Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as long as I am the Minister, there will be no changes to the senior benefits as all of the benefits that are on the table -- like I said, even with the extended benefits, those changes, we're going to be doing the review so those discussions will happen later on this winter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if there was charges to anyone who was on senior health benefits that was charged for over-the-counter drugs, I would suggest them reach out to my office or to their MLA because those charges shouldn't -- before -- I'll clarify, shouldn't have been charged under what was going to be proposed but after I took further -- looked at it further and began to kind of pull it apart a little bit, when I asked the questions as to why these changes in pharmaceuticals were being changed and why we were getting these e-mails from seniors because it was extended health...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, what I would like to say is the benefit -- pharmacy -- I don't know how to say it very easily without a lot of words in this time because our medical -- our extended health benefits is multiple programs together. So pharmacy goes through Alberta, and there is the changes that were made and they implement our senior benefits and our extended health benefits and our Metis benefits. But for each program, they're supposed to be simultaneously done. The one thing that we were looking at under Restoring Balance was how do we -- you know, if there's changes...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to also recognize former Premier Cochrane. I had the pleasure to be in the 19th Assembly and have her at the helm of this Assembly with all of the things that we did, and as well as her partner. The last time I saw him, we were jumping on a plane, and we won't say when. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Member for bringing this motion and for drawing attention to the fundamental principles that guide our healthcare system.

As an Indigenous nurse who has worked in the regional centre and travelled to various small communities, I have witnessed firsthand the critical need and accessibility and quality health care that's needed. As I look to the remainder of my term, I continue to use the three priorities that are guiding me to make the decisions on access to care.

1. First of all, we are overhauling, again, the medical travel program so every resident, no matter...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said before, there are many things going on throughout the entire healthcare system that is -- you know, is improving within the capital, within the regions. There is capital projects that are going on. There is a significant amount of work that is going on. I have discussed this with my department on how to better front-face all of the work that the department is working on and is doing, and I'm -- you know, we're working with our COMMS people to be able to provide a front-facing -- some type of public document that is showing a lot of the different things that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the relationship between the NTHSSA and Avens is between the NTHSSA and Avens, and they were supported. This -- as we've been talking about in this House today, that was something that nobody else has experienced. And I understand where the Member is coming from but, like I said, we looked at all of the, and we worked with the Minister of MACA, and the decision still stands. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what I do know about the -- what happened within that situation, there has been discussions that's gone back and forth. It came back between the disaster funding that it wasn't eligible or applicable, and these were things that didn't meet for reimbursement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The little bits and pieces, what I do know of the First Nations BC health authority are from my old practices with NIHB. And I know from the -- within BC, all of the Indigenous groups have gotten together, the reserves got together, and so they do run clinics on their reserves. They draw down those funds. And I know that we've had these conversations that they're getting larger amounts of money per capita because they've drawn down some of these services on their reserves. And they also encompass administering NIHB in their province solely.

But within the Northwest...

Yes, I will direct the PA to update what needs to be updated in that area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.