the Baffin FAS/FAE group As I just said, they are telling me that indeed, someone has been identified as a person who has FAS/FAE There is nothing available. I am not going to keep going back and forth with the question so I would ask the Minister, would he commit at this time to look into what services are available for a person who has FAS/FAE because it is a serious matter and I do not want to debate it? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 411
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Ng.
Further Return To Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 411
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not intend to debate with the honourable Member, as well. I look forward that if he has specifics about individuals who are not receiving adequate support, I will be more than glad to look into the situation and report back to him on that. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 411
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Picco.
Supplementary To Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 411
Edward Picco Iqaluit
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not a specialist in FAS/FAE. All I am doing is bringing forward a concern from my constituency from the Baffin region, the people who are working at ground level. I would ask the Minister to take it at face value. What I will do for the Minister, if he will commit to following up on the letters that I will provide, and I have one right here. I will table it in the House today, from the FAS/FAE people outlining their concerns. It is a concern. I am asking the Minister again, would he commit to looking at some type of help to have specialists, to have dollars available for the region? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 411
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Ng.
Further Return To Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 411
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will be glad to look into the issues that the honourable Member brings forward and find some suitable solutions to try and address those needs, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Question 140-13(5): Fas/fae Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 411
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Mr. Roland.
Question 141-13(5): Healthy Children Initiative
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 411
Floyd Roland Inuvik
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question will be directed to the Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment. As I raise the issue of childhood intervention in my Member's statement, I would like to know if the Minister has looked at the, I believe it is the healthy children initiative. There are policies on the way it would be set out, how groups can access the funding to try and improve conditions for the children. I would like to know if there are any changes in the program because right now it is very focused on just children's initiatives and not to do with the families. Are there any changes that the Minister is aware of that he can bring forward to us? Thank you.
Question 141-13(5): Healthy Children Initiative
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 411
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.
Return To Question 141-13(5): Healthy Children Initiative
Question 141-13(5): Healthy Children Initiative
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 411
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when we introduced this program, which is a joint initiative of the Department of Health and Social Services and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, we agreed that we would concentrate on initiatives for children. It was intended as an Early Intervention Program. That is how we first phrased it, an Early Intervention Program. It is specifically targeted at children at risk to try to improve their chances of success in life. As far as I am aware, there has been no change in the focus in the program. The program is coming close to its first anniversary of operation. We have set up a mechanism under which we will assess how the program is working during the second year of operation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Return To Question 141-13(5): Healthy Children Initiative
Question 141-13(5): Healthy Children Initiative
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 411
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.
Supplementary To Question 141-13(5): Healthy Children Initiative
Question 141-13(5): Healthy Children Initiative
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 411
Floyd Roland Inuvik
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister inform us with this group that we look at the achievements on how the program is working? From those, will there be changes to the program after receiving input from this group? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 141-13(5): Healthy Children Initiative
Question 141-13(5): Healthy Children Initiative
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 411
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Dent.
Further Return To Question 141-13(5): Healthy Children Initiative
Question 141-13(5): Healthy Children Initiative
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 411
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the entire purpose of doing an evaluation is to find out if the program is achieving its goals and if it can be
improved. If the evaluation demonstrates that it can be improved, we will certainly look at changing how it is delivered. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 141-13(5): Healthy Children Initiative
Question 141-13(5): Healthy Children Initiative
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 412
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Krutko.
Question 142-13(5): Health And Social Services Action Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 412
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is to the Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Ng, in regard to the announcement, the action plan for the Keewatin region. Mr. Speaker, regarding the concerns of health of the opening statement I made reference to, the health issue does not only affect any particular region, riding or community. Health affects everyone especially when it comes to the delivery of health and social services programs to the people we represent. With that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, will the Minister in regard to implementing the action plan for the Keewatin region look at implementing a similar action plan for all regions in the Northwest Territories, especially in the Mackenzie Delta?
Question 142-13(5): Health And Social Services Action Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 412
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Ng.
Return To Question 142-13(5): Health And Social Services Action Plan
Question 142-13(5): Health And Social Services Action Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 412
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I fully understand that health and social services is a territorial issue. The reason why the Keewatin action plan was spoken on, of course, is because there are some specific issues ongoing in the Keewatin right now that needed to be addressed to reassure the public and restore confidence and stability in the Keewatin health care system. That is the reason for the specific Keewatin statement. Also, part of that statement, Mr. Speaker, as you may recall is the mention of a physician, health care professional, nursing, social worker recruitment retention plan that I made a commitment to try to table into this House before the end of February, before we rise. That issue is a territorial issue, Mr. Speaker. With respect to that issue, it is not just specific to the Keewatin. It encompasses all boards throughout the Northwest Territories and the personnel that is required to deliver the health and social services for our residents, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Return To Question 142-13(5): Health And Social Services Action Plan
Question 142-13(5): Health And Social Services Action Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 412
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Supplementary To Question 142-13(5): Health And Social Services Action Plan
Question 142-13(5): Health And Social Services Action Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 412
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Regarding the whole idea of consulting with communities it is all great and good but I think we have to take in line that something has to be done to look at the concerns of individuals who represent the communities and the whole question of delivery of service. One of the questions I would like to ask the Minister is, that is, one of the concerns that seems to be the highlight of a lot of concerns is in the area in regard to the high turnover of doctors and nurses in a lot of our communities, especially in a lot of the isolated regions of the north. What is being done to look at that specific problem? How are the communities going to be assured that will be dealt with? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 142-13(5): Health And Social Services Action Plan
Question 142-13(5): Health And Social Services Action Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 412
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Mr. Ng.
Further Return To Question 142-13(5): Health And Social Services Action Plan
Question 142-13(5): Health And Social Services Action Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 412
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe I have indicated, and I will say again recruitment or retention plan for health care professionals, including physicians, nurses, social workers is being developed and finalized as we speak. The plan is to table that in this House for Members to have an opportunity to debate it, to review it and to make comments and suggestions on whether it is appropriate or there are mechanisms that they would think might be more suitable, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.