This is page numbers 1443 - 1480 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd 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 housing.

Topics

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Chair. With me today are Deputy Minister Bruce Cooper and Director of Infrastructure Perry Heath.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Committee has agreed to forego general comments, so is committee agreed that we will proceed to the detail contained in the tabled document?

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Committee, we will defer the departmental totals and review the estimates by activity summary, beginning with administrative and support services on page 30, with information items on page 31. Are there any questions or comments? Member for Yellowknife North.

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Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chair. I see there are a couple of pharmacy information systems here. Can I just get information on when we will be able to do prescriptions online and whether this software will include those capabilities? Thank you, Madam Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of health.

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am not aware that this replacement will include prescriptions online, but I will ask the deputy minister if he can clarify when that might happen. Thank you.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Deputy Minister Cooper.

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Cooper

Thank you, Madam Chair. This investment is intended to replace an in-hospital pharmacy management system, to bring the standard for the Northwest Territories for all of our major facilities up to the same standard and to improve management in the actual facility. This will not achieve any operability with online ordering, except within the context of the intranet of the facilities. Thank you.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Cooper. Member for Yellowknife North.

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Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

No further questions. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Are there any further questions or comments to this section? Seeing none, I will call the activity. Health and Social Services, administrative and support services, infrastructure investments, $1,366,000. Does committee agree?

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, committee. We will now turn to Health and Social Services programs on page 32, with information items on page 33. Questions or comments? Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

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Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Marsi cho, Madam Chair. There is a medical equipment here that says "various" for biomedical evergreening. Which communities will this affect? Marsi cho, Madam Chair.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you. It's my understanding that it varies across the NWT, but if you want to know for your riding, then I will ask Mr. Heath if he can answer. Thank you.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Heath.

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Heath

Thank you, Madam Chair. The medical equipment evergreening program affects every community in the Northwest Territories. It is based on our overall inventory of all of our health assets. Year over year, depending on the life cycle of a particular piece of equipment, we do initiative and replacement programs, so it affects each and every health centre in every community across the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh, any further questions?

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Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

No, nothing further. It's just good to know that it does affect all of us. Whenever I see "various," it always makes me wonder if it will affect my riding. It does in this case, so thank you.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Are there any further questions or comments to this section? Member for Hay River South.

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Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to go to long-term care facilities. I am pleased to see that 48 beds are in there for Hay River. I just want to confirm: at what stage are we with respect to design on that facility?

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Chair. Design is currently on hold for that facility. We need to go over what it will cost to build. Construction costs have gone up, and we have identified a shortfall of $31.5 million for the long-term care facilities in Hay River and also in Inuvik. We need to recalibrate where we're at with costs and come back with an adjustment to our plan. The short answer is: it's on hold. Thank you.