Thank you, Mr. Erasmus. Mr. Minister.
Debates of April 28th, 1999
This is page numbers 397 - 430 of the Hansard for the 13th 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 chairman.
Topics
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 420
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 420
Floyd Roland Inuvik
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The department has worked with the boards in the area of trying to address the concerns in the acute care program. The department feels that we have worked with the boards in trying to address those concerns, but those areas continue to put pressure on our existing budgets to maintain the level of service we provide. As I stated earlier as well in my opening comments, that some of the more expensive methods of intervening after certain health conditions have been arrived at are significant. One of the focuses we are trying to work on in the area of prevention is tobacco cessation and reduction. That is an area where the disease of cancer catches on and is directly linked to tobacco. Trying to step in and provide services at that point becomes very costly. This is one of the areas we are looking at and working with the boards in trying to come up with methods of addressing those increased driving costs. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 420
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 420
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under the area of staff recruitment, retention and training, the Minister spoke about the nurses' training program that is an ongoing program at Aurora College. I know that the program has been a two-year program but that in the south, most provinces are moving towards a three-year training requirement for their nurses. Could the Minister indicate whether our course is still a two-year training program or is it a three-year program?
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 420
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 420
Floyd Roland Inuvik
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. At present, the training we are involved with is still a two-year program. However, we are working with Aurora College and Education, Culture and Employment and the Nurses Association in trying to establish a full degree program here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 420
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 420
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Is there any indication of when the program may actually be implemented?
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 420
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 420
Floyd Roland Inuvik
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We are going to be reviewing the plans for the fall of this year and hoping to implement and start the program in the year 2000.
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 420
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 420
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank the Minister for that information. That is very good to know. I am pleased to hear that it is going to happen that quickly. When the nursing graduates finish their training program, they have to get practicums. In the past, some of those graduates have experienced difficulties in getting practicum placements in the north. Has the department moved to assist graduates so that they are encouraged to do their practicums and to stay in the north after they have completed their courses? Thank you.
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 420
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 420
Floyd Roland Inuvik
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The department has been doing work in that area as well. We have worked with the Nurses Association to develop a mentoring program and continue to work with them in that area and finding mentors for the nurses that have recently graduated. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 420
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 420
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Mr. Chairman, I am sorry, I did not quite hear the tail end of what the Minister said. Could he repeat the last part of his answer?
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 420
The Chair Jake Ootes
Thank you, Mr. Erasmus. Could you repeat the last part of your answer, Mr. Minister, please?
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 420
Floyd Roland Inuvik
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will go even one step further. Mr. Chairman, as I said, with the mentoring program we have been involved with the Nurses Association. The department, along with the Nurses Association, have identified and continued to identify mentors for the graduates out of the nursing program who work with them through their practicum. So there is ongoing work in that area. Thank you.
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 421
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 421
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Does this include help assisting them to actually find places to do their practicum?
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 421
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 421
Floyd Roland Inuvik
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have been told that we do work with boards to try and locate placements for the graduates. Thank you.
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 421
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 421
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under medical travel I see that the Minister has included a half a million dollar increase in medical travel. Now the boards are looking at ways to contain these costs. Mr. Chairman, I understand that Nunavut was able to negotiate a deal with the airlines servicing Nunavut and they have been able to save a lot of money through that method. If they can do that in Nunavut truly we can do the same here. Have there been any efforts to try to do this?
Committee Motion: 23-13(7): Cooperation Between Social Envelope Department (h&ss)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 421