Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Health care in small communities. On May 16th, 2022, Northern News Services published a leaked email exchange between myself and the Honourable Minister of Health and Social Services. It is regrettable sorry, regretful that this private communication was revealed without the benefit of context. And for that, I am sorry.
It is important that consensus politicians, we uphold ourselves to the highest standard and conduct that ensure the greatest amount of respect for our colleagues, especially so when we do disagree on issues.
Mr. Speaker, all that being said, I must now turn to the dismissive and patronizing tone struck by the Minister of Health and Social Services during our written exchange and many more times in this House and over the course of our duties serving in this institution.
It is not appropriate for any Minister to scold a Member for doing their job representing their constituents. It is not appropriate to attempt to silence, validate criticism of a Minister portfolio by threatening the integrity of the health care services in the community that I represent.
And finally, it is not appropriate too for an nonIndigenous Yellowknife resident to talk down to a small community representative when she has zero experience in the daytoday experience living in rural remote Indigenous communities.
During May 9th, 2022, interview with CBC, the Minister spent a great deal of effort to downplay negative patients' experience and even trying to gaslight patients who received unacceptable care into believing that it was their own fault for failing to advocate for their own medical conditions.
She has demonstrated fierce determination to silence her critics promising to ignore complaints from the public [indiscernible] outside the government channels stating and telling media going to result in a resolution to complaints of the individual families.
Mr. Speaker, people have lost confidence in the health care system. It is understandable that they don't trust their complaints will be taken seriously, but at the same time assist them.
The Minister of Health and Social Services owes my constituents and the people of the Northwest Territories an apology. This is not about my ego. I have thick skin. I have been in politics for a long long time despite what the Minister thinks. This is about residents who are crying out for better health care and have been dismissed by our leaders. We all know the challenges in health care are great but even so, our citizen deserves compassion and honesty from the Minister and her department.
I want to be crystal clear so my words are not misconstrued.
I support the work of our health professionals and therefore offer my warmest thanks for the hard work they do supporting the wellness of our residents. My issues lie with the management of our health centres, hospitals, ministry under the Minister of Health and Social Services. She is the only one accountable for the disastrous treatment of the Indigenous small community members and she must take responsibility for her portfolio.
I will have questions for the Minister later today on health care policy and will continue to call on the Minister to apologize to the House and the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, under the Rules of Debate 3.2(3)(h) and (i), the statement made by the Member for Tu NedheWiilideh is out of order. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. The Member for Yellowknife Centre has called a point of order. What is your point of order? I know you gave little description, but please.
Mr. Speaker, Rules of Debate 3.2(3) item (h), it says in a debate the Speaker will call a Member to order if the Member, (h) makes allegations against another Member, a House officer, a witness, or a Member of the public; and, (i) imputes false or hidden motives to another Member.
By suggesting that I am downplaying, gaslighting, requiring an apology for disastrous treatment, I believe this Member is over the line. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister, Member for Yellowknife Centre. The Member for Yellowknife Centre has called a point of order. Does the Member for Tu NedheWiilideh wish to speak to the point of order.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had trouble with my headset here. So if the Minister could repeat her question. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh. Member for Yellowknife Centre, could you please repeat your.
Mr. Speaker, according to the Rules of Debate, section 32(3), in a debate the Speaker will call a Member to order if the Member, (h) makes allegations against another Member, a House officer, a witness, or a Member of the public; and (i) imputes false or hidden motives to another Member.
There are various other charges another Member with uttering a deliberate falsehood, uses abusive or insulting language of a nature likely to cause disorder.
In no particular order in his statement, the Member for Tu NedheWiilideh suggested that I was downplaying concerns, gaslighting concerns, needed to apologize for concerns, treated his community in a way that was disastrous and was threatening. None of these things are acceptable in this House.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Does the Member for Tu NedheWiilideh wish to explain what he stated. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm speaking to the Point of Order.
My Point of Order that was raised by Minister is to talk about my comments made on looks like on May 9th. This interview actually took place, the majority of the residents of the Northwest Territories have listened to those that interview. And I have received a lot of calls from my constituents in regards to those comments. So I'm not sure where we go from here, Mr. Speaker, but I'm only conveying what's been said by my constituents. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh. The Member for does anyone else wish to speak to the Point of Order?
Seeing none, colleagues, I'll take this under advisement and provide a ruling later. In the meantime, I'll ask all Members to choose their words carefully and treat each other with respect. Thank you.
Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.
