Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT maintains a dedicated elder abuse web page on getting help for elders' abuse. I would be happy to send these links and pages to the Member or all MLAs. People can also phone the NWT Senior's Society information line for relevant information. People can also call 811. And if it's an emergency, 911. And, you know, I -- Mr. Speaker, I think it takes all of us to, you know, to be keeping aware of our elders in our community, you know, educating, you know, youth, advising our seniors in our community when we witness the abuse. We know that we find...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in 2020, Statistics Canada reported that the NWT had the highest rate of police reported family and nonfamily violence against seniors in Canada. Unfortunately, Stats Canada stopped breaking out statistics of family violence against seniors and so we're unable to provide more up-to-date statistics. The GNWT is currently not able to track rates of elder abuse. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as of right now, the work that's happening with the regulations under the Health and Social Services Admin Act which oversees the professional specific regulations, the regulations that's been working on right now are the midwives, the pharmacists, the dental hygienists, and the social workers. And all that work is in conjunction with the updating, and the LP will be coming forward in the winter of 2025. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Larga boarding home, as is the Keskorie, are both RFPs, so that people that are travelling for medical travel, if they're coming to Yellowknife from any of the communities, they stay at Keskorie. There is no fees. There is no -- they don't get per diems. They get meals while they're there. They get a room. If there's no room, then they'd be put into a hotel, their meals are provided to them. If they're in Edmonton and they stay at Larga, that is the RFP that we have. It is a hotel in Leduc. There is transportation provided to and from the appointments...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are trying. That is what we are doing. We are looking at the different routes. And there are -- you know, and what we're now finding out is that educations in other countries have changed, and so, you know, by going through and doing the assessment, doing the English assessment, and using BC's model, that's what we're trying to work with right now. And so I would not commit to removing hours if that would put, you know, people at risk. I'm not saying that they're going to be at risk, but what I am saying is that we have people in these roles and we have...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a lot of work that's going on right now with the joint nursing -- it's CAN, it's the health authorities. They're all working toward right now of trying to figure out who in the Northwest Territories that they can -- like, who is here in the Northwest Territories right now that are potentially, you know, still within that licensing time, what needs do they have, and so that work is going to go out and to survey those nurses.

As for the overall picture in the -- you know, bringing in international nurses into the Northwest Territories, we are not...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have that level of detail. I do know that I have had a few come through my desk that -- you know, from MLAs with their constituents that are in this category. And I know that as soon as they have the documentation, as the Minister of ECE has explained, that our office is able to renew those early enough. But what I will say is is that as soon as somebody is applying and they have their documentation is to contact health services immediately. And they have a pretty quick turnaround for renewing their health care. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 16-20(1), Report on the Statutory Review of the Mental Health Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this -- since I've been the Minister, I think is the farthest that we've gone forward on trying to making sure that we're looking at a new way of trying to support those international education nurses that are here, that have been going to our MLAs, that have been saying, you know, I've been trained. And it is looking outside the box. It is working with BC. We have CAN right now working with BC trying to look at the system that they're using that they are collaborating with the Yukon right now to assess those skills, and that's what we are doing right now...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will commit my office to connect with Minister Cleveland's office to make sure that there is some kind of instructions on how to ensure that they can apply for their health care -- or get their health care renewed. Thank you.