Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated in my Member’s statement today, I have a constituent who has an issue that should be of concern to all of us. My constituent is a very articulate person, and when we met with the public administrator and the CEO of the hospital, she was very clear on what it would take to make the washrooms at the hospital accessible and useable by someone in a wheelchair such as herself. I am sad to say that since that meeting six months has gone by. The hospital is operated by Health and Social Services, but Public Works and Services would be involved in any kind of a renovation. What was indicated as being required is a commercial base on a toilet that is raised up, that is higher off the ground, and instead of diagonally placed gripper handle, that they be on a horizontal so that you could put downward pressure on them in order to lift yourself. I know this is getting into detail here, but lift yourself up off of a higher toilet seat. That’s what she said she needed. That’s all we needed. Now we have a quote from Public Works and Services for $55,000, and there’s no money available to do this.
I would like to ask somebody’s permission, if the good, capable maintenance folks at the Hay River hospital could please go in and take the base off the floor, change it out for a commercial, higher toilet base and install those gripper handles with any kind of backing they may need to make them safe. Could I please have permission and instruction that this could be carried out? I guarantee you it’s a low ticket item. Thank you.