This is page numbers 5365 - 5412 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 3rd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was women. View the webstream of the day's session.

Topics

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Infrastructure.

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. An RFP has not been issued at this time yet. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Could the Minister update the House as to when he expects it to be issued and, if he's willing, even when he expects it to be awarded?

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

An RFP will be posted on March 19th, next week, on this, and it will remain open until May 17th. Within this RFP, there will be a request for 750 square metres of combined office and clinical space within the town of Hay River, and local landlords who are proposing to bid on this can use a new facility or an existing facility.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

I know there are developers who have expressed interest in pursuing this opportunity, so does the Minister know if we can expect a new build, or can we expect renovations?

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

In January we actually put out a request for expressions of interest on this to see what was out there to test the commercial space market in Hay River, and there were a number of people who submitted, who provided capacity to be able to do this in both new space and existing space. So it will be interesting to see what we come back with this RFP.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I expect, if it's new space, it's going to be a little later that the move is going to happen, and if it's just a renovation, it might be sooner. Does the Minister know, in either scenario, when we can expect the employees to be moved out of H.H. Williams into the new office space? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

As I said, we expect to be able to award this RFP in May of this year, and we expect the proponent to have this new build or existing build with the renovations completed by the fall of 2019. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Question 688-18(3): Medical Travel Boarding Home Concerns
Oral Questions

March 12th, 2019

Page 5380

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier during this question and answer period I had questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services regarding the boarding home. I've been advised that the ratio for beds to washrooms is 6:1 in the boarding home. Is this ratio to code? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you Mr. Speaker. The boarding home is up to code with the Fire Marshall and environmental health officers.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

I keep hearing concerns about this ratio of 6:1, and some of the concerns they have is people who, you know, take medication and they have to be close to the washroom, and they don't seem to have washrooms available. Does the boarding home take this into account when they assign patients' beds?

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

As much as possible, the answer is yes. They do attempt to triage patients as best they can; however, they're not always aware of all the information, or all the preferences, or all the needs of our clients and/or our patients. We strongly encourage our residents to let the boarding home what some of their limitations are as much in advance as possible, so that they can be properly triaged and properly placed.

Just as a note, there are some public washrooms available in the facility if one of the ones that are in the area they're staying in is occupied. So there are options, but they do try to triage these residents.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Some of the other concerns I heard were regarding the food. Does the department inspect the food on a regular basis?

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

The menus that are provided by the Vital Abel are actually approved by a dietician. The boarding home also maintains compliance under the Food Establishment Safety Regulations under the Public Health Act, so they are inspected from time to time. I think the important note here is that the menus are approved by dieticians.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the Minister for these answers. So a dietician is in place. I'm assuming, and I don't want to assume, so I'm going to ask the question here again with the Minister: can the Minister advise how the department works with the boarding home to ensure that the Canada's Food Guide is actually followed? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

The menus are reviewed by a dietician, and the contract that we do have with the boarding home has provisions requiring the contractor to be compliant with the Canada's Food Guide, so dietician and contract. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a few questions for the Minister of Infrastructure. I brought this issue up a while back but, you know, it tends to take the government a while to act on things. The issue that I'd like to bring up, I'm sure the Minister has had his share of questions on washrooms this week, but I'll do mine anyway. During the summer at ferry landings on the Mackenzie and the Peel, at times we have the ferry closing due to weather. As the Minister recalls, we've had people who were stranded on the south side of the Peel River for up to two to three days, and a lot of those people are there with no outhouses or no washrooms in place. I'd like to ask the Minister: will the Minister work with the communities of Fort MacPherson and Tsiigehtchic to provide portable washrooms at the ferry landings on the Mackenzie and the Peel for the people who are travelling during the summer months? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Infrastructure.

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I think the first thing I am going to have to do, if the Member says he has asked the government to have a look at this before, I will have to go back and get the previous information and see what was corresponded and make a decision based on that.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

I will save the Minister some trouble. His response is basically no. You know, you have to be compassionate in situations like this, if people are stranded for two to three days, most times with limited food. We are very fortunate the people of Fort McPherson actually went there and had a cook-out for people who were stranded, but I think the department has a little responsibility here to provide outhouses, a place where people could use washrooms, especially during the summer. So will the Minister make sure they budget it? It wouldn't cost a lot, Mr. Speaker. We shouldn't be thinking cost in situations like this. Think of our tourists, our residents of the Northwest Territories who are travelling during the summer. Will the Minister ensure that they work with the communities to provide this service at our ferry landings?