Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. The other issue in my communities, maybe across the Northwest Territories also, is about mental health workers who are in a position for a long, long time, and then when they have a chance for this new program, the initiative by the department is that they have to reapply for their position again. Some of the communities feel safe and secure with the old mental health worker. Now they get reclassified, and the standards are quite high, and this discourages members from working in the communities. Could the Minister inform the House as to reasons for this type of initiative? Thank you.

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the intent of the alcohol and drug

mental health strategy was to specifically initially look at the alcohol and drug workers, and recognized that for years they have laboured in relative isolation and at a very, very low level of pay with no benefits. Tied in with that was the recognized need that mental health services, as well, can supplement the work done by alcohol and drug workers. The alcohol and drug workers are subsequently reclassified, and need title to community wellness workers, and we have added some mental health workers to the mix as well. They were all given pay increases, positions were classified, there were job descriptions done, and paid benefits were tied to those positions. Mr. Speaker, the intent in this was not to lay people off. The intent of this was to recognize the work that's being done, to allow for the incumbents to be given prior learning assessments, and if necessary give the training to upgrade their skills. So I say again, Mr. Speaker, the intent is not to lay people off, and we do have, in my opinion, and if we don't, we do now have provisions for grandfathered incumbents so that they can be given the training that they are capable of, and we recognize their years of service. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Minister. I was one of those workers at one time. I was a drug and alcohol worker in Tulita, and I know the frustration that the mental health workers go through, drug and alcohol workers go through in terms of providing services to our people, and I encourage the department. I guess I am concerned about the people that do work in this field, the community wellness workers and mental health workers, that they continue on as some of the people feel comfortable with the workers in their field. I have a hard time seeing, Mr. Minister, reclassifying and having them reapply for a job that they have held for many years. Could the Minister commit to look at this issue with some of the people in our region? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I will make that commitment. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

I will have to rule your question out of order because it is an item on the agenda, and we will be getting to that. So your question is out of order.

---Ruled Out of Order

Item 6, oral questions. The Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will continue on with my questioning for the Minister responsible for the Deh Cho Bridge project, and I will go back to a comment that he made. I don't think you have to look any further than the YCC project for a poster for cost overruns, and the Minister is well aware of that. Can I get a commitment from the Minister when we might expect a design, something for instance -- you know, it has been two years -- something we can put on display in the Great Hall, something that would show that we actually do have a design and we actually do know what we are talking about? Thank you.

Mr. Premier, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I expect that we will have a final design for the bridge by this fall. It will not be finalized until the environmental review is completed. We expect that to be in September. Thank you.

Supplementary. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One short question. In light of the news report the last couple of days, my question is to the Minister of Health and Social Services regarding the TB situation in Colville Lake and medevacing the people out to Inuvik to do the tests there. It is the responsibility of the Minister's department to act quickly on this issue because Colville Lake is small and isolated, and does not have a nurse to monitor the situation in instances like this. So I would like to ask the Minister could he inform the House and the people of the Northwest Territories what he is doing to ensure that the TB issue in Colville Lake is satisfactory to people in the Sahtu and to people in the Northwest Territories? Mahsi.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just quickly to recap, on May 17th an individual was sent out for treatment for what was thought to be cancer, and it turned out to be a very contagious form of TB. It was judged at that time that this individual had been in the community for a while, and being as it was highly infectious there were steps taken to go to the community with health practitioners. About 15 individuals were subsequently flown to Inuvik where they were tested. The majority of them returned home. Some have been identified that they may require follow-up and treatment. They will be given that treatment and monitored. There will be regular visits into Colville Lake

by the doctors and nurses to ensure that the protocols are complete, and they will be tracking this very, very closely. Thank you.

I would just like to recognize the clock. The time for oral questions has expired, but I will allow the Member for Sahtu to conclude your supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, in light of the Minister's comments, do you feel with the regular visits of the doctors and nurses...I guess I am looking for some commitment from his department to have a nurse practitioner situated in Colville Lake to monitor on a day-to-day basis. I know the department is strapped for nurses in the Northwest Territories, but it is something that would assure the people of Colville Lake and the people in the North that this TB scare will be taken care of. Thank you.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this particular situation is being monitored very closely. We've been working with the lay dispenser in Colville Lake. There has been close contact with Inuvik and there will continue to be, and they are mapping out the medical requirements to ensure that there is proper follow-up and that the required staff are in the community when they are needed for as long as they are needed. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister. The comments for assisting the...(inaudible)...I would like to ask the Minister with regard to situations like Colville Lake, how did this come about and what situations did we look at where TB has occurred in this day and age in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.