Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services, and it's with respect to sort of a broader view of how to tackle some of the health and social services challenges. And, of course, first I'm concerned about, you know, is health too big? And that's not picking on anyone personally. It's a giant monolith. So.
Mr. Speaker, I know the Minister -- sorry, the Premier hands out portfolios per se, but would it help focus some of the challenges in by separating the portfolios so we could really deal with some of the robust challenges we've been raising and throwing towards the Ministers to say can you solve? Thank you.
Member from Yellowknife Centre, are you asking the Premier or are you asking the health Minister, because it kind of seems like you're asking the Premier a question.
No, I'm asking the Minister would it help so they could focus in on the challenges we have if we separated them. So would it help her do her job if health was a standing unit itself, health and social services separated. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, whether it's in one department or it's in two departments, we do have dedicated staff that deal with the health stream and then we have dedicated staff that deal with the social services. Like, we have a director of social services that kind of deals and falls under that. The majority of the -- you know, like, the -- is the operation stuff which amalgamates into NTHSSA. So the authority is -- oversees both those two areas. So if the -- you know, it's not -- it's not -- I would not make that decision alone. But I don't -- I don't see that it would, you know -- at this point, I don't see that it would make a difference because we do focus majority of our -- of my time is focused on the health portfolio -- on the health area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I appreciate the -- what I would surely describe as a sincere answer on that question. It's a tough one to say hey, what do you think of dividing your portfolio to two. I think it was a fair answer.
Mr. Speaker, most hospitals or hospital types or authorities are run by people with PhDs, you know, and they come with the credentials of things known as public health administrators. Mr. Speaker, do we have that type of talent in the department of health overseeing the NTHSSA or even the Stanton hospital? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the decision to create the NTHSSA as one territorial health and social services came in 2016, long before my time, while I was still an employee within that -- the health area. The governance council structure at the time of the day, I even remember watching the Legislative Assembly, I remember hearing and seeing and talking with other people that were attending those meetings and the consultations to create the structure. The communities were very afraid that they would lose their voice on how health care and social services should be in their communities and as the government of the day decided that they would create the leadership council, the governing council, so that is the current -- the governing council of the NTHSSA. As to what their credentials are, I -- you know, they -- they're -- I don't have that in information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, again, in my research and looking around hospitals across Canada -- I mean, I didn't look at every one, I want to be clear, I wouldn't want to give you that impression. Would the Minister acknowledge and recognize that being a public health administrator, typically a PhD of some sort, is a specialized skill when it comes to management of health authorities? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Can you please explain what you mean by public administrator? We have CEOs, COOs, and so are you talking about those positions or that -- thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's very specific to health care administration. So it's a very technical skill about overseeing hospitals. Thank you.
Thank you, Member. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, within the structure, we do have a CEO that oversees the NTHSSA. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my understanding is we do not have someone of that type of caliber in our system. Can the Minister confirm we have no one of that credentials of being a public health administrator or a PhD level person running the management of these types of authorities in our system currently today? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, we have credentialed staff within our authority running our authority. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.
