Kieron Testart

In the event that there is someone who is on the edge and is put on one of those queues, but feels that they need the treatment, and they seek, under their own initiative, to go and obtain treatment, does the government have any policies to assist those people with any financial costs incurred if their case would have fallen under the healthcare and they simply could not wait in the queue any longer?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, constituents and other members of the public have brought to me their concerns around wait times of six to 12 weeks to access mental health services, far greater than the government's own estimate of two to three weeks. Can the Minister of Health and Social Services respond to these concerns today with an updated and current estimate of the approximate wait times to access mental health care services in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring further attention to an issue which affects Northerners of all ages and walks of life, directly or indirectly, our mental healthcare system.

I want to take a moment first to thank all in our communities in the public and private healthcare facilities, the nurses, doctors, therapists, community leaders, specialists, and elders who work tirelessly for the betterment and health of all Northerners. We all owe you a great debt of gratitude. My thoughts today are being made in the hope we can improve the existing programs and the concerns that have been shared with...

Thank you. I'm looking at an undated presentation that is available on the Department of Justice's website, and it indicates that short-term outcomes of the project are that being housed in Community Justice has been a neutralizer, that departmental barrier work is challenging many individual-level successes, and that the current ICM model may not be sustainable. Are these still findings of the pilot in its current form, or have these been addressed? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm looking at a news article on the CBC from September of 2017, and in that it's quoted as saying that 215 referrals have been made to the program since October of 2015, referencing Integrated Case Management. Prior to occupying this seat, I spent some time working in the Minister's department. That was prior to 2015, and my recollection was that Integrated Case Management was going on then. Why this is relevant, Mr. Chair, is that I understand evaluating a three-year program and determining how to proceed, but if this is more like a six-year program or a seven-year...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that Committee Report 11-18(3), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 of the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission Annual Reports, be received and adopted by the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, scores of youth athletes and their support teams are on their way to Red Deer, Alberta to compete in the Canada Winter Games. I hope the Members of this House will join me in wishing the team and coaching staff the very best as they head down to Red Deer to compete and represent the NWT.

Sport is an important means to bring people together, not only within a single community but as a chance for our youth to explore the world they will inherit. It gives them a chance to meet other like-minded young people who have dedicated their time, sweat, blood, and tears...

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reply to the final operations and maintenance budget of the 18th Legislative Assembly. When this sitting of the House began earlier this month, I recognized the opportunity this budget represents to put the NWT economy on the right footing to face the challenges we all know are on the horizon. The diamond mines that are the real drivers of our economy are set to close far sooner than any one of us would like. Our aging workforce and persistent outmigration of skilled labour challenges our available labour supply while our cost of living continues to rise faster...

On that basis, then, the approved NWT Manufactured Products Policy says that a product that is from an approved manufacturer must be made a term of any contract that it applies to. Yet, on a recent request for tender, the form that was publicly issued said "whenever possible" it would be using NWT products. Can the Minister speak to this inconsistency between the policy and what is being issued on the forms from Infrastructure on procurement?

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on the Business Incentive Policy, which states:

"The Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to encouraging local production as a foundation for the Northwest Territories economy and will, when purchasing goods, services or construction, provide an incentive in favour of NWT-manufactured products." Further, the Manufactured Products Policy has the stated objective to "encourage local production as a means to diversify the NWT economy; and foster and maintain the investment, jobs, and income produced by local manufacturing."

These policies are very...