Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  A while back we had issues with dialysis units in the north. Each health centre has health care workers already. We have two nurses in Tallcree. Each community has a couple of nurses. I have volunteered our nurses to be in that facility at some point in time, so they can help wit

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes. We have an organization called the North Peace Tribal Council, of which I'm one of the chiefs, and we have an umbrella group that provides support to the communities right now.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes, most of them are.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes, it is important that we train our own people, because obviously we're looking at culturally inclusive facilities. You're going to have to be able to speak Dene and Cree. Having our own people, if there is a job waiting for them.... The problem in our area is that our kids go

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We could do it equally between the federal government, Alberta Health Services, and the province. The province has been really open to any conversation we have had with them, and they're really willing to work with first nations right now. I could put a proposal in front of them

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  No, I don't think we have. There is only one facility right now in the north, and that is in La Crete. That is the only place. We have an elder in there right now.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I believe so, yes.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  It's Chief Meneen, here. Can I answer that? I'll go back a little bit to the question of what the federal government should do. I think the federal government should get busy and start looking at what we've done. We've created partnerships, we've reached out to Alberta Health,

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I think what I see as a first nations person and as a chief is that usually we are told how to do something. I have been telling the ministers that we want to be included in the planning and talking stages on what this facility should look like. We want to be a part of it, we wan

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  From my end, I don't think we have the capacity. We have the shortage of housing. We have overcrowded housing. We need facilities like this to put our elders in where they will be taken care of. We cannot take care of them because of all the issues we have to deal with already. I

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I think in our culture our elders love being around their grandchildren and their children and just being a part of their family and included in everything that goes on. I think that having to move away from our communities to be two and a half or three and a half hours away wher

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Good afternoon, all. Thank you, all, for giving us this opportunity here today. My name is Chief Rupert Meneen. I'm from the Tallcree Tribal Government. I have been part of this group for the last 10 years, working on this culturally inclusive facility that we're talking about.