Kate Reid

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to my colleagues for raising NGO issues. I'll be asking the Premier some questions about that as well.

So I believe it was last week or the previous week a public service announcement went out about what steps EIA is taking to support the NGO sector, and in that effort they outline some of the steps they'll be taking, and they referenced the strengthening non-profit and charitable sector external advisory committee report. So that report is something that many constituents have reached out to me about in the past. In that report, though, there are specific...

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. It's disappointing that it was trimmed rather than advertised but more of a comment than a question, and I'll cede my time. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Well, that was my lived experience as a library staff at the city of Yellowknife many, many years ago. I'm pretty sure it's still the same, but I could be wrong.

So I guess my question, then, becomes if we want to expand public library services and really, you know, make sure we're supporting literacy in every facet of our territory, including adult literacy, of course how we expand those services and how we deliver those services, I think is a really great question to be engaging with the NWT Association of Librarians, and I would really encourage the Minister to speak...

So the $8.8 million is going towards other deficits. What are we spending on medical travel? I'm lost in the sauce, Mr. Chair. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate that, and I look forward to when the Minister can share that information with this side of the House.

Just really quickly, and because I think nobody necessarily asks about it but it's something I'm very passionate about, can the Minister tell me is -- public library services, are they -- is usage staying static; are we expanding programs and services? What's the story that she can tell about our public library system in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thank you for that answer. I do have one more question about that line item. Can you please provide the rationale for the budget reallocations from medical travel funding to the health and social services authorities funding. Just curious how this will help with the administration of medical travel. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I can appreciate that, and it's nice to have a wholistic approach for all children and teens going to school.

I guess, then, my question becomes, you know, how are we measuring the success of these programs and how will we know that they're accomplishing what we want them to be doing which is, you know, helping our youth with their mental health and as -- I know as the Minister has heard, it's not the greatest right now, so. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just more of a comment, really, and then I'll cede my time. But I'm hoping, and I look forward to primary care reform possibly increasing this line item so that prevention is more of the equation. I hope the Minister shares this sentiment. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Great, thank you. That's what I anticipated, but I just wanted to make sure. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

So as the Minister knows, as all Yellowknife MLAs know, there is great interest in our communities' schools around this program and its success. So can the Minister tell me how many schools in the NWT have these programs and what the uptake is? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. When small communities do have outbreaks of disease, how do we reallocate our staffing to adequately address those needs, and what are the impacts in the system for staffing? I realize that's really kind of a big question, but I guess I -- maybe the Minister could follow up with any standard operating procedures. I'm just curious. Thank you, Mr. Chair.