Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to share a good news story related to health and social services. We tend to hear quite a bit about the problems, and since quality health care is a subject very important to everyone, when there are problems, it is understandable that they will receive much debate and attention.
All of the allied health professionals and support service workers are important to a properly functioning system and need to be treated fairly and respectfully. A key piece of the delivery service of health is the availability of physicians. We have had a very frustrating situation in existence in Hay River for the past several years. Although for a community our size we should have had five or six physicians, we have been struggling with one or two or no resident physicians trying to manage on the good graces of doctors who had formerly practiced in Hay River and other locums. We would accept even two-week commitments at times, fly-in doctors from as far away as the Maritimes, just to get the coverage that we needed to deal with patients and emergencies.
The good news, Mr. Speaker, is that we currently have five doctors in Hay River. In June, 2001, Dr. Peter Cardon came to Hay River from New Zealand -- a very brave move -- to be the only resident physician in the hopes that a team could be built. It is difficult getting the first couple of doctors to commit because they know the responsibility that will fall to them in a small town in terms of being on call for emergencies, so we really appreciate Dr. Cardon in his role as a physician and as chief of medical staff.
Also, Dr. Paramanthan has been in Hay River for a little over a year; Dr. Dalia Bernard arrived in July of this year; and Dr. Wameed Ateyah was a very welcome part of the medical team, but unfortunately may leave at the end of his contract in December. The newest addition to the clinic and hospital is Dr. Tina Lacerta, who is interestingly originally from Inuvik.
The Hay River Community Health Board has been diligently working on the recruitment of an anesthetist, which would enable women from Hay River and surrounding communities to deliver their babies in Hay River. This would also allow the hospital to deal with minor surgeries which are now referred to Yellowknife or further away.
Access to health services is a big part of the quality of life in our communities. Continuity of care with one physician is also very important to the timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions.
I would like to thank everyone who played a part in assisting Hay River to get back to a full complement of resident physician, the physicians for coming to Hay River, and for all the extra effort on the part of all staff during times when shortages have required service that goes above and beyond their normal hours of practice and the normal call of duty. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
-- Applause