Frieda Martselos

I have no other questions. Thank you.

I like the idea of the increased homeownership. I'd like to see the terms of reference that you're going to put out and if there is going to be a means test, you know, or is it going to be that you're just going to turn over the home to the individuals? Because, you know, I was thinking about this. Most of the people in housing, public housing, are Indigenous, and, as you know, Salt River did a program with the Government of the Northwest Territories, but there are a lot of other people. I want to make sure that we don't make it very difficult for the home ownership, the increase in home...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If there was a need to bring in heavy air tankers for the fire suppression, would these aircraft be able to use Fort Smith as a reloading base, or would the tankers have to reload in Hay River or Yellowknife, thereby delaying fire suppression activities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

When was the decision made to make all these airport changes, and why were the major users of the airport and the Town of Fort Smith not part of that decision?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't think either one of you has answered my question. I said, is it going to be by need, or is it going to be by per capita, the $5 million distributed?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to talk once again about the Fort Smith Regional Airport, to expand on the points that I raised last week. I felt that the answers I received from the Minister of Infrastructure were not clear or concise.

Mr. Speaker, I am told that, as a result of the narrowed runway, it is now more difficult to land planes in poor weather. As well, the new runway lights were placed on the pavement, which has made them more vulnerable to being struck by incoming and outgoing aircraft, whereas other airport runways across the NWT have their lights placed off the pavement top...

Madam Chair, I just want to make sure that I just wanted to say that this is an excellent priority. I think, when the decision-making was taken away from regions and communities, our people in the communities and regions do not want to come to headquarters for decisions. They would like to have those decisions made at their level. I think that's an excellent move, and, on behalf of all of us here, when we made this priority, I want to thank everybody in the room for that. Thank you so much.

I'm sorry, Madam Premier, but I'm just so passionate about this whole issue. It's just the concept. I said the AIP. We do AIPs all the time. It doesn't have to be AIP. It could be an MOU saying that we are going to be doing some of these things, and we are going to implement this. We have 19 or 20 or 33, I think it's 33, First Nations or Indigenous groups in the territories. I don't know exactly how many there are, but there are more than that. We get them to sign that we're going to end up doing this, at least have something so that people have an understanding that we're going to do this. If...

Mr. Speaker, for my Member's statement today, I would like to address the Department of Health and Social Services on their medical travel policy. In the past week, I have dealt with two separate cases for intervention; one case dealt with a stage 3 cancer patient, and another patient with possible serious outcomes. Both patients were approved for medical escorts by a doctor, and then overturned by the medical travel staff here in Yellowknife. This is a very concerning situation for the residents of the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, the policy is quite vague when it comes to medical travel escort criteria...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table three documents: an email from the Thebacha constituency regarding medical travel escort denial; two, reply for the EA on behalf of the Minister Thom regarding the above constituent; and three, the Ministerial policy on medical travel escort criteria, exceptions, and the appeal process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.