Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’m going to try not to repeat too many of the things we’ve heard already. I have many of the same issues, and there’s general agreement there.

I also want to thank the Minister and her staff for being here in support of Health and Social Services and their authorities.

I think, first of all — and here I am, repeating already — I

have to stress support for non-

government organizations. You know, the people across the Northwest Territories that are self-motivated and generous with their time and skills all represent opportunities as well as amazing assets that we have in the North. I think working with them and supporting them is a respectful and also a very wise way to go.

I was encouraged to hear about the interest in the multi-year funding, and maybe there’s been a little start on that already.

I wanted to mention in this area that I’ve talked about YACCS already today: the Yellowknife Association of Concerned Citizens for Seniors. There’s the Centre for Northern Families and the YWCA. There’s also a number of organizations involved in working with the homeless, and many others.

Particularly with wages and what that can mean to retaining qualified staff in these organizations that are obviously competing with government and industry in the roaring economy that we have today…. The predictability that multi-year funding brings can help somewhat with that, but obviously, the wages issue needs to be addressed directly and looked at from year to year.

Finally, of course, the cost of living, and I think Ms. Bisaro mentioned that specifically. Obviously, facility maintenance, utilities, fuel, food and so on are rising steeply.

I wanted to mention emergency room services as an area that I hear about. These are obviously the very front-line services where our facilities exist. And particularly, I understand, we’re down on our admitting clerks, even to the point where nurses and — rarely, I suppose — doctors are having to be taken away from care services to do the

administration of admission and so on, particularly in the evenings.

Somewhat associated with that is the whole idea of security issues in our hospitals. This has been raised very strongly: issues of both theft and safety, and safety of both young and elderly patients as well as the medical staff themselves. There have been a number of horror stories that have come out, and the potential for very serious consequences is high. We are trying to get by with fewer security staff and less-trained staff for those that remain.

The need for more effective plans and their implementation for a number of areas that probably have been mentioned: making good use of nurse practitioners; long-term vacant positions for nurses in small communities, and these vacancies have downstream impacts on other people and facilities; and of course, the locums that have been mentioned. I

think there’s been some tune-ups

there, and we’re already enjoying some significant savings, but again, there’s probably more room for progress there.

Something that’s been highlighted in my riding is translation services and how extremely important that can be, especially with our elders when they need health services, and especially on an emergency basis. I’m not knowledgeable about what services are provided. I’m highlighting the importance of it and, if they are vacant, making sure they’re filled as quickly as possible.

The Health and Social Services authorities have been brought up as opportunities for efficiencies; working with them to stay within budgets. Some clear tune-ups are needed there, and I’m looking forward to working with the Minister and her staff on these as we get into a lot of things that we’ve already had mentioned.

On the positive side I also wanted to mention the territorial dementia facility. It deserves a repeat.

I’ll mention respite services. Our amazing volunteers and family members who are extending their services, sometimes at considerable cost, deserve our respect and our recognition, and I really appreciate the increase of respite services. I hope that extends to aftercare in the communities for addictions clients that are returning to communities.

I’m going to leave it there, at that spot. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.