Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a process internally for all staff, you know, and I think that's the tool that they need to use. And from when I speak to the senior staff, they're not hearing. And so if that's an issue, then, you know -- and this is what I recommended to the staff. If they're not getting an answer from their immediate direct supervisor, then they go to the next level. And, you know, and I mean, coming to the -- directly to the Minister's office, a lot of this stuff is operational. A lot of it is staffing, you know, and the things that the Member, like...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, I appreciate that question because the process for the NTHSSA is, you know, they have the authority; we've been questioned on how the money is being spent in there. We have a deficit. So over the years, in order to deal with some of those issues, has been they are running a deficit because they're trying to fit in areas where there's not -- you know, where the staffing vacancies are, where there's only a certain amount of staff per unit, there's -- you know, and so there's a process for that. And right now, what the process is is they run a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following five documents: Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority 2023-2024 Annual Report; 2024-2025 Health and Social Services Authority Budgets by Activity; Hay River Health and Social Services Authority 2023-2024 Annual Report; NWT Department of Health and Social Services 2023-2024 Annual Report; and, the Tlicho Community Services Agency Health and Social Services Annual Report 2023-2024 . Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, working with the NTHSSA, you know, I think that's the plan is the new HR, human resource plan, that will include, you know, working -- that's coming up, the people's plan, that will help to highlight some of those issues. And the ongoing conversations that I have with the governing council of the NTHSSA at this time, you know, those ongoing discussions that happen, the ongoing -- you know, the ongoing discussions that I have with my own senior officials to ensure that there is work going on, you know, so that the frontline staff are hearing this. But...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will not commit to our territory doing what Alberta can do and support or what Ontario can do and support. We are very different than those two provinces. What I do know that in hearing from what's going on in Ontario, they're now having to build in supports within their health system to support their quick transition of allowing international nurses into the system. So now they're having to build in supports for that. That is not something that we can just turn around and do. We already have a taxed health care system and frontline workers that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The last discussion that I had on this was that the CAN was actually working on the solution, and I know that the Minister and I have touched base again to follow up on further discussions to have another updated meeting with them to where this is. I know that they're looking at the same model that -- they're looking to work with BC on the model that they have because of the -- to try and shorten the process of the assessment of the nurses that are -- international nurses that are coming into Canada to be able to come to work in the Northwest Territories. So as for...

Mr. Speaker, as the Member is saying this, right now there is actual leadership training going on within the NTHSSA to support those managers to do the work that the Member is asking for. Why this is only happening now? I can't speak as to what happened in the past or what changes. But we know that our managers are taxed with a lot -- we know our frontline staff is taxed with a lot. How do we support our managers to help, you know, to work with their frontline staff to let their frontline staff feel supported? That's the work that's going on right now. It might not be out there nice and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the make-up of the authority for the operations, which are the frontline staff which we hear a lot about from the Members of this House, lies within the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services. They are -- they have a governing council. So within the authority, where the Minister's relationship is is I get to work with the governing council over that authority. And, you know, when these issues are raised, I, you know, will have those conversations, not just with my own -- with the governing council chair but with my own deputy minister to be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this work is going on internally within the NTHSSA, and so what I can do is I can have a conversation with the governing council to ensure that they are working with their frontline staff, their management, and so everybody is aware of what's coming down, and if there is input that's needed and if they're not feeling heard, then I will ensure that I inform the governing council to ensure that this is getting done. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.