Richard Nerysoo

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is evident that the NWT health department is having trouble recruiting dental services for the residents of the Northwest Territories. In the year 2023, there was a total of 242 patients from the Mackenzie Delta region alone who were referred to Yellowknife to see the dentist. Another 33 were referred to Edmonton.

Mr. Speaker, the cost of these patients to travel from Inuvik to Yellowknife back to Inuvik is a modest $387,200. I say modest because cost factor does not include travel from their respective communities and for accommodations while in Yellowknife.

Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's related to my Member's statement on dentists within the Mackenzie Delta region. The high volume of patients from the Beaufort Delta region having to travel to Yellowknife to see the dentist in one or two days. Will the Minister or is the Minister looking at contracting a dental team to visit the Beaufort Delta region periodically until a permanent solution can be found? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The industrial arts and home economic courses were very popular in high school. It gave the students something positive to look forward to. Can the department look at bringing these courses back into the school curriculum to start the process of building the selfesteem of our students? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's very difficult to sit back as an elected official and watch as our young people are being neglected. This is exactly what is happening with our education system, especially in our smaller communities. The larger regional centres and Yellowknife seem to be benefitting more in this area.

Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago I did my Member's statement on the income support program. In my statement, I referred to the recipients who are young adults who are being let down by the education system. The young eager students are being socially promoted to graduating with...

Thank you to the Minister for that answer. Mr. Speaker, with the past success of these trade programs being in the school of the 1980s give the students the opportunity to get involved in a certain trade when they weren't academically ready to go to postsecondary institutions. So will the department commit to exploring these similar options to eliminate the social promoting of our students? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the department of education. Is the department looking at eliminating the practice of socially promoting our students of the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I take note to the Minister's response. I don't think that is satisfactory to the residents of Tsiigehtchic. That's making more reference to the community of Fort McPherson.

My question is will the Minister engage with his federal counterparts and local Indigenous governments to find a process where we can find services for the community of Tsiigehtchic? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the community of Tsiigehtchic and its residents have been requesting the services of the health department and the justice department for a few decades without any success.

Mr. Speaker, the closest nurse and RCMP is about 60 kilometres away. That is about 45 minutes' drive by vehicle. This is dependent on the season. In the winter, you can go directly by the allweather road. In the summer, you would have to use the ferry system, which can add time on the travel and time is essential. It depends on the severity of the health concern. And the RCMP is required...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the new polytechnical university being proposed in the future, would there be in partnership with the education department, will they be able to implement some paramedic courses or some special constable or security courses to be implemented into this polytechnical university to help alleviate some of these problems within Tsiigehtchic? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Premier. Like before me, Mr. Fredrick Blake, before him was Mr. David Krutko, before him was Mr. Richard Nerysoo. They all lobbied for the services of Tsiigehtchic to get health services and police RCMP services for the community of Tsiigehtchic because they're on the highway system. They're easy access to drugs and alcohol and other crime. My question is will the Premier commit to start and continue the process of trying to get these services to Tsiigehtchic as soon as possible? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.