Kirsten Larsen
Northern News Services

NNSL (Feb 17/99) - The public will have a chance to meet and question the new board members of the Yellowknife Health and Social Services board at its first public meeting March 24.

Yellowknife Health and Social Services has been long-awaiting the appointment of board members since the board was officially created in April, 1997, under the Hospital Insurance and Health and Social Services Administration Act.

The department was without a board of trustees until early January, 1999. Up until that time, a public administrator had been handling the Yellowknife Health and Social Services issues and affairs.

Al Woods, chief executive director of Yellowknife Health and Social Services, said that the delay of the board's appointment was mostly due to negotiations between the department and the City of Yellowknife.

"The minister went into a consultation process with the City of Yellowknife to see if the city wanted to handle health and social services within the city," said Woods. "The city declined...it wasn't until then it was said 'yes' we need an independent board for Yellowknife Ndilo and Dettah," Woods said.

The board's chairperson, Ruth Spence and the eight other board members, including two representatives for Dettah and Ndilo, officially attended their first organizational meeting in January and are ready to meet the public.

The board is preparing for its first public meeting to be held at 7 p.m., March 24, at the Explorer Hotel.

Woods said the nine board members offer a good representation of the public with representatives nominated by the city, Metis Nation, non-governmental organizations and the general public. The communities of Ndilo and Dettah have representation from board members Helena Laraque and Leonie Erasmus, who, Woods said, will give the board a more accurate view of what the communities want as well as the Yellowknife public.

"It brings the directions closer to home," said Woods.

"The board will have mandates to go by but will still have some flexibility in how to do things...getting directions from the public. The board will lobby on their behalf," he said.