Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize Pages. I'd like to recognize Taylor Schear and Victoria Beaulieu from K'alemi Dene School. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On the medical travel, there is a drop of $3 million. Is that $3 million picked up somewhere else in this budget? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a question on the harmonization of the Metis health benefits and the non-insured health benefits. I'd like to ask the Minister if he could just talk about that a bit, just to ensure that everybody is getting all the benefits they should be getting. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is great news that we are working in that direction. I think that, of course, there are other communities nearby, like the Minister said, that may require more nurses or more doctors, even in Hay River, to accommodate the convenience for the people that live in communities near Hay River as opposed to near Yellowknife. I think that, if the department has that in mind and they are moving in that direction, I am very supportive. That is all I have. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just have one question. Maybe I will seek some clarification first. We should have a midwifery program in Fort Smith, because that has been up and running forever, and one in Hay River, and then some midwifery here.

In Fort Smith, half of the babies born in Fort Smith don't come to Yellowknife, approximately. Are we expecting the same type of numbers? Has the department done an evaluation? Fifty kids are born in Fort Smith every year. I am assuming it is, like, 60 in Hay River. I am not sure, but I am thinking it is around those numbers.

I am wondering if those are...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As you know, I speak a lot on strategic spending and leveraging of money, and one of the items that I speak a lot on is early childhood development. In this budget, we have an Early Childhood Development Action Plan, and we have an early childhood development breastfeeding fund and a Healthy Family Program. I see there is a limit to the amount of money in those programs. Why is that? Yes, maybe I will just ask the question: why is that? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Committee would like to consider Tabled Document 322-18(3), Main Estimates, 2019-2020, with the Department of Health and Social Services. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Back in October of last year, during session, a story came out on the way that Health and Social Services was looking at the priority list. It said priority 1 was 72 hours, working its way down to four months on priority 5. The reason that I am asking questions today is because there is an elder from Detah that is telling me that he was told that he had to wait maybe two years before he would see somebody that could work with him.

I am wondering if there is any plan for addressing people that may not have the greatest need, but do need to see someone sooner than two years, or maybe even sooner...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's all I have, thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. During the last session, the honourable Member from Frame Lake addressed an issue that I would like to follow up on today regarding the wait time for people who see hearing specialists or audiologists in the NWT. One of the Minister's responses last session was that Health and Social Services was going to release a review on addressing wait times for audiologists. When can we expect this report to be released to the public? Thank you.