Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my understanding the contract expires April of 2026. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This kind of conversation on the floor of the House about cuts when we don't even know what the budget being presented is, so this is where I'm at is I'll update the Members once I have a conversation with the NTHSSA. I have yet to receive budgets from the health authorities. And so after I have those conversations, I'll have conversations with my Cabinet colleagues, and I will have conversations with the Members on the other side of the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as this budget is going to be before the House, there is an allocation that goes directly to NTHSSA. It's NTHSSA has to come up with their budget what's in the -- for what's in here and to build their budget within the allocated amount. So what right now we are looking at is that the direction has been given to -- and it is every year to the governing council is to come up with their budget and present their budget. What I can say is when I do receive that budget for the 2025-2026, I will have that conversation with Cabinet, and then I will -- I've also...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, in all the conversations that I've had with the PA is to look internally to see how we can improve frontline services. And so by improving frontline services, I've -- you know, that is -- that would not be meaning cuts. We are having issues accessing care. We've heard it over the years, you know, this is not something that's new. It's grown over the years. So the priority that -- you know, within the direction and under myself, with the PA, has been to ensure that frontline services are not touched, but how can we improve them and expand them with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, when a loved one dies, you know, and whether they're in our home, whether they're anywhere, this is a hard and difficult time; however, this program, this is intended to support current eligible NWT residents, you know, and I think if they are NWT residents and they are outside the territory when they pass away, we've had this conversation in the House that people that travel outside the Northwest Territories for any type of recreation, you know, visiting, holidays, business, anything, you know, if you're travelling on business, you're usually...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize Dan Florizone, our newly appointed public administrator here today for the Northwest Territories health and social services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, the proposed online booking system, this is -- NTHSSA is aware that the department within NTHSSA has added this to their intake process for IT projects, and that's triage based on the funding and need and so we are currently, as you know, having a very huge deficit of IT infrastructure. So I will make sure I figure out if there is a timeline or if this is going to move forward and how much this is, and I can report back to the Member with any of that information once I have it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what I do have, I have the -- there is a home care nurse and two home support workers that are located in Fort Providence. They do report to the nurse -- the home care nurse in-charge from the Deh Cho out of Simpson. I will have to get back to the Member on the other three communities that she serves. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what I can say is, yes, paramedics have been used in circumstances where there hasn't been any -- enough nurses available, community health nurses available in some of the health centres. When there's a shortage and they've expanded all ways to try and recruit, even locums, they reached out and they have paramedics that go in. The paramedics, however, are there used to assist nurses to do assessments in triage so that frees up the community health nurse in the health centre. They don't work on call, and they don't work alone. And while they're working in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this time, there is no sustainable funding for the existing managed alcohol program at Spruce Bough. The priority would be to secure a sustainable funding for that program before looking at expansion. It should be noted that expansion will require new resources. One of the things that, you know, even as a Regular Member before during COVID, many of the Indigenous governments and Indigenous population, you know, I think this is -- you know, we have to understand and we have to be able to work with individual NGOs, different communities, and what their...