I'd like to thank Karen Mitchell for the opening blessing. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to rise on a point of personal explanation under section 1.8(1) of our rules. It says a Member may rise -- or sorry, raise a point of personal explanation in the Assembly at the earliest opportunity. This is my first opportunity.
The headline in the front page of today's Northern News Services, the Yellowknifer, reads as follows: YK Centre MLA wants finance Minister ousted. The headline is misleading with their word choice of "ousted". It leads the reading with the confusing impression that I want the Minister removed from Cabinet. I know this because a few people had inquired regarding the confusion it has caused. To be clear, no one has been angry but certainly confused with the impression that I wanted her removed from Cabinet, and they wanted to understand why. The article within the newspaper, without forensic review, appears on surface to be correct, but you have to decide to read it after the headline. For the record, I am only suggesting that it may be time to consider having a shuffle in Cabinet based on my concerns raised of which won't be revisited today.
Might I end on this point, Mr. Speaker, it is true that sensationalized headlines can be an opportunity to pump up and draw interest to an issue but left to stand alone it can cause confusion and unintended results which it appears to have had. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the Assembly for hearing this clarification. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about an issue that is important to the maintenance of the public housing stock. I am speaking about the damage to public housing units and the costs to the local housing organizations and Housing NWT. I want to highlight how this damage impacts the work plan of the local housing organizations and Housing NWT.
Housing NWT and local housing organizations strive to support tenants to be successful. Part of that success relies on the tenant keeping up with their responsibilities. This includes taking care of their unit, keeping it clean, and preventing damage. If a tenant or their guest causes damage, the tenant is responsible for the repairs. Let me be clear, this does not apply to normal wear and tear. We are talking about major damage like broken windows in a public housing unit. Local housing organizations do their best to provide services as quickly as possible if a unit is compromised due to damage. However, avoidable damage that requires a contractor can be both costly and take time to repair. And if this damage occurs during the winter season, both the tenant and the Housing Organization are under pressure to find appropriate accommodation and a speedy repair. This also takes funding away from other repairs that are needed in public housing units.
Under the Residential Tenancies Act, Housing NWT is responsible for maintenance and repairs on its buildings while tenants are responsible for covering the costs of damages caused by themselves, their pets, or visitors. Tenants are also required to notify the landlord if there are any problems with the property. For example, if something breaks or if there is a health or safety problem, tenants must let the local housing organization know as soon as possible. Tenants must take this responsibility seriously. We can all agree that maintaining good quality housing stock is extremely important, especially with the housing situation across the territory. The more damage caused, the longer the wait times to repair the unit as well as the higher cleaning and repair costs. Housing NWT aims to preserve the quality and longevity of our units, ensuring that they remain safe, comfortable, and in good condition for all tenants for years to come.
Mr. Speaker, I also want to talk about the damage that other people are causing to public housing units. We are seeing damage like broken windows and graffiti that is not being caused by the public housing tenants or their guests. When windows are broken or units are damaged, it takes time and money to fix - time and money that could be going towards completing other essential repairs inside of these homes. It also makes our communities look run down when we have boarded-up windows and homes in disrepair.
This both saddens and frustrates me, Mr. Speaker. We need to take pride in our communities and not cause unnecessary damage. We need to take personal responsibility for the state of our communities and recognize how important these homes are to our family, friends, and neighbours. This unnecessary damage directly impacts people’s lives. Let us work together to keep our houses in good repair and condition and keep our communities beautiful.
In the Northwest Territories, there is always a call for more affordable housing. We have to remember that damages to units will take funds that have been allocated for other projects, such as building more affordable housing. Damage can also result in people losing their homes. Continued unnecessary damage to units can make it impossible for Housing NWT and local housing organizations to keep up with repairs. This means that eventually homes become uninhabitable and people cannot live in them.
Mr. Speaker, if tenants are causing continual damage, it can also result in evictions. Housing NWT and the local housing organizations do not take evictions lightly. Evictions are the last action in a long, tracked process seeking to address non-compliance with a tenancy agreement, including damage to a unit. This is an issue that concerns us all. No one wants to see people homeless or families compromised. We are invested in seeing all residents with a roof over their head and safety for their families. As part of our commitment to ensuring a healthier living environment, Housing NWT is committed to providing safe and healthy public housing units that are positively affecting tenants' well-being and provide a home for their family members. Together, we can create thriving communities and comfortable homes for everyone. Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister for Housing NWT. Before we move on to other Ministers' statements, I'd like to recognize our former Premier Stephen Kakfwi. He was elected in 1987 and finished his job in 2003, but he's still a strong advocate for the residents of the Northwest Territories. Welcome to the House, Premier.
Ministers' statements. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has committed to making programs and services more accessible to residents and do better to streamline administrative processes. Today, I am pleased to announce a new initiative that will change the way businesses in the territory obtain their business licenses.
The launch of our new eService program for business licenses is a major step in promoting a business-friendly environment that demonstrates our commitment to supporting the economic growth across the territory. This new eService program is designed to streamline the licensing process, making it more efficient, accessible, and user-friendly for business owners. By leveraging modern technology, we are reducing the administrative burden on businesses which will allow them to focus more on their operations and less on paperwork.
Mr. Speaker, this new service is specifically tailored for businesses in remote areas and small communities not governed by local business licensing bylaws. This focus ensures that even more isolated entrepreneurs have the tools they need to succeed. The eService program offers several key features that will benefit business owners, including the fact that it can be accessed 24/7 so that business owners can apply and renew their business licenses anytime/anywhere using a computer or mobile device. At the same time, the application process was simplified with clear instructions and fewer steps so that the residents can attain their business license faster. Applicants will also receive real-time updates on their application status in an effort to promote transparency and to reduce uncertainty. Finally, the system boasts strong security measures to protect sensitive information and to ensure the integrity of the licensing process.
Mr. Speaker, this eService program is a testament to our government's commitment to innovation and efficiency. By embracing digital solutions, we are not only improving the experience for business owners but enhancing the effectiveness of our regulatory processes. I want to thank everyone who helped bring this project to life, including program staff, IT specialists, and the business owners who provided the valuable feedback. As we celebrate the launch of this eService program, I encourage all applicable business owners in the Northwest Territories to take advantage of this new tool. Whether you are starting a new venture or renewing an existing license, this program is designed to make the process smooth and more efficient.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate our government's commitment to supporting the business community and driving economic growth in the Northwest Territories. The launch of this eService program is one of many steps we are taking to achieve this goal. We will continue to seek an innovative solution and work collaboratively with stakeholders to ensure the success and prosperity of all businesses in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Ministers' statements. Minister for Education, Culture and Employment.
Mr. Speaker, skilled tradespeople are needed everywhere, now more than ever. Apprentices and journeypersons are a vital part of our economy. They literally keep the wheels turning, buildings standing, water flowing, and the lights on. These careers offer good pay, advancement opportunities, mobility, and lifelong learning. Becoming a tradesperson means taking charge of your future and aligning your interests and skills with a rewarding career. Getting there requires certification, and the Government of the Northwest Territories is here to provide comprehensive support. We offer career planning, help with applications, help with preparing for trade entrance exams, financial support during technical training and educational support at every stage of an apprenticeship. In high school, students can jump into their future through the Schools North Apprenticeship Program, or SNAP. Through this program, students explore a trade, gain work experience, get paid, and earn high school credits, all while completing their high school education. It is a chance to see if a trade is the right fit and to start building a solid foundation for their future career. This program could not be successful without the engagement of northern employers who take on SNAP students and apprentices, and we are always looking for more.
Career development officers are also there to support with study skills, access to educational materials, and help with the paperwork for technical training financial assistance. They offer personalized support to anyone interested in pursuing a trades career. They connect residents with resources for educational assessments, help with apprenticeship and technical training applications, and help understand the path to graduation.
Mr. Speaker, we have recently announced a two-year extension to the Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupation Certification Strategy. This extension builds on our success in four important areas:
Helping people receive training;
Supporting them in finding work;
Growing the workforce through partnerships; and,
Making informed decisions with the right information about the job market.
Mr. Speaker, National Skilled Trade and Technology Week is held in early November each year. It is a time to raise awareness of the career opportunities in the trades and celebrate NWT apprentices and journeypersons who have successfully completed their training. Every year, awards are presented for outstanding achievements highlighting NWT's exceptional talent. This year, we are celebrating 33 new journeypersons and 20 top-mark apprentices.
---Applause
Thank you, colleagues. These individuals come from every region of the Northwest Territories and represent 15 different trades and occupations. These apprentices and their journeypersons will have a real impact on their communities. Their skills guarantee that the lights go on, roofs go over our heads, plumbing works, heating systems operate and, yes, that roads are built.
Mr. Speaker, I invite all Members of this Legislative Assembly to join me in celebrating the employers dedicated to strengthening our workforce, the apprentices working toward certification, and the journeypersons across our territory who have successfully completed their training. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the statement made by the -- do I need to worry about the clock here? Okay, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the statement made by the Minister on trades skill development. It jives well with the statement that I was going to make today on workforce development.
Mr. Speaker, there are a number of projects in the budget which claim to support workforce development simply by being implemented. It will require people to build and operate; therefore, we are building our workforce. But is this really part of a strategically-thought out plan? One of the key problems I see in our economy is that we aren't achieving education outcomes and sending students to post-secondary in sufficient numbers to produce a local workforce so many of the jobs we create go to southern contractors and employees because we can't staff them. Look at the employment numbers for the Giant Mine remediation project, for example. They're sitting at 36 percent northern employment. From 1996 to 2019, around 40 percent of employment at the diamond mines was northern. Meanwhile, our employment rate hovers around 65 to 70 percent overall and 50 percent for Indigenous persons. So there is a lot of room for northern employment growth. A fundamental question raised by comparative analysis is what role should the government be playing in the economy? Is it our role to be industry or to create an attractive investment environment and educate, house, and support a workforce who can take advantage of available jobs?
I recognize that answer isn't black and white. Of course government contracts play a significant role in the economy here but when we're facing tough questions about where to put our money, I think we need to be carefully considering not just the benefits one type of investment might produce but the opportunity costs of that investment compared to others and what outcomes government is best positioned to meaningfully change. This kind of analysis is contained in the Greenland economic report I tabled last sitting and, again, I strongly encourage us to be applying this kind of analysis to our business planning. If northern employment is an outcome we're trying to achieve, let's analyze how best to achieve it and use that information to shift resources accordingly. We can't afford to be doing a little bit of everything and just hoping that it will all somehow come together in the end. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. Members' statements. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight, later today I will read a report in the House that shares our observations and serious concerns regarding the crisis conditions that have developed in the delivery of health care and social services and the lack of affordability and availability of housing stocks across the territory. In response, we are calling for an immediate course correction and meaningful intervention by the government to address these unsustainable issues.
Mr. Speaker, committee acknowledges the capital budget is before us, but we cannot approve it without seeing real commitments for change and a shift in government resources that better reflects the concerns of the NWT residents and the priorities of this Assembly.
Mr. Speaker, we are fully committed to collaborating with our partners in the Executive Council to solve these problems. Consensus government requires us all to work together and be accountable to our constituents and to the Assembly's shared priorities. Mr. Speaker, by focusing on those priorities, we believe we can create a more prosperous and resilient future for everyone. We look forward to continuing this important conversation and hope to see the necessary shifts during this sitting.
Mr. Speaker, it is not lost on committee the gravity of the position that we have taken, and we would reiterate that we are urgently seeking a course correction from government with appropriate resourcing behind it. Committee is deeply concerned about the fragility of our health care system and the apparent inability to put appropriate resources into housing. Mr. Speaker, we will speak further to this matter later today. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. Members' statements. Member from Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Yellowknifers are passionate about their beloved multi-use green space park, Tin Can Hill. It is a favoured destination for fat bikes, dog walks, sled rides, and local photo shoots, just to name a few activities throughout all the seasons.
As Tin Can Hill is in my riding, one of the first conversations I had after Cabinet was selected was with the Minister of ECE. I asked the Minister about plans for the site by the Aurora College transformation project to seek clarity on what the situation was, what was coming, as it was not clear to me or the public at that time. Mr. Speaker, it's still not clear to me or the public now nearly a full year later.
Part of that conversation was about how ECE had set out on a path to undertake an environmental site assessment. I was given assurances that I would hear more about the ESA in March. Seeing as how it's nearly November, you can understand my frustration and the frustration of residents. Another part of that conversation with the Minister was my highlighting the GNWT's willful lack of consultation before entering an MOU with the city of Yellowknife for the parcel of land we know as Tin Can Hill.
Yesterday I tabled a journal article by Sherry Arnstein entitled A Ladder of Citizen Participation. Since 1969, it has been referenced by policy analysts and advocates to show how far governments take steps up the ladder of citizen participation and ultimately how much influence they have over government decisions.
I'd argue that the GNWT often only reaches as far as informing our citizens which you'll note that the article considers a form of tokenism. In my experience, most people would like to feel heard on issues like this one that matter very much for their quality of life. The GNWT's own public engagement employee guide advises of the GNWT's obligation to engage as being politically advisable, in brackets, (optional), which leads me to wonder where it was considered optional for talking about the development on Tin Can Hill.
Mr. Speaker, it feels as though because the GNWT knew what kind of feedback it was going to get, it did not seek that feedback at all on Tin Can Hill. This means we haven't even stepped the foot on the ladder of citizen participation. We should take the concerns of our residents seriously. Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. We should take the concerns of our residents seriously, seeking feedback on new initiatives and adequately incorporating feedback where appropriate or explaining why we can't. It's clear we haven't done a good job of this for the residents who care about Tin Can Hill, and I want to be crystal clear I don't blame GNWT communications staff at all. I'm frustrated with GNWT decision-makers. I will have questions for the Minister of ECE at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Members' statements. Member from Monfwi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk about getting community projects started in the Tlicho region, especially now that we're focusing on capital infrastructure that's before us. So, Mr. Speaker, there's currently no swimming pool in the Tlicho region. In the past, Behchoko and Edzo both had a seasonal swimming pool which was opened during summer months. This created summer employment and training opportunities for our young people.
Behchoko pool was dismantled due to asbestos. The pool in Edzo burned down in 2014 and was never replaced. Mr. Speaker, we know these facilities improve our communities and create healthy ways for youth to spend their time. This is true when we look at other jurisdictions. The new pool in Yellowknife is nearly completed. The city of Iqaluit aquatic Centre, which was finished in 2016, has raised a recreation fund of more than $1 million to help low income families access the pool there. Yesterday the Government of Alberta pledged to spend $60 million on its municipalities over the next three years. The Tlicho region has a sportsplex, but not all youth and families use the facility. I can tell you that families will use a swimming pool to spend quality time with their children. A year-round swimming pool in Whati and Behchoko would create meaningful employment, new training, and career opportunities.
Mr. Speaker, I want to know what help we can provide our communities to get projects like these underway. Tlicho citizens will visit the Ruth Inch Memorial Pool in Yellowknife for Tlicho family swimming on Saturday, November 2nd. Mr. Speaker, my constituents tell me not everyone can drive to Yellowknife to use the pool at the scheduled times, especially residents from Whati, and I am worried about the road conditions during the upcoming winter months. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Members' statements. Member from the Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Project planning for the upcoming winter road season.
Mr. Speaker, winter is upon us, and the winter roads construction and maintenance will be starting soon. Mr. Speaker, preparations are needed for the high volume of expected traffic. Mr. Speaker, the Sahtu resupply grocers, projects, the LTL truck loads will be into the hundreds. We have our window. It is short and one only.
Mr. Speaker, the community of Fort Good Hope has secured financing and land for their home manufacturing construction centre. The inland communities of Deline and Colville Lake, the annual fuel resupply is well over and beyond a hundred truck loads. The GNWT fuel supplies are in four of five communities. Mr. Speaker, in addition, the commercial industrial community of Norman Wells will include truck loads well into the hundreds. More importantly, we cannot overlook and undermine our public safety obligations.
Mr. Speaker, project logistics and planning are essential to assuring, maintaining schedules, budgets, and safety. It is critical for project assurances. Our next scheduled House sitting is February 5, 2025. We cannot wait. Winter road construction on average starts the later part of November.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, the last winter road season, the Minister of Infrastructure supported a similar engagement to expedite consultation with the stakeholders. I will have questions to the appropriate Minister later. Thank you. Mahsi.
Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Members' statements. Member from Yellowknife North.
Member’s Statement 370-20(1):
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I will continue talking about our staffing crisis in the health care system and specifically address a source of longstanding frustration amongst shift workers, the fact that many are being denied the full amount of leave that they're entitled to.
Physicians, nurses, and other practitioners are given a certain amount of leave under their collective agreements except that the health authority retains the ability to deny anyone's leave application due to operational requirements or regional procedure. Our health system does require a certain number of people on shift 24/7, but we are not unique in this. Surely, other health systems have come up with formulas to ensure frontline staff can take leave. Currently, a combination of chronic understaffing and also our policies and how they're applied make it virtually mathematically impossible for all of our shift workers to take all of their leave. In some cases, someone's application for leave sits undecided with approval pending for so long that even if it does get approved at the last minute, it's impossible for someone to plan a vacation anyways. Our veteran nurses are being pressured to forego their vacation so that younger nurses can take their days off so they don't mutiny. Many are expected to be available on their days off even if they're not being paid to be officially on call. At our territorial hospital emergency room, practitioners are even being denied sick leave when they're legitimately sick because there's no one to cover. We need to retain our employees and not rely primarily on locums and agency nurses. We know that it's more cost efficient, provides higher quality health care with more cultural safety. But why would a nurse or doctor choose to work as a contracted employee for the health authority when they could have more freedom as a locum or an agency nurse? A major reason is the employee benefits, including leave. But if we don't allow them to take that leave, then what's the point? It is one reason we're seeing more and more health care practitioners quit their jobs and either leave the territory or choose to work as locums. Our embattled health care shift workers need the Minister and the health authority to first acknowledge the problem and communicate a clear plan to solve it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Members' statements. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Later today my honourable friend from Yellowknife Centre will be tabling a survey authored collaboratively between us about health care experience in the Northwest Territories. This work expands on the joint town hall that we undertook in the summer attended by over a hundred people. I invite the House and the public to read the survey and note that while 59 percent of respondents rated their quality of care as excellent, only 25 percent were satisfied with their overall health care experience. Here's what some of them had to say, quote:
Stop saying it's a staffing issue for all health care and properly staff. You have managers who have no idea how to manage. They never listen to the staff who do the work.
The whole health care system is falling apart. There are no appointments available and when you have one, you feel that it's a rushed appointment and you're not listened to. The doctors are burnt out. How are we spending money on all these locums and not on our employees.
The individual health care workers are great, but, quote, for people with complex health concerns, there seems to be no connective tissue with holding the overall system together and providing health care in an informed and coordinated way.
Mr. Speaker, if it wasn't clear, our health care system is on life support. The constant churn of locums and temporary staff have completely evaporated continuity of care in the Northwest Territories. The government has structured the health care system in such a way that it competes with itself for staff. Workers are leaving permanent positions to become locums to do less work for the same pay. And who could blame them? Look at the perks. Free housing, free rental cars, no paperwork to complete, live anywhere in the country. And there's more, fly for free and get enough Aeroplan points to get as many as ten free flights a year.
Mr. Speaker, the GNWT for some reason has optimized the health care to be utterly dependent on a fly-in culture that is making health care outcomes worse and staff retention next to impossible. Where there were once six-month contracts, now they are measured in weeks or days. To quote one health care worker, it's a free for all. Mr. Speaker, you cannot have a thriving health care system in a community if your nurses and doctors don't live in the community. What is happening in the NWT is not what's happening elsewhere in Canada despite what the Minister and government may say. No one will help us but ourselves to solve this problem and if the Minister cannot get the job done, then it's time for her to step aside for someone who will. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Members' statements. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As my colleague, Mr. Testart had said today, we're talking about health care and the survey we had discussed as well as the actions and desperate needs our citizens are suffering from. As noted by MLA Testart, we held a joint town hall, a conversation with the community, Mr. Speaker, around health care. It was desperately needed. The Minister of health was invited but declined and suggested a different date almost three months hence from the inquiry of when could you be available. Unreasonable scheduling I considered, but it is what it is. My good colleague in conversation said hey, let's offer more flexibility. We waited a week for a further response. And, Mr. Speaker, lest we forget, a nonresponse to come to a meeting is still a response.
But peculiar as that may be, Mr. Speaker -- and it is in its own way -- almost two weeks after our health care town hall discussion, she attended another Yellowknife MLA's meeting. I'm not suggesting anything bad. I'm just saying coincidence; I think not. Now, if she had attended our town hall meeting, the Minister would have seen firsthand, Mr. Speaker, the Baker Centre was filled to the brim. There was not a seat available. As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, I'd hate to call out the centre, but they were almost at fire capacity with enthusiasm, great people, respectful people, wanting to share their stories. They wanted to be heard. They had passion. They had problems. But they wanted to be part of the solution. There were stories to tell, I tell you, Mr. Speaker, deeply personal journeys that describe the trial by ordeals as they struggle to get help from anyone.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister would not have heard our professionals our terrible. No, she would not have heard that. But rather she would have heard great adjectives about these great teams. The only colourful adjectives used, Mr. Speaker, were "fantastic", "wonderful", "kind", and "caring", all perfect elements of our health care systems and the professionals that serve it so well.
It was a tough crowd, Mr. Speaker. Why? Because we had seniors who demand answers. And certainly, they do, Mr. Speaker. It was a passionate crowd. Mr. Speaker, some of their stresses were about availability of seeing a doctor, the referrals that never seem to get referred, the referrals that get re-referred, the questions and treatment by locums who get referred to another locum and then get followed up on a locum. You know, the passion of getting to know your doctor is impossible.
Later this afternoon, Mr. Speaker, I'll table a summary of our findings, and we'll have a further discussion as the week goes on, including today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Members' statements.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a Return to Oral Question asked by the Member for Yellowknife North on June 13th, 2024, regarding Wellness and Addictions Recommendations the Minister’s Forum on Addictions and Community Wellness: Healing Voices, which took place on April 30, 2013. Specifically, the Member asked if the department had addressed the recommendations made in the Healing Voices Report.
The Minister’s forum consisted of 12 members who traveled to 21 communities to listen to Northerners about what they felt were the best ways to stop the destructive impacts of alcohol, drugs, and other addictions, on NWT communities. The Healing Voices Report included valuable feedback from community members that was then organized into recommendations. Of the 67 recommendations made, the Government of the Northwest Territories accepted 59. As requested by the Member, I have also provided a copy of a list which provides an update on Recommendations 7, 11, 29, and 54 for which the Department of Health and Social Services has responsibility. Later today I will also table of copy of this update on recommendations 7, 11, 29, and 54. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize Vicki Johnston. She is a constituent of mine. She is doing good work with the Tin Can Hill conservation committee, and she is here today to see the exchange with the Minister. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize the 8th Premier of the Northwest Territories, Mr. Stephen Kakfwi, who was in the gallery today; I'm not sure if he still is. In addition to being Premier, he served as a Cabinet -- survived as a Cabinet Minister for 16 years. I'd also like to welcome Kyla Kakfwi-Scott, the deputy secretary in the Premier's office and her daughter Sadeya. I'm happy to welcome all three generations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to your chamber. I hope you are enjoying the proceedings. It's always nice to see people in the gallery and watch the hardworking Members.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if I had a longer Member's statement, I could probably talk for hours on this particular subject. But that said, there were a lot of concerns I did want raise and hence the question -- oral question period, sorry.
Mr. Speaker, one of the issues that was raised passionately about was being able to call for appointments, and the phone rings and rings and rings, finally takes a message, and it takes days for someone to reply if they reply. Some constituents have complained that no one even calls them back. Mr. Speaker, even my email to the Minister highlighting this took over five weeks to show up for a response what they're doing. So my question is is what is the Minister doing about the health care problems with respect to accessibility by calling in for appointments? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this issue has been on the books now and on the radar since -- you know, it's more -- it more happened more so when the lab changes happened that we do not have the technology within the hospital that allows for calls to be in queue and all that. And so there is work going on between -- NTHSSA is working with -- I think it's Infrastructure or TSC -- to ensure that this issue is being rectified. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
