Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I don't I don't have the level of detail of what the services are being provided in all of the Dehcho communities, but we can look at what services aren't provided right now and get back to the Member. And if there are concerns or, you know, as we're rolling out more and more communities that have the needs and if there is a needs assessment that needs to be done in those communities, you know, I like I said, I don't have that kind of level of detail here. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will pass that over to the ADM.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm not sure where in the budget and if it's just the overall question on the entire budget, then I mean the budget that I have, I know that we have a business plan. We will be working within that to come up with, you know to, you know we're getting we've got the mandate now. You know, the mandate letters will come to the Ministers. We'll be looking into with our departments to look at where and how we move the business plan and the priorities of this government along. As to what you know, what those estimates might be, this budget here is you know, it's got some...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, one of the things that I I guess, becoming in this role is that and I've been saying it on the floor of the House, is that we can't really forecast some areas in health and, you know, right now, there's been a bigger uptake in addictions program in the last fiscal year, and, you know, if we hope, you know, that this is the path that our residents are wanting to go, we will support them, and then we would have to go back for a supplementary appropriation or else to be able to try and fund that within. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As I mentioned, this extended health policy has been reviewed. I know that there was in the last government, it went back out to review because of a lot of the concerns. There was recommendations to make changes. Those changes were made. How we use this you know, what tool we use to measure low income, you know, there is a jurisdictional scan across Canada on how other jurisdictions provide any type of support to low income, and you know, and some of the you know, and I know we provided information to committee on this. There's been many presentations. There's you...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is no policy for helping residents return home in the case where a resident has been travelling in another province, anywhere in Canada, anywhere in the world. Like, if the patient or if the person has left the territory on their own, there is no policy that covers that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That agreement expired on March 31st, and that agreement was decided during an urgent need, during COVID, and so it's now part you know, I mean, now there's collective bargaining on, and so that's as much as I can say about that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is the area where there is some sunsetting funding, so from some federal funding. There were a number of programs a number of sunsetting funding that's equivalent to that, which was $6.5 million. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I hear what the Member says, to keep putting more money in here but, you know, Members keep asking for more stuff we keep needing more money. But no, you know, and I think one of the things that I will say is that, you know, within the department, it is  there are many things that haven't been budgeted, you know, and they  I guess for health, knowing in the health authorities, this is all the frontline workers. So when we think about health centres, when we think about, you know, staffing the units, making sure that there's always  like, it's not a place...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, inperson appointments for urgent referrals within the Northwest Territories and telehealth appointments will continue with the staff that we do have. Services will be maintained for students with priority needs. But we also, I want to let the Members know, that NTHSSA and the department are working together with the Department of ECE as they explore ways to support the learning needs of children who may be impacted by the reduction of school speech and language and OT services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.