Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Certainly a good choice of words in the motion and interpretation of the motion.
I certainly appreciate it. It’s a crucial issue in our smaller communities and communities in the Northwest Territories. We are bringing motions to the floor, not for the sake of having a good debate and getting some air time. You bring motions because, as legislators, this is what we bring back from our communities, people we talk to. They say this is an issue in our community, how come you guys aren’t dealing with it? This is an issue when I go to Edmonton or Yellowknife. I am staying weeks at a time, months. I have family obligations at home. This is an issue that people felt we could do something about.
I agree with the comments. This motion talks about devising a system, looking at an expanded period of time. That’s why we wanted to give some highlight to this issue. It’s a sleeping issue on medical travel. Let’s face it, it’s happening.
In government, we pass infrastructure budgets, millions of dollars and we are looking at a new proposal that is looking at hundreds of millions of dollars. You know? So we do have the money. It’s just where we put our priorities and focus. It is there. We vote on it as legislators.
Mr. Speaker, you know, we change the direction of government. As legislators, that’s what they want us to do. This doesn’t say this is for emergency situations. Hopefully we can have this issue highlighted, raise it up as intentioned. There were some good questions around the House here. Let’s look at it. Emergency situations, number one. Maybe that’s where we can help.
I just found out that even with government employees, they use up their time. I am dealing with a situation right now, no more sick leave, no more special leave, no other leave. The person is here. What do they do? It’s leave without work. If you stay long enough, you are suspended. You know? There are circumstances like this. Not all the time, but you have people staying here from small communities. They phone me or maybe other MLAs. They are phoning for money to get things. They do appreciate some of the special circumstances.
Government employees, by the way, can’t stay at government Larga House. You know? So you have some special circumstances here. For us to have this discussion and raise it while people are here and hope we are looking at it seriously. There are a lot of good questions. I know we deal with a lot of emergencies here in the government here.
Mr. Speaker, I am asking the government to look at the hardship times, the intent of this motion. We had some good discussion on the income testing. The time is right that we have a review of the medical travel and have a discussion and bring it back to the floor.
I ask my colleagues to consider it. Hopefully within the months we have left with this government, we can look at some things. I don’t really know what the discussion will be once this whole issue is talked about and brought back to the table, but I’m hoping we would give a shred of light and hope to the people in Colville Lake and smaller communities. We don’t have a huge hospital or wellness centre. This could even go to the health centre. We don’t have that. We have to fly right from the communities, your families, your foods, your responsibilities as father and mother. We don’t have that luxury. We have to leave our communities for an extended period of time, so I’m asking to have that discussion.
I will also ask my colleagues to give it some thought. Hopefully the Minister will take this motion and work with it and say we have an issue.
I thank my colleagues for a really good discussion. I’m so glad it’s all coming out. We are in the business of setting precedents. We set precedents of being the first government to recognize residential reconciliation day in NWT and Canada. We have precedents set in student financial services and our health care. This is another area that we need to carefully look at, so I’m going to ask for a recorded vote on this one here.
I want to thank my colleagues and the Ministers for speaking. Let’s have a good run at this motion.
Question has been called. All those in favour?
Mr. Yakeleya, Mr. Menicoche, Mr. Blake, Mrs. Groenewegen, Mr. Bouchard, Mr. Nadli, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Moses.
All those opposed?
Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Abernethy, Mr. Miltenberger, Mr. McLeod – Yellowknife South, Mr. Lafferty, Mr. Ramsay, Mr. McLeod – Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Dolynny.
All those abstaining?
Ms. Bisaro, Mr. Bromley.
The results are: in favour, eight; opposed, eight; abstentions, two. It is a tie vote. I must break the tie. In accordance with the convention, I will vote against the motion. The motion is defeated.
---Defeated
