All right, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the opportunity for a second round. Mr. Speaker, my questions will be directed to the Minister of health for clarify and surety that the House knows where the questions are going.
In previous sessions, I've raised the issue of licensing requirements of nurses who have received training outside of the country. The hours weren't the issue. The gatekeeper of the nursing association is controlling who can be qualified under their rules to practice here. Mr. Speaker, I referred a specific case to a situation where Ontario has approved a license, Alberta's approved a license, but NWT has no pathway to approve this. So in short, Mr. Speaker, while we have cost of living going up and industry is packing up, we can't risk losing nurses who want to work here. It's that simple. What has the Minister done to help solve or resolve this issue? Thank you.
Member from Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The last discussion that I had on this was that the CAN was actually working on the solution, and I know that the Minister and I have touched base again to follow up on further discussions to have another updated meeting with them to where this is. I know that they're looking at the same model that -- they're looking to work with BC on the model that they have because of the -- to try and shorten the process of the assessment of the nurses that are -- international nurses that are coming into Canada to be able to come to work in the Northwest Territories. So as for the details of that, I will have to get back to the Member. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will accept the details in writing. Mr. Speaker, the BC model, if I remember correctly, is to further train and assess them at their cost. Is that how it is going to -- is that how the model's intended to roll out under this leadership of this Minister and working with CAN and the NWT Nursing Association, or will there be a bridging support program to help these individuals? Because the last time I was told this person, this family, was instructed to move to Alberta, go get your hours there, then hey, move back. We have to have a reasonable model. So, please, can you elaborate on the BC idea. Thank you.
Colleagues, I would appreciate you looking to me instead of the Minister that you're asking the questions. Please and thank you.
Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, within this, what I would suggest is is that I will work with my counterpart, Minister of ECE, to get a follow-up and an update on where we are with this as to, you know, with the hours and the practice. The one thing that I would like to say is that, you know, in -- it's just been mentioned in this House that the staff are taxed with supporting other staff, mentoring. You know, we have a nursing program here that's a four-year degree program. They go into the system, they have to be mentored by nurses in the hospital. We are trying to create training for those nurses, those senior nurses, to -- you know, to support them in their duties as mentoring. So we're trying to build that capacity within the authority right now. As for bringing on new international nurses to do this, that support would have to be built into this. So this would be a new, like added on to the NTHSSA where we are currently. Not necessarily will, you know -- as for more of the details, this is something, again, that I would offer a briefing on standing committee, and I would -- we could send a letter once we've had an update from CAN where they are with this. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I think it's fair to say -- at least I know I've been briefed to death on this particular initiative, I'm not speaking for the social development committee, I'll let them make their own decisions -- but that said, Mr. Speaker, would the Minister show some leadership by either, A, eliminating the hours required on qualified nurses, obviously, because they've gone to school, or immediately issue a directive to the nursing -- in writing, in other words, direction that they co-partner with either BC -- sorry, Alberta or Ontario that if nurses qualify there, by defacto they qualify here in the Northwest Territories to practice. Thank you. Two ideas.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will not commit to our territory doing what Alberta can do and support or what Ontario can do and support. We are very different than those two provinces. What I do know that in hearing from what's going on in Ontario, they're now having to build in supports within their health system to support their quick transition of allowing international nurses into the system. So now they're having to build in supports for that. That is not something that we can just turn around and do. We already have a taxed health care system and frontline workers that would need to do this. So what I will commit to is getting more information as to where we are ready for this and, again, providing that. You know, whether the Member has been -- is fully aware of this, you know, standing committee may and some of the Members, the other Members, you know, we would love to have more nurses into our system. And how we get there, we need to make sure that Northwest Territories and the frontline staff that are going to be mentoring them can support that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Mr. Speaker, we have genuine qualified professionals who want to live here in the Northwest Territories. They want to be contributing to the fabric of who we are and where we're going to be to care for Northerners. Mr. Speaker, they view this, in short, is protectionism without creating opportunities that we're inviting. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister be willing to assess and recommend the elimination of those hours required to practice assuming they qualify in all other areas of education and experience? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that has been my direction. It has by been my direction to look at what -- in what circumstances can those hours be limited to reduce those barriers. As I can't commit to it across the board for all staff coming in from different parts of the -- like, you know, international educated nurses come into Canada, I'd have -- like, that's where I have to draw the line because I have to ensure that, you know, the staff that are coming in are going to be supported, are going to be able to just, you know, come in and do the work. We have new graduates that are coming out of Canadian institutes that also need to be supported, so we have to balance that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.
