Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the action plan, we are looking at a service delivery model that will hopefully address some of the issues raised by my colleague, Mr. Lafferty, as well as other Members from small communities in terms of access to services from specialists, doctors and dentists in their communities. Some under NIHB, for example, have not been raised for many, many years in terms of days of service, even though the populations have grown.

We are also committed to reviewing supplementary programs, for example, to try and improve that service. We are doing many things to try to improve the system and services to all people. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is, in our communities, significant investment in infrastructure for health and social services, including dealing with elderly and the sick. If there are specific issues that have to be addressed or services to be enhanced because of an over demand on the system in any given community, we are definitely interested and committed to look at that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have clearly recognized that this is one of the issues that necessitated the review of the Supplementary Health Programs. We have committed to that review. It is underway. That will be one of the issues seriously considered, so that when we come back to this Assembly, hopefully we will have done our work in such a way that it will get the support it needs from Cabinet and from this Assembly to be accepted. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will commit to look at those numbers. I also make the offer in this House that I look forward to at some point in the not-too-distant future, travelling with the Member for the North Slave to his communities, so we can see firsthand the issues he speaks of and look at creative and practical ways of dealing with the issues he has raised. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. When sickness causes a Northerner to leave home for treatment, what assistance does our government provide for a family member or caregiver to be with them? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that would depend on the particular circumstances. If the escort is deemed necessary, then the costs are covered to make sure the escort travels with the patient, and when they get to where they have to go, they are accommodated if it is in Yellowknife or points south. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What are the criteria that deems whether a patient needs to be escorted? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that determination is made by the people dealing with the patient, in terms of the kind of condition, the situation, the age of the patient, those kinds of factors. That determination is made based on that type of criteria. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So then I am wondering, Mr. Speaker, it sounds like those criteria are fairly rigid. Is there any willingness to look at providing for a caregiver or a family member to accompany a patient, regardless of the severity or the clinical necessity for them to be escorted? Thank you.