Steve Norn

Marsi cho, Madam Chair. Committee wishes to deal with the following document: Tabled Document 181-19(2), Capital Estimates 2021-2022, for general comments and to deal with the following departments: Legislative Assembly; Justice; and Lands. Marsi cho, Madam Chair.

I came up with some of these questions on the fly, so my apologies for that. My last question is: are we going to be expecting any more cases aside from these three presumptive cases?

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Through my Member's statement today, I mentioned that some of our responses for COVID in terms of cases. It's important that we keep our Aboriginal governments up to date because they each have their own populations to deal with, their own people to respond to. This goes to those three presumptive cases that we have, that currently we're looking at. My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. My first question is: when will the Department of Health and Social Services let the public know when these presumptive cases are positive or negative?

Madam Chair, I move that the Chair rise and report progress.

Marsi for that response from the Minister. I understand there is an investigation as well. Are there any big updates on this investigation?

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. On September 3, 2020, the GNWT announced their intention to create a brand-new department called the COVID-19 secretariat. In all honesty, right from the start, I remain skeptical of the purpose and efficacy of this proposed secretariat. For starters, Mr. Speaker, since this initial announcement, there have been minimal updates as to the status of the secretariat. I feel like the Department of Health and Social Services could do better, and in my opinion, they've dropped the ball in terms of updating the NWT regarding new cases of COVID-19 in a timely manner and putting...

Madam Chair, I move that the chair rise and report progress.

Again, this picture has started to get a little more clear for me now, and I think it's important that the Minister of Health and Social Services and MACA do work together on these type of issues. I think it's important. A lot of our small communities, a few are on the floor or someplace and in trouble. It's going to be tough. You'll probably have to get a relative or the RCMP to get the emergent care. That's something to think about. My next question for the Minister is: what proactive measures is this department taking to dealing with patients who need healthcare in their homes?

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I have some questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Just to get some context here, just listening to some of the comments and hearing my colleague from Deh Cho. There's a clear picture here. There are some gaps here in our care for our elders. I gave that visual earlier in my Member's statement. There're some gaps here, and I think that we need to really step back and start looking at some of these issues. We've got to find whatever ways we can. Let our elders live in their homes. A lot of our small communities, we look after elders. We have relatives...

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. That's good to hear there are some measures being put in place. There are these gaps. We still need to keep talking about them. We are still hearing them. I know you are in a new role, and already, we've got you to rise quite a few times already. It just goes to show that there are some really glaring areas of need, like yesterday.

My final question: I think from looking at things, I think homecare nurses might be a good starting point in small communities. I know in my home community of Deninu Kue, we do not have a homecare position per se. Would the Minister commit to...