Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since being elected, I have been pointing out some of the ways people in small communities are at a disadvantage when it comes to receiving services provided by our government. Medical care is one of the biggest and most important. As we all know, there are many medical services that are not available in the small communities, so people have to travel. In my region, that often means going to Yellowknife.

There are no commercial flights and people can only travel by road, either by taxi or by private vehicle, and it is a pretty rough trip for someone who is in pain. Many travel by taxi. It is a pretty good business for taxis. There are often up to three people riding in the cab with different appointment

times. It is common for them to wait in the cab and bring their own lunch. The trip takes at least three hours each way, so unless the medical appointment is very well timed, it can easily turn into a two-day trip.

Use of private vehicles seems to be discouraged. In such cases, the Medical Travel Policy does not make any allowance for meals and accommodation. Most hotel rooms in Yellowknife cost between $150 and $200 a night, and with the price of meals you’re looking at close to $300 a day. It’s a lot of money and many people can’t afford it. I’m sure some people decide not to go to their appointments at all unless their condition is pretty serious.

In the long run, this results in more medevacs, which are far more expensive to our government than travel allowances. NWT residents who get medical care in their hometown don’t have to bear these costs. Why do people from Fort Providence and other small communities have to pay for their meals and accommodations when others do not? This is a clear example of unfairness and the way government discriminates against people living in small communities. We have to do better, Mr. Speaker.

I’ll have questions in this regard later. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.