Katrina Nokleby

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am just looking at the $90,000 that is for the wastewater monitoring program. Given that we've recently expanded that to allow for more people to isolate in their community and, perhaps, there will be some future expansions of that program, is $90,000 going to be enough? As this is offset by the federal government, if we need more, do we have the ability to go back to them to get more money, or are we going to be expected to cover any additional costs? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the course of this Assembly, we have heard a lot of conversation around the provision of healthcare services in our communities. There have been requests for community nurses to make house calls and for them to leave the health centres in emergency situations. The majority of Canadians have access to emergency medical services in their home, if needed. Why do our residents not deserve the same? Why is this critical component of safe emergency care missing in our communities?

We have heard several Ministers of Health and Social Services, time and time again, redirect...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I do appreciate that. I am just trying to raise a scenario that needs to be considered. However, I am in favour of getting rid of it, but I understand why we need to be in line with Alberta, as someone who has always worked in small satellite offices where, generally, I am linked to the Edmonton office. I couldn't imagine being an hour out, which would then, basically, just mean I end up working an extra hour every day because I would have to make myself available earlier for them or later.

I do want to urge the Minister, and I'm sure they are, but I just would be remiss...

Thank you. I do appreciate hearing the Minister say that. I worry, sometimes, as we go toward certifications and regulatory-type things, which we do need, there is often a reason why they don't get developed in the North specifically, because we can't support, sometimes, creating more red tape. Just more of a comment, but I'm really glad to hear that. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. First of all, I just want to say that I'm in support of this reduction. I often heard last year about how we needed to support small businesses better. The majority of the businesses in the Northwest Territories would be considered to be small businesses, so injecting $1.4 million back into our private sector, I believe, it will actually be used much more efficiently with better return on our investment than perhaps done by the Government of the Northwest Territories, no detriment to the Minister's department. However, I think this is an excellent thing, and I actually...

That is great to hear. Thank you. My next question may be redundant, but: community-based paramedics programs have clinical evidence of their success in Northern Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta. Why was the community-based paramedicine program discontinued here in the Northwest Territories, considering that the Canadian Armed Forces was willing to partner with the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Can the Minister tell me how patients get from the health centre to the medevac flight in communities with no ambulance service? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I understand why we want to have this legislation in place, in order to be more flexible and quick to adapt should Alberta decide to make their change. Now, listening to the Minister, I'm a little bit confused when we do talk about engagement. I get that there are different levels of engagement and what that means, and not that I necessarily think that this scenario will occur, but what happens if the engagement shows the Minister that there is not a want to change how things are, and then Alberta does change, and all of a sudden, we are now sitting here out of sync...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes. My colleague just made me think of a question there. Will there be the ability to take this program over a period of time? I'm assuming, of course, that you wouldn't have to do it all in one year or anything, but how long of a period of time would people get? Could they do this sort of as a part-time thing, take a course a year, and eventually, over time, work towards it? Or are they going to be restricted to doing it in a quicker time frame? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I have my facts wrong, but I will check back with my research and take a look at that. My last question is: would the Minister tell us her position on whether or not she finds the discrepancies in our healthcare system due to systemic racism? Thank you.