Thanks to the Minister for explaining it to me.
I want to move on to the notion that at one time the operation of all the health boards was talked about. I think what the Minister said, if I understand it, is that they’re having some discussions to see if we would look at how do we all work together to cut some costs where it seems logical and beneficial if those cuts mean that we’re going to get more programs in our communities and regions. It is a delicate issue and it means people’s jobs, it means family, it means a lot of things. So if there’s a step or process that Cabinet has already looked at and the Minister has designed some type of strategy to see if this could pass through the Assembly, I think I’m all up for how we work this out. How can we help you make those difficult decisions? But you need to include us in that process. I know the last time it happened, I had some, I don’t know what you call it, from my constituents. They weren’t very happy. Something never went right there for us. So we’re willing to look at it again because we have to stop the leak of these deficits. Somewhere we have to stop the leak on our health board authorities. They do the best job they can. Like I said, we need to be funding our authorities and hospitals properly. That’s a lot of pressure on this government and ourselves.
Just looking at the sheet here, there’s money in here for costs to contain and remediate mould and air handling units on the fourth floor of Stanton Territorial Hospital. That’s dangerous. There’s mould there. In the air handling units on the fourth floor. We need to contain and remediate. It’s almost shock and awe. You’re going to look at that there. Those things I support, because there’s also mould in some other people’s houses in the Northwest Territories. I hope we have that kind of money for units, public and private.
I made some visits to the communities and there are people who live in the houses that have mould there. I don’t see any extraordinary funding to go to helping those people. I can see it for the hospital.
We send a lot of people there from the Sahtu and other communities. More importantly, we have staff people working there day in and day out. I’m surprised nobody has come before us for any type of lawsuit with those types of conditions. That’s crazy. That I can see, I can justify that cost. It makes sense. Even for the sterilization of equipment in the central supply processing unit there’s money there. Those kinds of costs I understand and can justify.
Not looking to spend too much time on this, Madam Chair. I just wanted to raise those concerns. When I see contain and remediate mould in the hospital, what’s going on there? There are many other things that are not told to us. We don’t know; they’re not on the record. With our health facilities in the communities, mould in our houses in the communities, I don’t see any extraordinary funding to help fix it and to remediate it.
I’m going to leave it there. It’s been a long day. I think I’ve said enough already to the Minister. I think he’s got the gist of what we’re talking about. That’s the end of my comments.