Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to speak on medical patients, more so on the issue that the majority of these patients require medical care that cannot be provided by the local health centres. My focus is on our patients who travel from their home communities to larger centres, such as Inuvik, Yellowknife and, in most cases, Edmonton, and are in need of medical escorts. I’d like to ask the Minister to take this issue on a more serious note and listen to the pleas that are coming from patients who are requesting medical escorts and are yet denied.

When my constituents call me, write me letters telling me that they’re sick, when they are weak and have no strength to travel, when they can’t speak for themselves and when they don’t understand, I need to speak for them and let this Assembly know that we cannot continue operating the way we do. Changes need to be made in order for our people to be more comfortable.

Another thing on that same note, medical escorts are a huge support for patients that are going to see the doctor when they are told they have life-threatening illnesses such as cancer. It’s alarming and shocking, and the patients have their escorts to rely on. The escorts are there to make the patient comfortable, to ease their fear of travelling to large centres and to be a support when diagnoses are given.

I would like to know if the Minister can assist medical patients who are requesting escorts, to seriously consider their request. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.