R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There may have been a Minister responsible for seniors, but that didn't encompass ECE and all of ECE's programs that are geared towards seniors. So there was never a onestop shop. There was a Minister responsible for something, and that Minister did not have authority over all of the programs delivered by the GNWT, all of the funds expended towards that group. And so I wouldn't say it's accurate to say there was a onestop shop. There may have been the impression of that but by no means was that the reality of it. And so I was happy to hear that earlier this year the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I know that the Member is saying I don't want to answer it. I've answered the best I can. I don't know what people think is happening, and I guess that's what the Member is talking about. We don't have a bunch of direct appointments for our buddies coming through Cabinet. I can assure the Member of that. We have the direct appointments coming through these three programs. And if they're not coming through those three programs, I can assure you that Cabinet Ministers will have questions. Cabinet Ministers are still MLAs. They're still residents of the territory. They...

Thank you. So when someone is hired through the internship program, it's because there has been an expression of interest put out and I'm sorry if that's not the proper term, but it has been advertised, and then people who have enrolled in the internship program can then apply. So that's public. The regional recruitment program is similar. I see ads for the regional recruitment program around my community. It's a way to ensure that local people are given the opportunity for employment. And so sometimes there's a sheet up in the drug store on the bulletin board saying that there's an...

Thank you. So I've been asked the question four times of why we don't have a portfolio for seniors, a token portfolio with no money attached, and it's because based on my experience I have seen those portfolios and I don't believe that they've been effective. I'd rather focus on actions than empty symbols. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm more concerned about actions than symbols. So I want the Ministers to work for seniors, not to have a token portfolio with no money or authority attached to it. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Lucy Kuptana will be absent from the House today due to travel delays in her flights to Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I want to encourage everyone, including NGOs, to look to their insurance first. That's often faster than the government than many of these expenses are often eligible. But, you know, I come from Hay River. I've been dealing with constituents who have been working through this system for a number of years now. It is not fast. Everyone would like it to be faster. We're working through that. We're trying to get policies in place that will ensure that it is faster. So we are working on it, Mr. Speaker. I can assure you of that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And what the Member is talking about is exactly what we need to make sure happens. We need to ensure that the things that went wrong, that we didn't prepare for, that we didn't know we needed to prepare for even, during the last number of evacuations are addressed and we do a better job going forward. The reviews will you know, maybe I'll just leave it at that and let the Member ask her other questions. I don't want to go on too much. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And there is not an active competition. I think the department wants to look at all of our options, understanding that we are going to begin working with Indigenous governments and in a different way going forward. We want to ensure that the supports that we put in place are appropriate for that new way of doing business. Thank you.

Thank you. No, it is my understanding that work is happening on the report. It's not just sitting on a shelf collecting dust being ignored. Thank you.