Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the saying "knowledge is power" is particularly true when it comes to health and well-being. Information about how to assess and care for minor illnesses or conditions empowers people -- it gives us confidence to make informed decisions and to seek advice when needed. It also has the added benefit of reducing unnecessary trips to the health care or hospital, because people can recognize whether symptoms are serious enough to warrant medical advice.
For this reason, Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to distribute to Members advance copies of home resources on health and social services. These resources include a self-care handbook called "Do I Need to See the Nurse/Doctor?" and a brochure on core health and social services. The mail-out of these resources to all NWT households by the end of February fulfills two commitments in the Health and Social Services System Action Plan. This action also supports a primary goal of this Assembly, to have healthy, educated individuals making responsible personal choices for themselves and their families.
It is important to state that the self-care handbook should be viewed as an aid to self-care. With this resource in our homes, we have ready access to basic advice on how to manage the everyday ailments that accompany life, like coughs, colds, sore throats, scrapes, upset stomachs and fevers. The handbook also suggests what we can do to help our families through troubled or stressful times.
Mr. Speaker, whether we are parents, caregivers or concerned friends, we have all had times when we needed ready to access basic health information. Sometimes, the most valuable thing gained from a self-care handbook is reassurance that the self-care we are currently providing is the right thing to do. Of course, there are also times when the condition warrants medical attention. The handbook is set up to flag obvious signs and symptoms of a more serious condition and it indicates how soon we should get medical help.
The brochure on core health and social services offers basic information of another kind -- it describes the kinds of service the public can expect from the NWT health and social services system. The brochure also provides information about where and how these services are delivered and why some services must be referred to specialists located outside a person's home community.
It is obvious to all Canadians and certainly to Northerners that there are high demands on our health and social services and programs. We need to take steps to ensure services are there, where and when we need them. For this reason, Mr. Speaker, people have an important role to play, to use our health and social services wisely. The brochure and self-care handbook gives people tools for their active participation in their own health and well-being, increases confidence in self-care and promotes good health. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause