Debates of October 21, 2024 (day 30)

Date
October
21
2024
Session
20th Assembly, 1st Session
Day
30
Speaker
Members Present
Hon. Caitlin Cleveland, Mr. Edjericon, Mr. Hawkins, Hon. Lucy Kuptana, Hon. Jay Macdonald, Hon. Vince McKay, Mr. McNeely, Ms. Morgan, Mr. Morse, Mr. Nerysoo, Ms. Reid, Mr. Rodgers, Hon. Lesa Semmler, Hon R.J. Simpson, Mr. Testart, Hon. Shane Thompson, Hon. Caroline Wawzonek, Mrs. Weyallon Armstrong, Mrs. Yakeleya
Topics
Statements

Question 327-20(1): Misgendering

I've moved provinces? Thanks, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Can the Minister please explain why the couple's self-advocacy to change the designation on their file from M to F was not successful? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to acknowledge the medical misgendering of this resident's medical file, and I would like to extend my sincere apology. I know my colleague has raised that they were frustrated, they were hurt, the hardship that it put on them having to deal with this for so many years. The details of why and how this didn't get done on a -- you know, when they tried to deal with it in person, I don't have those details. But what I can say is that we will make sure that this doesn't happen to any Northwest Territories' resident again. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. I do appreciate that she was able to rectify this issue in a very quick way, and I'm glad to hear that she's looking at it going forward.

Mr. Speaker, what current training does NTHSSA provide to both medical and administrative staff on 2SLGBTQIAPA+ identities and expression? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, diversity and inclusion training is available to all health and social services system staff, including specific workshops on the diversity, inclusion in the workplace training, 2SLGBTQQIA+ 101 inclusive workplace awareness training, mitigating unconscious bias training. They also have PDI that they can use for other training. There is other self-learning training if health and social services staff wish to take on, but these are the training that we do have through diversity inclusion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's very well and good; I'm a little bit disappointed it's only voluntary for situations such as this. So can the Minister commit to further education for staff on the presentation and identification of genders specifically in administrative health services? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, yes, Mr. Speaker, I am committed to ensuring that health and social services space are safe, equitable, for all residents accessing the services and that everyone should be able to feel safe when they're coming into any one of our health services throughout the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Oral questions. Member from Monfwi.