Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Premier confirm what is the role of her department when it comes to persons who are indigent and without the financial resources to acquire treatment or drugs for a rare disease such as chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, these questions are for the Premier.

Mr. Speaker, will the Premier confirm how, in the Extended Health Benefits Policy 49.07, a disease condition makes it on the list of specified disease conditions? How often is this list updated and what consideration is given to those diseases that are rare such as chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister confirm how many mental health counsellors are on the ground in Hay River and if the department has sent in additional counsellors from other communities? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to NWT small communities, each is impacted by the high cost of living, limited business opportunities, lack of sustainable employment, lack of acceptable housing, lack of an acceptable level of health care, education and infrastructure; all issues that have been discussed on the floor of this House over the years by various MLAs with minimal resolve.

Mr. Speaker, in a previous statement I pointed out that, above all, one major project that would have a substantial impact on the economy and on the lives of residents in the NWT is the completion of the Mackenzie Valley...

Thank you, Madam Chair. And I thank the Minister for the answer because, you know, that's what I was looking for, is that when those assessments start to, you know, start to hit the desk of the pathfinder and the agreements are made, I'm hoping that, you know, the advances can go out and people can start working on repairing their homes or replacing them right away. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Has any of this money I guess made its way to victims, especially ones that don't have the financial resources to I guess sustain themselves?

Like, we have people out there that, you know, that are financially stable. They, you know, they may have a mortgage but they're able to, or you know, if they have to move out of their house they can rent a hotel or whatever. But we have those people who are, you know, living paycheque to paycheque. They just don't have those resources. They're paying a mortgage. They're paying rent. So I guess I'm asking this, has any of these...

In favour.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I didn't really have any comments. But I guess listening to my colleagues and reflecting on, you know, some of the people I know, some of the things that have happened in the past. You know, my own sister, for instance, she was diagnosed with cancer at the last minute after a few years of going to doctors and, you know, and passed away, you know, two months after that. So, you know, the issues here are, you know, small communities and even regional centres and whatever, but I think it comes down to, you know, Indigenous peoples.

You know, we have like...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister tell this Assembly what are the barriers to completing the Mackenzie Valley Highway to Norman Wells within a reasonable timeline? Is it rights agreements? Is it money? Is it environmental requirements? Is it GNWT's capacity? Communities have been waiting too long for yearround access to the south. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the importance in ease of access to goods and services is something many Canadians take for granted, but not so much for small communities in the NWT and more so when there's no highway access south.

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister of Infrastructure confirm what progress is being made on completing that portion of the Mackenzie Valley Highway from Wrigley to Norman Wells? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.