Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m just going to use this opportunity to highlight a few areas of general concern. Of course, I’d certainly like to see ourselves do a little more in the treatment area. I’m not sure that the Minister’s Forum, in my view, was their forum panel, and certainly research done on addictions and whatnot was the approach I would have liked to have seen. They have come up with some recommendations, but like anything, it’s all about implementation and how we follow through. There was a commitment in there, the observation of making a treatment centre available or treatment spots available in the North and South and I have yet to see them emerge, so I certainly look forward to the application of that and not sort of the two-step dance away from accountability, so we’ll have to see that.

You know, you don’t have to go very far in this city for people to call upon the government, asking yet again where are these treatment centres that they want their government to commit to. Ironically,

accountability is a funny thing. It seems to be a difficult thing to put our finger on around here, because this is what the public wants but yet the government finds new ways to avoid it. I certainly hope this is coming to an end, at least the excuses, that is, because, quite frankly, the constituents and the people of the Territories deserve the follow through on these types of initiatives that they’re asking for. I mean, if the people are asking for them, I find it odd that the government cannot respond to that need. Yet again they use their many, many people studies and resources to deny the public what they are truly looking for.

The homeless problem continues to be an issue. I often hear this brought up at regular discussions when I’m out visiting folks. People would like to see more initiatives on this. This isn’t just a Yellowknife problem. I think Yellowknife certainly has its own problems with it specifically, but what I think needs to be done more so by the government and certainly by the Department of Health is to find money for programs, for regional centres. The reason I say that is when we are presented anecdotal evidence, we find a very low percent of the people attending these opportunities for people who are homeless. What we find is the vast majority of these folks really belong and are from the communities and regional areas and they want to go home, but of course, if you ask them where they’re from, then they’ll say that there’s nothing there for them to go to. That continues to be a fundamental issue that I’d like to see addressed as an emerging focus and a problem that needs some real help and heavy lifting. If we had more money invested into homeless centres in regional areas, people would be able to be more connected with their regions and certainly their families. I would say those interties are so important they could help us down the road with other issues.

I won’t be spending any time at this particular second, but I do look forward to asking about position vacancy in every area I get a chance. I’m going to be asking about funded positions and unfunded positions and certainly how we fund them. I mean, let’s get to the bottom of some of these things and why are we running positions in existence that aren’t funded, so why aren’t we asking for the money to fund them.

At the same token, this money doesn’t fall… I think it was so eloquently quoted today that they don’t just show up because of pixie dust. I’m not sure what fairy is dropping that funding off. But that said, that money has to be coming from somewhere. Hence, that now leads into the next point of saying I certainly look forward to the updates on each regional health authority to find out what their current deficit is, how are they addressing these things, what are their plans and their focus. I’d like to know things about the establishment of the boards and why don’t we have boards in certain

areas. I think there are lots of good questions about those particular areas and I’m sure we’ll hear lots of good answers. I am certainly optimistic we’ll hear those answers.

One of the issues I continue to raise, and I will continue to raise in speaking of deficits when it comes to health authorities, is the doctors’ pay, which I think is such an embarrassment of this government to put these doctors’ costs on these health authorities, which truly should be a departmental cost. This is very frustrating to watch that these authorities have to carry these things. For example, Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority has to carry the doctors and they have to send them out, they have to find overtime, they have to do training time. I mean, just the headaches alone. If this government was proactive, not reactive, we would place these doctors all sorts of we’ll call it from an accountability framework point of view and they would make them financially accountable at the department. I think ultimately that would take some of the stress off the authorities. When we look at and wonder where some of the money is coming forward to pay for these things, they have two choices: find it somewhere within, which means they either, you know the old saying, steal from Peter to pay Paul, or, of course, they run without and that means they run with a position that’s empty, reallocate. Who knows how they get through their budget year? I mean, sometimes we just don’t know. Hence we end up with authorities with deficits. Frankly, I’ve never once really heard a good excuse why and I don’t think anyone believes it.

