Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. I’m happy to report that the new Hay River health facility is well underway. There’s a nice tall structure standing there, and the contractors continue to work, and the weather has been on our side, so it’s been a good fall for construction.

The few outstanding items – well, there are many outstanding items, but there are a couple I want to ask about today as a result of the new health care facility – I’d just like an update on, if we could here in the House, because it’s something of a popular topic of discussion in Hay River, and that is the 10 extended care beds currently located in our existing hospital and how the loss of those beds, when the hospital is relocated, how those beds are going to be replaced. I just wonder if Minister Beaulieu would have any kind of an update on what path we’re taking on that challenge.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this point that plan is being contemplated by the department at the deputy minister level with other deputy ministers responsible for infrastructure in the GNWT. Thank you.

Of course, we know that the new hospital won’t be commissioned for a little while yet, so we do have some lead time, but I would like to ask the Minister when he contemplates we might have a more clear plan with respect to the replacement of those beds as a

result of these discussions amongst the deputy ministers, some kind of a timeline we can share with our constituents. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, those, although they’re called extended beds in H.H. Williams, are actually long-term beds. Those long-term beds will be outside the current new health centre that is being constructed in Hay River. In fact, the direction that we are going now is with the expansion of the Woodland Manor, to add the 10 beds to the Woodland Manor. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, people of Hay River will be very glad to hear that. That does seem like that is a fairly prudent direction to take, a good choice.

Another issue that has been raised in this House before, which I would also like an update on, was a request for a functional review of the existing H.H. Williams Memorial Hospital, to determine whether or not that building would be suitable to be re-profiled for some other use and to be kept as a piece of infrastructure in our community as something other than a health facility. I would like to ask the Minister if he has an update on where that request is in the system. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I will ask that the Minister of Public Works and Services provide that response to the Member. We are having discussions with that department. I think there is going to be a bit more time before we are able to do that type of evaluation on the building, as the building is still being used as a hospital at this time. Soon, I think, prior to us moving into the new hospital, that evaluation on future use of that building will be completed. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t know if I can change Ministers mid-questions here. I guess not. Okay. Well then, I will just have to suffice it to say thank you for the update, Mr. Beaulieu.

I am not one who likes to see brick and mortar, institutions, buildings that have some functional use torn down, so I will be continuing to pursue this. If there is any reasonable life left in the existing hospital, I will be pursuing a further set of questions with the Minister of Public Works and Services on that at some point. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Worldwide the Human Papillomavirus, or commonly

known as HPV, is a common sexually transmitted disease. I could go on at length, but it’s not necessary today, regarding how many problems Northerners have with sexually transmitted diseases and the fact that it is a real problem here. It is a problem whether you live in a large or small community, so we must do whatever we can.

In short, when was this program for vaccination rolled out? The NWT was one of the last jurisdictions. It would have been the last if we didn’t have Nunavut behind us, to finally implement this back in 2009.

It was only implemented for girls. I am going to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services: Do young men matter when it comes to the HPV vaccination, and when will they get their opportunity to have this much needed vaccination to help protect their health? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To answer the first question, all people matter, as far as health and social services go. I don’t know when and if young men are going to get a needle for this virus. I don’t have the information here, so I couldn’t give him a date, or if, in fact, it is going to happen at all. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I am elated to hear the fact that all people matter, according to the Minister, but I would like to hear when young men will matter in this particular case.

What can the Minister commit to today on clarifying this huge error for a huge percentage of our population? Young boys matter, as far as I’m concerned. Young men matter, and everyone. These kids matter.

What is the Health Minister willing to do today to show that they matter to the families out there thinking that this is a much needed vaccination? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I’m prepared to have the department check with the physicians that make a decision on which individual groups should be getting a certain type of shot for certain types of viruses. If young men or young boys are not getting the shot for the virus due to an oversight on the part of the department, then we will give them shots too. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In his inquiry, if he finds out it is a clerical issue or it’s a money issue, will he issue a directive from his office to ensure that this process starts right away? I am being contacted by families who are concerned that their young boys, their children are being left out of

this process. Again, a much needed vaccination that is accepted across Canada, why not in the Northwest Territories?

Mr. Speaker, yes. If it was a money decision and it was thought that we should only give young ladies or young girls the antidote or virus needle, as opposed to ignoring the boys, or if it was a clerical error and then we forgot the other gender, then we will correct that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Mr. Speaker, for my final question of the day on this HPV vaccination, I want to make sure it is absolutely crystal clear in this House today that the Minister is saying he is going to see if he can correct it. He says he is going to see if he can fix this process to ensure that they are fairly covered.

I want to make sure it is clear before this House and certainly clear for the people of the Northwest Territories. If this is not the case, I would like the Minister to clarify this in the House through a Minister’s statement, explaining why these young men will not be getting the vaccination. For these parents who are concerned that their children aren’t getting it, the Minister is the one who will account for it, not the MLAs going to explain to parents why the Department of Health can’t do it. I want the Minister to account for it. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, whether I make a Minister’s statement on this vaccination or not would be determined within Cabinet. We do have a certain amount of Ministers’ statements that we would like to present in the House for providing information. If I’m not able to do the Minister’s statement, I would be pleased to provide it in writing to the Member or to the House. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I made the statement on the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Awareness Week, and I want to ask questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services.

What, if any, specific measures are being taken to address the issue of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in the NWT? Mahsi.