Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to re-raise the issue of medical travel and issues by constituents. I know that the Minister had indicated that they are currently reviewing the guidelines, and many of the issues that cross my desk and what I raise in the issue is not dissimilar than Mr. Beaulieu’s. The few others are some elders that are being medevaced, are being medevaced without an escort with them, especially those that require translation. I have got constituents in my riding that do what they can for the elders and those that are sick and in need, and they often go on these medical travel trips, often for days, sometimes weeks at a time and they are low income or no income. So I have requested over time to allow for at least incidentals, because I know that when they do come to Yellowknife, they are given a place to stay, a place to eat, but at the same time they have no income at all, so I would just like them to review, to allow them for some type of daily incidentals or something.
As well, during the springtime I had an incident where the patient is in the hospital in Yellowknife or in Edmonton for lengthy periods, there is actually a replacement of escort policy, I think it is, I am not quite sure, maybe the Minister can inform me, but I think it is, like, two weeks. But I think in most cases, Mr. Chairman, is that the escort is going with the elder or whoever is sick and they are prepared for only two or three days and when the illness does take a turn for the worse or else it is extended, then the person asks for medical travel so they can go home but medical travel tells them they have to be there for two weeks and they are often without money or unprepared, but that is their rule of thumb, but that is there, flexibility. I don’t know if flexibility or those things must be built in to the review of the Medical Escort Policy, which leads me to the next question, Mr. Chairman.
I know that when I raised these questions in the House, I think in the fall time, the Minister indicated that the policy is being reviewed, so I would just like to know the timing of it and I certainly would like, as a Regular Member, I certainly am not on the Social Programs committee, but I would like to have input into that reviewing of the policy and as it moves forward. So just in terms of timing, when will we be looking at receiving this initiative and how much
work have they done to date, Mr. Chairman? Thank you.
