Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we’re proceeding into the budget dialogue process, I’d like to refer back to the budget dialogue report that the Minister of Finance and his little tour that he went on through the Northwest Territories listening to our residents. Actually, I want to focus on three main areas that were discussed and addressed under the Health portfolio.
I won’t get into some of the detailed comments that my colleague went into earlier, but one was the investment in treatment programs and for mental illness, something that this side of the House has been fighting for ever since we started the 17th Legislative Assembly. It’s great to see that the Minister of Health and Social Services did commit to the detox beds and that he also committed to possibly bringing a supplementary appropriation here for an early intervention team to start up possibly this fiscal year. Also, one of our priorities is using existing infrastructure to put some of these programs in place. So it’s stuff those Members have been talking about since we started the 17th Legislative Assembly.
Another area of his focus that residents of the NWT have been speaking to is preventative health programs. The percentage of budget dollars that go to the Health budget is still very low, even though the Minister did make comments about it earlier in his opening remarks. It still doesn’t address the need of residents in the Northwest Territories and it’s something Members on this side of the House will continue to fight for.
You’ve heard colleagues mention this, but midwives was something that was also discussed and emphasized from the residents of the Northwest Territories for community-based maternal care and employment of midwives, not consulting about creating action.
On the news this morning, it was clearly stated, we’ve had enough consulting, it’s time for action. We have the reports. We have the documents. It’s time to put some of this stuff on the ground and start listening to our residents. If government isn’t going to act on it, then rest assured committee and Members on this side of the House will bring these concerns forward, get them addressed, get them in the budget process, and get the dollars for these programs and services to ensure that our residents are being listened to.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
