Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the things that, within the small communities -- and I had asked this on numerous occasions to the department on different topics -- is with smoking cessations in the communities, the majority of the population in our small communities, you know, are Indigenous, so all of our insurances that we apply have with non-insured health benefits, Metis benefits, extended health benefits, they all cover smoking cessation. And from my understanding, we do supply those in -- we do have them in the health centres and so people, if they get the physician to -- or...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want committee to know and I want, you know, the Members to know, and as well as the public to know, that there was actually no program because there was no positions. They're all vacant. They have been vacant. You know, the vision of, yes, making Yellowknife a training ground but, you know, those are just visions. And, you know, and I hear the Member, and, you know, if that was something that was happening, you know, it would be very hard. But with the positions -- this has gone back many, many, many years. It's gone back to -- that there's been, you know, sporadic --...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, I'm always willing to meet with any groups. You know, like I said, I'll meet with Indigenous groups, I'll meet with any groups. I'll meet with Members. You know, and I hear the Member and, you know, and I fully understand where, you know, this -- like I said, these are some decisions that we had to make. But, again, I'll leave it at that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We will be working with the Indigenous governments, and the Indigenous governments are going to be the one that are being to be hiring the staff. We will be supporting those staff with our program. So kind of working together and supporting them in whatever capacity that we need to support those residents that will be living in that facility. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. All the health centres that have health centre nurses in them do. The health cabins, however, do not. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I fully remember the Don't Be a Butt Head campaign. This school-based smoking prevention program was delivered for about nine years as part of the healthy choices framework. In about 2015, there was a shift toward incorporating tobacco cessation into a broader cancer prevention and community wellness initiative. And therefore the funding for Don't Be a Butt Head was absorbed into other budgets. The department has continued to work with delivering supports in substance use and education in school. The new one that they have is the -- what they call The Dope Experience...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this was part of the restoring balance. And so those conversations happened and so we had to make some tough choices, as many Ministers will speak to some of the tough choices that we had to make as a government. So thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yes, we usually end up having all of the budgeted item for physicians used up by the permanent and the locum doctors, and sometimes we may even go over, so.

I'm going to give that to the ADM.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As I mentioned, you know, I mean, I've had these discussions on the floor of the House so I'm not denying that, you know, there has been many concerns brought forward. I know that there will -- you know, that the department is doing work. I know that there was an employee satisfaction engagement done and the results of that will -- you know, will help us guide some of the work. And, you know, we've heard from the Members. We've met -- you know, we've met with some of the Members and some people that are advocating for some of these changes. And, you know, that is...