Mr. Speaker, in February I tabled the Recruitment and Retention Plan for Health and Social Services. I would now like to share with you some of the initiatives flowing from that plan. The plan addresses the three areas with the most immediate needs; social work, nursing and physician services.

The most pressing need is to fill vacancies. There has been some success already. Vacancy rates have decreased from levels of a few months ago. However, Mr. Speaker, the pressure on recruitment is not yet over. Some health and social services boards are having great difficulty recruiting to specific professions. The department will help these boards deal with their recruitment needs.

However, for many areas, we are now able to build on the recruitment efforts of the boards and focus on retaining the people who are hired. Now that vacancies have been filled, we need to keep people in those jobs. The Department of Health and Social Services has committed significant resources to move ahead with the Recruitment and Retention Initiative. A website for recruitment of both permanent and relief staff is being created. We expect to have it up and running by early summer. Through the website, health and social service professionals will be able to learn not only about specific job opportunities, but also about northern communities and the different health boards. They will also be able to submit their employment applications on-line.

Mr. Speaker, the department has hired a recruitment and retention specialist. This individual has more than ten years experience with northern health and social services as a frontline worker. This individual will be responsible for coordination and organization of professional recruitment throughout the territories. I believe her experience and network of contacts will be very helpful to the boards. She is currently developing a list of individuals interested in locum and relief work. Boards should be able to use the list by September.

The specialist is also working with others to promote the north as a place to live. For example, she is currently working with the NWT Registered Nurses Association to develop promotional material for the Canadian Nurses' Convention this month.

Mr. Speaker, the Recruitment and Retention Plan emphasizes professional development. This includes creating a professional development fund. Board CEOs will review guidelines for the professional development fund for nurses and social workers this month. This fund will help nurses and social workers learn from their peers, in both the north and south.

The plan also stresses the need for support of nurses. This support must come from the boards, from management and from community members. Board CEOs will also review a policy designed to address health and social service personnel's concerns about the physical and verbal abuse that they face on the job. Efforts continue to develop a broader human resource plan that will address the whole health and social service system. This will include where we are now, what we will need in the future and how we can get there.

This work will involve components for both new territories and is being developed by a working group with representatives from all territorial health and social services boards, the NWT Registered Nurses Association, the NWT Medical Association, the NWT Health Care Association and the department.

Mr. Speaker, the Health and Social Services Human Resource Plan will address major issues such as: scope of practice, and the role of the nurse practitioner. I expect to have the final plan ready before the end of the year. Mr. Speaker, we are committed to working together with the boards and the professional associations toward creating a stronger, sustainable workforce. Together, we expect to protect and strengthen northern health and social services so that all northerners have access to quality care close to home. I look forward to the continuing support of this House and the public in these efforts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause