Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to speak about rehabilitation services and the teams. Rehabilitation services in the NWT will be provided through teams made of rehabilitation professionals who travel to the communities to address their needs. Mr. Speaker, the rehab team is a very broad category. It involves the kinds of services that most people think of immediately, such as physiotherapy, a service to help people get back on their feet after an accident or injury, occupational therapy, speech and language pathology, and audiology which are all under rehab services, Mr. Speaker.
An important part of the work that rehabilitation professionals do, Mr. Speaker, takes place in schools throughout the North. They work with children who may be suffering from cognitive or physical disabilities that get in the way of their learning, Mr. Speaker. As my colleague for Range Lake has previously pointed out, the special needs for children in the NWT is staggering, Mr. Speaker.
Rehabilitation professionals can identify, and assist, a child's needs and make plans to address them. This makes a big difference for teachers who can, then, focus on doing what they do best: teaching our children. From problems that relate to being undiagnosed, it can be disruptive for an entire classroom, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I applaud the government for the work they are doing to address the rehabilitation needs in the Northwest Territories. In my view, this is a very good use of government funding.
The problem, Mr. Speaker, is waiting time; for a business, from the current rehabilitation team, is too far along. In my region, the waiting time for the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School is as long as six weeks. Mr. Speaker, I pointed out that the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School is a regional high school. What goes on there affects young people from across the Tlicho region.
Mr. Speaker, the community of Behchoko is an important regional centre for the Tlicho region. It is also the largest aboriginal centre in the Northwest Territories and can serve as a base for the teams that visit communities in the Deh Cho as well as Monfwi, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mahsi.
---Applause