Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to talk about the subject of organ donation in the NWT. I know that we have a small population here in the North and Stanton can’t provide transplant services here, which is very realistic. Everyone realizes that this is a very specialized field and, therefore, more organ harvesting and transplant operations have to take place in Edmonton. However, I assume, like many other people who believe in our health care services, that

we have to access these things and are supported through the medical travel when we try to access transplant processes through Edmonton.

Some Northerners have been donors, Mr. Speaker, and some Northerners have been lucky to be recipients of transplants. What I have come to learn lately is that sound policies and procedures still need to be fully developed in this health care area. Transplants may be rare but stressful for the families going through this headache. Mr. Speaker, there needs to be a process that is supportive from the start to the finish, recognizing the donor’s circumstances and what they’re giving up.

Recently I had the frustrating experience to work with a family, who is a constituent here in Yellowknife, through the living donor of a kidney to another family member. The operation had to take place outside of Yellowknife. The family member from Yellowknife who needed the kidney was on dialysis, so the kidney transplant was clearly a health care necessity. The transplanted kidney makes a huge difference to this person’s life, Mr. Speaker, and it’s given them back quality of life.

Through the whole process, from the consideration of the donor to the transplant to arranging the surgery, the departmental representatives helping them along the way and all the problems and headaches they encountered, Mr. Speaker, the donor at the very end of it after the operation said if they weren’t helping a family member, from the experience they went through they probably wouldn’t have gone through the stress knowing what they know.

Mr. Speaker, the issue I am raising here is there needs to be a stronger, clear policy that helps people going through this process. A medical travel policy seems to be completely silent about helping these kinds of people through this kind of service. From the point of view from the family, it was a struggle to get the department to pay for medical travel for the patient and the donor, as well as for the person to come with them. It was a struggle all the way through dealing with accommodations, as well as the surgery.

Mr. Speaker, I certainly hope the Department of Health and Social Services will work to clear up this process to make this a friendly environment to deal with people who are giving up such a precious gift to help saved loved ones. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.