MLAS fear empty hospitals

The legislative assembly’s standing committee on health and education is concerned that staff will not be hired or housed in time to staff the three new health centres being built by the Department of Social Services.

“It would be a tragedy if we were to open these modern new facilities one day, only to have to close beds and cancel services the very next day because we cannot properly staff them,” Arviat MLA David Alagalak told the legislative assembly last Tuesday.

On Wednesday afternoon, deputy minister Bernie Blais said that 100 nurses were being recruited by a private company, and that new doctors had been hired for Iqaluit, including one who specialized in elder care, and that there was one prospect for Cambridge Bay.

The department’s medical director has also been working to recruit new graduates from the University of Ottawa, Blais said.