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Legislative Assembly briefs New school needed in Trout Lake, says MLA Laura Busch Northern News Services Published Monday, Oct 29, 2012
Students in the hamlet receive their education in a single room in the hamlet's community centre, said Menicoche. "For years I have urged the government to begin planning for a new school," said Menicoche. "I have to say, I now understand how a teacher must feel when the students are not listening." Minister of Education Jackson Lafferty said that, with 19 students, the school is only at a 61 per cent capacity and meets criteria set by the department. However, Lafferty committed to travelling to Trout Lake to assess conditions at the school. Elders care Michael Nadli, MLA for the Deh Cho, said too many seniors have to leave their community to receive medical care. "It is especially tragic when a respected elder dies in hospital in Yellowknife or even Edmonton, far from their land and people," he said. Alfred Moses, MLA for Inuvik Boot Lake, said home care workers help elder's maintain their independence by living at home and that more of these workers are needed because of the NWT's aging population. Frederick Blake Jr., MLA for the Mackenzie Delta, called for an elder care facility for the Mackenzie Delta. He asked the decision to close the Joe Greenland Centre in Aklavik be reversed. The Department of Health and Social Services is looking into the issue and should have a report published before March of next year, said Health Minister Tom Beaulieu. Midwifery program Robert Bouchard, MLA for Hay River North, called for a territory-wide midwifery program to be implemented "sooner than later." He gave the example of Heather Coakwell, one of his constituents who was sitting in the public gallery that day because she was in Yellowknife awaiting the birth of her child. "This is just a shame," said Bouchard. "Heather was born in Hay River but her three children will not be." Minister of Health and Social Services Tom Beaulieu said his department is working on developing a territory-wide midwifery program. The cost of this program is expected to be $1.7 million, said Beaulieu. All funding would need to be secured before the program could be launched, he said. Missing moose During the fall hunt, Michael Nadli, MLA for the Deh Cho, said he and many of his constituents in the Deh Cho noticed that moose activity was low. He asked Minister of the Environment of Natural Resources Michael Miltenberger if the summer's anthrax outbreak, which killed roughly a third of the Mackenzie bison herd could have impacted the moose population. Miltenberger said that, while his department did find six dead moose during the summer, it was not believed that anthrax killed them. Regardless, samples were send to the Canada Food Inspection Agency and the department is awaiting results. Also, ENR will be initiating a moose survey in October, said Miltenberger.
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