Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I support MLA Cleveland's ongoing efforts to make sure we increase our population, but I don't want to do that on the backs of unplanned pregnancies, Mr. Speaker, and especially, I think, unplanned teen pregnancies are a reality in the North, and we all know that they have longterm consequences, and people, you know, may not have access to the contraception to make their own choices. And so my question seeing now that BC has provided universal contraception, is this something that the Minister of health supports. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I certainly support BC doing this. However, the NWT has only less than one percent of BC's population, and so it would be difficult for us to roll out a universal contraception program right here right now. But there's an election coming up. So it could be an election issue.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, I think what would be helpful in making it an election issue is just a few facts. And so whenever we talk about extended benefits in this territory, it's extremely complicated as the Minister's well aware. We've got Metis benefits, we got NIHB benefits, we got GNWT benefits, and we got a new extended benefits program rolling out as we speak. So I'm wondering if the Minister could take back and perhaps do an analysis of what this would actually cost and who presently do not have access to some sort of contraception coverage. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what I can tell now tell you now about the inventory is that adult and youth residents of the NWT who are eligible for noninsured health benefits as well as the people who are eligible for Metis health benefits have access to contraceptives at no cost. There may be other residents who receive employee benefits or other third party insurance who may also have access to no cost contraceptives. The Member may recall last fall that we because we were concerned about the proliferation of syphilis throughout the NWT, installed 200 free condom dispensers throughout the NWT. So those are also available to the public to meet their needs. Now, a person in a small community, a woman in a small community who wants an oral contraceptive could get that from the community health nurse as an interim measure until the doctor comes to visit. Thank you.
No further questions, Mr. Speaker.
Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.
