Steve Norn
Statements in Debates
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thought I was going to do this tomorrow, but I will do this now. I would like to table the medical travel expense claim form for the record. Mahsi cho.
My apologies. I will just repeat myself here again. The form here says, four to six weeks in its current state. With the new implementation of SAM, is this going to be in addition to the four to six weeks on top of this that claimants will have to wait? Another 30 days?
Thank you for the response from the Minister. Again, not quite what I wanted to hear, but at least I am glad she is open to some dialogue to listen to my suggestions. I do have some suggestions, but that will be for another time. You did mention a new accounting software. I believe that she is referring to SAM that a lot of departments are moving on towards. I know that a lot of my constituents are complaining about some of the delays that are happening with this new software. With this new transition, how long can the current claimants expect to wait for their claims to be reimbursed?
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to speak about medical travel services with the Department of Health and Social Services. It seems that medical travel is quickly becoming one of the top issues that my constituents have to deal with. I am constantly, almost on a daily basis, hearing from constituents about various issues they have experienced in regard to medical travel. Among the issues I have seen, there seems to be confusion about the filing of paperwork; it is too complicated. The reimbursement of claims taking excessive amounts of time to be returned to residents; and, of...
I am happy to see this news. I am hoping it is done in a very constructive way. Yeah, it is good to hear about the endowment fund. Hopefully, we see something like that. I guess my final comment is, if I ever win the lottery, I will chip in a little bit into that. That is all I have.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I have got one more question. I know that the Member for Thebacha, she is not here right now, but I know that she mentioned that Salt River and Poundmaker's had a program in place, and it met with some success, from what I have been told. With these partnerships with these treatment centres down south, would the Premier be willing to work with some of these treatment centres in the South and bring some of their programs and some of the people up North to try to work with them to get into the communities? Mahsi cho.
Mahsi cho, Madam Chair, and thank you to Madam Premier for her response. I am just looking at the timelines, here; winter 2020 for a review to be completed. Has there been an active engagement with communities or Indigenous governments to reach this benchmark? Mahsi cho, Madam Chair.
Thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you for the response. It is good to hear, just to find out what we can get. I think, the way I look at it, any sort of ways we can lower the cost of living and groceries. I keep on going back to the example if you are a struggling family and you only have $100 to spend on groceries, it is so much easier to get unhealthy foods. It would be nearly impossible to feed a small family with $100 and try to follow the Canada Food Guide. I am hoping we move in this direction. This is not so much a question, but more of a comment. I hope we...
Thank you, Madam Chair. Committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 12-19(2), 2019-2023 Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories. Mahsi cho.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final question is: this form was quite difficult to get, and it wasn't readily accessible. Will the Minister commit to having this form in electronic form, easier access for the public because I didn't see it, and that is for potential claimants and also have a quick tutorial just to make sure, probably a start to our dialogue to make it a little easier, so have a quick tutorial to how to use this form? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.