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HealthWellnessHealthCare17TuesdayNovember122013SmithsLandingmemberswantfullNWThealthcareImalwaysfallingthroughthecrackscouncillorcomplainsByMEAGANWOHLBERGMembersofSmithsLand-ingFirstNationSLFNwholiveon-reserveontheAlbertasideofthebordersouthofFortSmitharefedupwithnotbeingabletoaccessat-homehealthservicesthroughtheFortSmithHealthandSocialServicesAuthority.DianeBenwellaSLFNcouncillorandformernursesaidsheandothermembersoftheFirstNationhavebeendeniedserviceslikepost-surgeryhomecarefromtheNWTdespitelivingminutesfromtheFortSmithHealthCentre.Imalwaysfallingthroughthecracksforvariousthingsshesaid.Ihadtogoforsomeserioussurgery...andIcouldnotdriveIcouldntsweepmyoorIcouldntdodishesIcouldntevencombmyhair.IsomehowmadeittothehealthcentretoseetheCEOandaskhimcouldIhavehomecare.HejustwouldnotacceptitYourefromAlbertahesaid.AndIthoughtcouldntyoubillAlbertaBenwellbroughthercon-cernsdirectlytofederalandterritorialhealthofcialsinFortSimpsonlatelastmonthduringtheDeneNationlead-ershipmeetings.Shetoldtherepresenta-tivesshewouldliketoseeabilateralagreementbetweentheAlbertaandNWTgov-ernmentsthatallowsSLFNtoaccessthefullrangeofhealthservicesfromtheFortSmithauthority.InseveralinstancesBen-wellsaidshewastoldshewouldbesenttoFortMc-Murrayforout-of-towntreat-mentratherthanFortSmith.ButassomeonewhosuffersfromcardiacissuesaswellasdiabetesshesaidbeingtreatedinFortMcMurrayisnotanappropriateoption.Sayyouhaveaheartattackrightnowwithinonehouriswhentheycanhelpyoutohealshesaid.IfIhaveaheartattackIdontwanttobewastingmytimewaitingtogotoFortMc-Murraywhentheresahealthcentrerighttherefortheini-tialgoldenhourtreatment.RobTordiffCEOoftheFortSmithauthoritysaiditwouldbehighlyunlikelyforanyonepresentingattheFortSmithHealthCentretobesentanywherebutStan-tonTerritorialHospitalinanemergencymedevacsituation.Ifweneedtomedevactheindividualinanemergencysituation...ninetimesoutof10IwouldsuggesttheydprobablywindupatStan-tonhesaid.TordiffsaidAlbertaresi-dentshaveaccesstoallser-vicesprovidedattheFortSmithHealthCentrebutasitstandsunfortunatelycan-nothaveaccesstoserviceslikehomecare.ThefundamentalissueistheyreAlbertaresidentssotheyhaveaccesstohealthcareservicesinFortSmithbuttherearesomeservicesthatcantbedeliveredtothemhesaid.WerenotinapositionwherewecanprovideservicesinAlbertabecausewereaterritorialhealthauthority.SointheabsenceofanagreementbetweenthegovernmentoftheNorthwestTerrito-riesandthegovernmentofAlbertawecantenterintotheprovincetodeliverthoseservices.DebbieDeLanceydep-utyministerforHealthintheNWTsaidnegotiatingabilateralagreementforin-homeserviceswouldbeaverydifculttime-consum-ingprocessfortheterritory.Itskindoflikeamousetryingtonegotiateaninter-governmentalagreementwithanelephant.Weveaggedsomeofthesecon-cerns.Wehavealotofcon-tractsweretryingtonego-tiatewithAlbertaHealthServicesandthegovern-mentofAlberta.Itsalongslowpoliticalprocess.Soforprogramslikehomecarewehearyoubutitsnotal-wayseasy.BenwellsaidshedatleastliketoseeSLFNrepresen-tationontheboardoftheFortSmithhealthauthority.CurrentlyregulationsallowfornominationstocomefromtheTownofFortSmithSaltRiverFirstNationandtheFortSmithMtisCounciltoputfor-wardnamestotheministerforappointment.Thoughthereisnospe-cicprovisionforSmithsLandingTordiffsaidtheregulationsdonotprecludeoneofthegoverningbodiesfromappointingamemberofSLFN.DeLanceyaddedthatthehealthministerwouldbere-viewingtheboardsetupforthersttimein25yearsinthenearfuture.RCMPstopdrugsonwayintoFortChipByMEAGANWOHLBERGInvestigatorswiththeWoodBuffaloRCMPman-agedtotrackdownaloadofmarijuanabeforeitwasabletoyitswayintoFortChipewyanearlierthismonththankstoananonymoustip.RCMPreceivedareportontheafternoonofNov.1thatamaleatMcMurrayAvia-tionshangerhadashipmentofmarijuanaandwasheadedintoFortChip.Afterashortinvestigationbythepolicetrafcunitusingitsinterdictiondog5.2kgofmarijuanawerelocatedandseized.RobertDolbec33ofFortChipewyanwasarrestedasaresultandchargedwithpossessionforthepurposeoftrafcking.Hehassincebeenreleasedfromcustodyandissched-uledtoappearinProvincialCourtonNov.262013.TheamountofmarijuanaseizedisasignicantamountsaidNatashaLytwenkocom-munityrelationsofcerwithWoodBuffaloRCMP.Shesaidanyformoftrans-portationcanbeusedtosmug-gledrugsintoFortChipewyanandthattheRCMPcontinuetoinvestigatecomplaintsofillegaldrugsalongwiththeirdailyinvestigations.Shecouldnotsaywhethermoreconscateddrugshadhistoricallybeensmuggledintothecommunitybyairboatorwinterroadtrafc.PhotoMeaganWohlbergSmithsLandingFirstNationcouncillorDianeBenwelladdressesterritorialandfederalhealthofcialsonjurisdictionalissuesfacedbyFirstNationslivingontheAlbertasidetheborderatrecentDeneNationmeetingsinFortSimpsonOct.31.PhotoWoodBuffaloRCMPJusticeCrimeAnanonymoustipaidedRCMPinstopping5.2kgofmarijuanafromenteringFortChip.