(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will talk on something. This is regarding ambulance in Gameti. Last summer, Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger, toured the community and also the health care centre. We heard a lot of concern and issues from the chief and council pertaining to the service vehicle that is available to transport patients from the health centre to the airport. It's been eight months now
when I asked the Minister the question later on. This is the concern to all of us. (Translation ends)
Last summer we visited the community with then-Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger. At that time we toured the community and the health centre facility. We heard concerns and issues from the chief and council pertaining to the service vehicle that is available to transport patients from the health centre to the airport.
Mr. Speaker, I was appalled and, frankly, embarrassed when I saw and heard what the health centre was using to transport these patients. Mr. Speaker, those vehicles were at least 10 years old plus, those ambulance vehicles. My fear is that during an emergency in the community, while transporting patients this so-called ambulance will spit out smoke and croak before reaching its intended medevac.
---Laughter
While this might be amusing during some comedy at the movies, it would certainly be unfortunate for the patient whose emergency I'm sure will be very real, Mr. Speaker. I realize Gameti is a small, isolated community, but give me a break. This day and age we need to be fully equipped with up-to-date equipment and supplies when dealing with these people's lives, Mr. Speaker.
This is not acceptable today, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Health and Social Services, mainly the Department of Health, had over eight months to deal with this critical matter, Mr. Speaker. I'm certainly hoping that there's a plan in place to replace these older vehicles in the isolated communities more suitable on the ambulance service. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause