Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The H1N1 is sweeping across the Northwest Territories. The latest count says it has affected some 22 communities. Mr. Speaker, the concern I have is the affect it is going to have in small, remote communities where we don’t have health professions in those communities, such as Tsiigehtchic, Wrigley, Colville, Sachs and other communities that don’t have health care professionals on the ground.

I think it is critical to realize what we have seen in southern Canada, Manitoba, B.C. and other

provinces and the affect this has had on aboriginal communities. I don’t think we are immune to it in the Northwest Territories. If anything, the evidence is there that aboriginal communities are more resilient to this thing and, more importantly, need the assistance of government, the health professions and people on the ground.

Mr. Speaker, it is that time of year when it is basically freeze-up, in which these communities will be isolated for a period of time until the roads can be put in, where the airport is basically accessed. In the community of Tsiigehtchic, they don’t have an airport. Mr. Speaker, I think it is critical that this government clearly assures that the communities have the professions in those communities during this critical period.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to state again that the community of Tsiigehtchic does not have a health professional in the community by way of a nurse. I think it is critical that this government, if it has to bring in locums, bring them in. Mr. Speaker, I, for one, feel that we have to be proactive and not reactive and wait for someone to die before we do anything. I would like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time: what is this government doing to ensure that we have professionals on the ground to ensure that we can combat this epidemic and get the safeguard to the people in the small communities where we realize that they are most vulnerable during this period of time? Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.