Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister is the Minister aware of how long the Northwest Territories has been absent of support services for rheumatoid arthritis given the fact that she had sat on the social development committee last term and is a nurse so she should be familiar with the concept of the program? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm going to pick up where my statement left off and focus my questions on rheumatoid arthritis, Mr. Speaker. Is the Minister so I'll qualify my first question on this. Is the Minister aware of as to what program that supports rheumatoid arthritis exists in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS section 40.2(1) of the Public Service Act provides that the Commissioner, on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly, shall appoint an Equal Pay Commissioner to exercise the powers and perform the duties set out in this Act;

AND WHEREAS the position of Equal Pay Commissioner became vacant in June of 2023;

AND WHEREAS the Board of Management was tasked with recruiting an Equal Pay Commissioner and has recommended an individual to the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Assembly is prepared to make a recommendation;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's so much to talk about and we're given less than 20 minutes to talk about it. And part of this is about the conversation. I mean, the morose public continues to go through this process, and they want their chance. They're pining to be heard, Mr. Speaker. They want to be involved. They need to be involved. And for that I want to thank the public. The public interest has been on this since day one. There's been no shortage of interest and certainly input from the public, Mr. Speaker. And, you know, we can attempt to name some. We'd like to highlight...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think I was part of that earlier confusion. I thank the Member for Monfwi for moving the amended motion obviously and the Member for Range Lake for clarifying what it is, the intent of the amendment. That said, it's already been explained on the record so there's no sense in repeating what it was, but I want to further underscore I think the Members would like a recorded vote in this amendment process so therefore I'll formally ask for it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, it sort of sounded like she was a territorial Minister on the last piece, which I'll accept. That said, I was worried where she was going with that.

Mr. Speaker, to my original question, what is the Minister doing to bring transparency to the waiting list to get a doctor? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have to tell you I was offended and anybody else probably reading who reads transcripts, the tone of the Minister saying it's only a problem in Yellowknife, Mr. Speaker, maybe we should just double check before I proceed on questions to the next set of questions, is the Minister also a Minister for health in Yellowknife? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my understanding is it's been well over four or five years, which would have predated the Minister being elected to this House, but that said the important factor here is that regardless whether it's one year or four years is what initiative is the department of health doing to reestablish the services in the Northwest Territories. Given the fact that we're aware that the government plans to cut $150 million from the bottom line of programs and potential services, we need to know what they're doing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am aware of over 300 people annually have to travel to Edmonton for those types of support services. Can the Minister either clarify or confirm that type of number in the context of volume and cost? Thank you.