Steve Norn

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that, on Thursday, October 22, 2020, I will move the following motion as well: now therefore I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Hay River North, that the following Member be appointed to the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment: Ms. Katrina Nokleby, Member for Great Slave; and further, that the following to the Standing Committee on Economic on Government Operations: Mr. Ronald Bonnetrouge, the Member for Deh Cho; and further, that the following Member be appointed for the Standing Committee on Social Development: Ms...

Madam Chair, I move that the Chair rise and report progress.

Marsi for that response from the Minister. I understand there is an investigation as well. Are there any big updates on this investigation?

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. On September 3, 2020, the GNWT announced their intention to create a brand-new department called the COVID-19 secretariat. In all honesty, right from the start, I remain skeptical of the purpose and efficacy of this proposed secretariat. For starters, Mr. Speaker, since this initial announcement, there have been minimal updates as to the status of the secretariat. I feel like the Department of Health and Social Services could do better, and in my opinion, they've dropped the ball in terms of updating the NWT regarding new cases of COVID-19 in a timely manner and putting...

I came up with some of these questions on the fly, so my apologies for that. My last question is: are we going to be expecting any more cases aside from these three presumptive cases?

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Through my Member's statement today, I mentioned that some of our responses for COVID in terms of cases. It's important that we keep our Aboriginal governments up to date because they each have their own populations to deal with, their own people to respond to. This goes to those three presumptive cases that we have, that currently we're looking at. My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. My first question is: when will the Department of Health and Social Services let the public know when these presumptive cases are positive or negative?

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. That's good to hear there are some measures being put in place. There are these gaps. We still need to keep talking about them. We are still hearing them. I know you are in a new role, and already, we've got you to rise quite a few times already. It just goes to show that there are some really glaring areas of need, like yesterday.

My final question: I think from looking at things, I think homecare nurses might be a good starting point in small communities. I know in my home community of Deninu Kue, we do not have a homecare position per se. Would the Minister commit to...

It is concerning. I know there are some safety in terms of protecting our healthcare providers, our doctors and nurses from doing home visits. My second question: a lot of our small communities, there are no ambulance services. What does this department do to deal with patients who need emergent care?

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I want to point out that, during my constituency visits, I noticed some common themes in terms of gaps in our healthcare system, in particular dealing with the elders and mobility-restricted individuals who needed medical assistance. I am happy my colleague from Deh Cho mentioned helping our elders age in place with dignity, and it kind of follows with what I am about to say.

Mr. Speaker, I want to give this visual to you. If you could picture yourself as an elder in a small community, as an elderly individual who might not have English as a first language, and you have...

Madam Chair, I move that the chair rise and report progress.