Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise in regards to my Member's statement regards to helping our communities recover funding through our lockdown that we've been having up in the communities, all across the Northwest Territories, whoever's been locked down or having road checks and stuff like that, they're not getting any help or funding from our government. They could correct me today if I'm wrong.
Mr. Speaker, does the GNWT policy require all small communities to pay for the COVID response during the outbreak including isolation centres and road check stops? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. The Honourable Premier.
Not Honourable Premier but the Member wants to ask questions of the Minister of MACA.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Member for the question. Before I answer the question, I'd like to thank the leadership from Tuk. I had numerous phone calls, as well as the Minister from Health and the Premier. They worked very hard. I know there was numerous phone calls. Also, I'd like to thank the SAO from the community and the regional superintendent for Municipal and Community Affairs.
In regards to the question that the Member asked, so in regards, the community received over -- well, received $213,506 through three payments as COVID started in the territories. So we were able to give that to the community.
In regards to isolation centres, if it's medically-appointed, then it's very much about the COVID Secretariat. They look after that there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So all the -- I guess across the territory, that includes everybody that has a -- was locked down, our COVID Secretariat with the outbreak for the isolation centre. What about the road, the check stops? Is the community going to be reimbursed for that through MACA because it's coming out of the local community's purse. And that shouldn't be. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Member for this question.
So the Government of the Northwest Territories gave the community $213,506. We gave that money to the community, and they could use it for however they see fit. If they were going to use check stops and they wanted to do that, that money could be used there.
We didn't ask for an inventory checklist or invoice, receipts, and that. We gave the money to them to help them deal with the COVID situation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we need more money. Tuk is running in a deficit in regards to what's happening with the COVID outbreak this last two weeks. Everybody's been tired and stressed and trying to do what they can. My leadership has been running ragged. We've been on phone calls all day, with the Premier and Health Minister. I thank them for that, but the thing is, Mr. Speaker, if the COVID Secretariat is going to call a lockdown, they should be paying the bill and not saying they gave the money. And we should be worrying about it after the outbreak. Like, is everybody COVID free, then we should worry about paying the bills. But in this case, it's upfront. People -- the community doesn't want to pull the trigger because in regards to having to pay out themselves. And again, then it's going to take away from the community itself. If they call the outbreak and lock the community down, at that time they should be paying the bill, Mr. Speaker. And is this government going to do that for us? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we move forward and as we learn from our experiences with this COVID issue, the biggest thing is that in my communications with leadership and that is for their SAO to reach out to our superintendent. Reach out to them. We're willing to work if there's some challenges or concerns that community have, then we can work with them.
We are trying to help as best we can, getting clarity where we're doing things. But the biggest thing I have to say is get the leadership to get their SAO to reach out to our superintendent, because they can work together. They've been doing a great job pre-COVID, during COVID, and hopefully at some point in time post-COVID. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just -- no, I don't want to take away all the good work that's been done by my leadership by our government in regards to providing all the help they could with the health and our medical staff up in Tuk have been awesome. They flew in people, Arlene Jorgensen. Thank her so much in regards to the service that she's been doing for the people. But this is the biggest thing, is to make sure that we are able -- if we're able to help the community in paying their bills instead of shortchanging, taking busing away from here, and doing -- taking other monies from other pots of funding, to make sure our government comes forward to help them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we're not trying to shortchange people. We're trying to work with the municipal governments. We're all learning as we move forward. Like I said, we've given the community of Tuk over what I think was $213,506 that they can use to help deal with this COVID. If there's some deficiencies or there's some challenges, I just need their leadership to work with their SAO to reach out to our regional superintendent.
Now if it's a COVID Secretariat, she is able to work with that. If it's a health is there, if it's a municipal and community affairs, she's able to coordinate this. So I understand this is very challenging. And again I have to applaud all the small communities and all their leadership for all the work they've been doing through this. It's amazing that we're able to be so successful. But again, it's about working together and more than willing to have -- like I said, get the SAO to reach out to our superintendent, and we'll start working that way. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.
