Lesa Semmler

Yes, thank you, that's correct.

Yes, Mr. Chair, that is something that we and the department has been doing lots of work in this area. And, you know, I hear what the Member is saying, and I agree that there right now as we stand, though, there aren't a lot of programs that are up and ready to access in the Northwest Territories and so what we're hoping is that within this government, and that's why it's in the business plan, that we can collaborate with those Indigenous governments that have programs. And we know that we're spending anywhere from $200 to $650 a day outside the territory on services for individuals. And...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I don't I don't have the level of detail of what the services are being provided in all of the Dehcho communities, but we can look at what services aren't provided right now and get back to the Member. And if there are concerns or, you know, as we're rolling out more and more communities that have the needs and if there is a needs assessment that needs to be done in those communities, you know, I like I said, I don't have that kind of level of detail here. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will pass that over to the ADM.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, one of the things that I I guess, becoming in this role is that and I've been saying it on the floor of the House, is that we can't really forecast some areas in health and, you know, right now, there's been a bigger uptake in addictions program in the last fiscal year, and, you know, if we hope, you know, that this is the path that our residents are wanting to go, we will support them, and then we would have to go back for a supplementary appropriation or else to be able to try and fund that within. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm not sure where in the budget and if it's just the overall question on the entire budget, then I mean the budget that I have, I know that we have a business plan. We will be working within that to come up with, you know to, you know we're getting we've got the mandate now. You know, the mandate letters will come to the Ministers. We'll be looking into with our departments to look at where and how we move the business plan and the priorities of this government along. As to what you know, what those estimates might be, this budget here is you know, it's got some...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As I mentioned, this extended health policy has been reviewed. I know that there was in the last government, it went back out to review because of a lot of the concerns. There was recommendations to make changes. Those changes were made. How we use this you know, what tool we use to measure low income, you know, there is a jurisdictional scan across Canada on how other jurisdictions provide any type of support to low income, and you know, and some of the you know, and I know we provided information to committee on this. There's been many presentations. There's you...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Last year we had to go for a supp with the increase in number of people that were accessing and the cost that it the increased cost to travel, like the air costs and stuff to send people out. This time we didn't put those costs we didn't bill that into the budget this year because we were able to get an agreement with NIHB that their NNADAP programs that they have in Canada, they will approve the funding if any Indigenous people that are status or Inuit that fall under their program can access those programs, that through NIHB, the travel will be also included. So that...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess where I'm my I'm it's not for me to ask you questions. But for the concerns that I've heard are not on the low income side I guess. They're people having anybody who's under that threshold or has never had any services before, you know, I mean, this is where they're actually going to have an extended health benefit whereas they've never had it before. You know, if you're living in a house and you own your home and you're paying high utility costs, you know, I mean, this is where income testing is coming in and other insurances so, like, your employer...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. There was a lot of numbers. There was a lot of calculations in that. I am not a mathematician, and I could not keep up with where we were at. What I can say with that, you know, is I understand that there's people out there that are not getting any services. There are people that are getting you know, and the majority of people already that may be working in positions, they may have some type of insurances. This doesn't inhibit them from applying on this program as well. So this is the payer of last resort, but it can be in combinations with other. It's not going to...