Rylund Johnson

In favour.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. I know that our now that we have the majority of people vaccinated, the vaccine uptake is is not what it used to be. And so my question for the Minister of Health is when the current stock of vaccines expires in the NWT and what we are doing to ensure we don't have any wastage? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In favour.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I know we're all trying to end this quickly but I just wanted to make a few comments.

I find it very concerning how many parents, when facing apprehension, sign plan of care agreements without legal advice. I know that our workers are good at informing them they have a right to legal advice and I know if you go fill out all the paper work, Legal Aid will provide you a lawyer, but oftentimes people are signing extremely technical and complicated plan of care agreements that take their children away without lawyers, and I don't think we should be doing that. I think the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The test is not whether anyone was offended. We are allowed, and in fact encouraged, to say things that will offend people in this House. That is healthy debate. The test is whether it was imputing motive. And I don't believe the statement that if the children in care were white and not Indigenous there would be a wholeofgovernment approach imputes any motive. In fact, I don't believe the motives of my Cabinet colleagues or any of the people in this House are remotely, you know, racist or prejudice towards Indigenous children in care. I know they deeply care. But that...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As I stated, I don't I was not imputing any motive. I believe I was stating a fact. I will not apologize, and I will not withdraw my comments.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. If all the children in care were white, there would be a wholeofgovernment approach. It is absolutely insane to think that is not the case. That is how systemic racism works. We know that. This government has repeatedly acknowledged systemic racism.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to begin by thanking all of my colleagues for all of their work over the last few weeks in the budget negotiations on both sides of this House. I think this has been a true exercise in consensus government, and it's one where, you know, consensus does not mean we all agree. I understand, and I hear the concerns of my colleagues who have voiced their opposition today, and it is my hope that we will use the next year to win their votes, and, you know, hopefully we'll see another group of MLAs voting against the budget, because that's the balancing act; we need to...

In favour.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. With those vaccines expiring in May, I'm hoping the Minister can speak to you know, I understand the principle of nomissed opportunity but I think we have somewhat of a predictable rate of how much we anticipate to use, whether it's possible to coordinate the logistics to make sure that we can get those into the arms of people who need them, whether that be in other places in Canada or other countries in the world. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.