I think moving doctor pay to the department could go a long way in solving that. I don’t know of any MLA that wouldn’t support an initiative if we had a crisis that needed support. I mean, I know a couple of years we’ve had different sorts of fallouts of problems that have come forward and we know when it’s important and, by golly, if it’s important, bring it to the Legislative Assembly and don’t be afraid to ask for money. If it’s meaningful, we’ll support it and if it’s not meaningful and important, well, then you’ll get your answer.

As was probably mentioned by my colleagues, we continue to have the call of the naturopaths wanting to be regulated. I’m not sure if my other colleagues mentioned it today, but it’s certainly worth mentioning because it’s something that needs to be looked at. I’ve even received an e-mail, and I think MLA Bisaro spoke about it yesterday or the day before, that they want to extend their authority to be able to do some stuff. I’ve heard cases where naturopaths want to prescribe therapy but they have to go through a doctor and then they have to get a doctor to sign off on certain elements of we’ll call it the investigation process and then that doctor takes responsibility. But some of the naturopaths are very credited and credible, very insightful and

very capable, and we should be asking ourselves why aren’t we using this resource for what it is. Yet again the public speaks. Yet again the government falls deaf to the cries of the people. It’s frustrating to watch.

It’s days like this, you know, I wish we were a typical party system because we could throw those folks out of Cabinet because they’re not answering to the needs of the public, but we’re not a typical party system and nobody is accountable to these things, because they always just blame it on the last government and no one is around to take those responsibilities.

I’ve asked for suntan beds to be legislated. Although this is a small issue, it’s an important one. I think if we were wise, we’d certainly be going down that path.

Let me continue to reaffirm – I’m not sure if my colleagues have mentioned this one – the importance of midwifery and the expansion of it. It has turned down to a dull roar on this particular issue right and I think what’s happened here is the need for the service has sort of gone to a whisper. Yes, it’s important, but I think people have given up on it because they just see our government dragging our heels on this. It’s a service people want, a service people definitely need, a service we can certainly divert out of our typical normal process of needing a doctor in a standard healthy case.

Again, another demonstration of the needs and the direction and the wants of the people are, well, quite frankly, being ignored. The government always finds money for subsidies of their projects, but when the public comes forward very strongly and says they want something, it just seems like you cannot garner any attention of the government. I often wonder what you do. We continue to raise the issue and they just continue to chuckle and say, don’t worry; we’ve got money for our projects and our ideas in Cabinet but just no money for the people’s ideas. I wish we could exercise more authority.

The last area I’d like to highlight, although I can’t specifically say where the project is now, but I would certainly make special note that the project over at Aven Manor is still on the horizon, although I don’t think it’s on the front burner of activity of development. I think there’s still a continued underutilized resource there. There’s energy behind the board, there’s optimism behind the organization, and certainly there’s land and resources and a partnership that I think isn’t being embraced the way it could be. I like the fact and I love going to the Aven’s area where you see seniors active and enjoying life and being part of it. I think it’s a phenomenal community that I would like to see personally that we develop in other regions in the Northwest Territories. I don’t know

why we can’t have more of these things. It all starts with some vision and some support. Whether it’s housing or it’s health or it’s a partnership thereof in some manner or some form, I think it’s a real missed opportunity that we’re not developing these types of things.

Again, I said this and I mean this. I can’t speak to the present state of that project and expansion that they want to do over there. It may be on the back burner, but the problem is we need some support from this government. Of course, they will say that they don’t have any money, which when it’s a Member’s idea, of course, they don’t have any money. I’d be shocked if they ever said yes. But that said, it’s something that I would hope the Department of Health would be finding and helping advocate for and certainly working with them to leverage new opportunities and partners with everyone else.

Just a few random thoughts with health and I will have more. Like I said, I will be asking, when appropriate, some questions regarding position staff, money, funding, where it is and why it isn’t there, et cetera. We will be there. Thank you.