Lesa Semmler

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.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The people plan is the -- so we have the human resource plan that is coming to an end. We have the bridging plan that's going to continue on that human resource plan until the new people plan is ready for the -- like, to roll out. And that would be in 2025. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that has been my direction. It has by been my direction to look at what -- in what circumstances can those hours be limited to reduce those barriers. As I can't commit to it across the board for all staff coming in from different parts of the -- like, you know, international educated nurses come into Canada, I'd have -- like, that's where I have to draw the line because I have to ensure that, you know, the staff that are coming in are going to be supported, are going to be able to just, you know, come in and do the work. We have new graduates that are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, within this, what I would suggest is is that I will work with my counterpart, Minister of ECE, to get a follow-up and an update on where we are with this as to, you know, with the hours and the practice. The one thing that I would like to say is that, you know, in -- it's just been mentioned in this House that the staff are taxed with supporting other staff, mentoring. You know, we have a nursing program here that's a four-year degree program. They go into the system, they have to be mentored by nurses in the hospital. We are trying to create training...

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.