Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, we have this is the work that's been done on the access to out of territory treatment addictions are the request of some people in the territory. So we have to ensure that we have those facilities and we have contracts with those facilities. We have one Indigenous facility that we have a contract with right now. And I know that within the Northwest Territories, what we're trying to do is we're working with you know, providing funding for Indigenous governments to be able to and we've heard them loud and clear, that they want to be able to run ontheland...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this is all by estimates because we don't know what the 2200 people because they haven't fell within a specific disease, so we don't know what their needs are. They may have high costs in pharmacare or medical supplies that they require but they haven't fallen under one of the specific diseases. And so these individuals, you know, we don't know until we actually get them to start applying to the program because until then, you know, that's where we're at, and so there's in the presentation, and I know that when we were in the briefing, and there's it could...

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I know that we do we do review, and as I mentioned the last time we do reviews on all of the clients that are out of territory and in each individual reviewing, if there is a possibility in bringing those individuals back. However, what the Member is also speaking to is, you know, respite. And in our longterm care, there are beds that are allocated as respite beds. And I know sometimes families get to the point where, you know, they're exhausted or, you know, they may be leaving for an emergency or having to leave town and, you know, have no other place...

I am just wondering where we are in the budget. Like we've approved all and not approved some sections. Are we back at the front? Is it general comments on the overall budget? Departmental overview, is it we're bouncing all over the place, so.

I'll pass that to the ADM.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, anybody who's leaving the Northwest Territories has health care coverage. Like, we have agreements across Canada that if you have your health care card and you can prove that you have health care insurance in your home province, you can have access to health services, insured health services anywhere in Canada. But you also have to be aware that some of the things that we cover in the Northwest Territories are not covered outside of -- in some provinces so those things, you may be billed for. And medical travel is not something that -- you know, that's not...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's currently ongoing right now. So that's the process, and that's what we're hoping that we will be able to phase out, the use of agency nurses, you know, in that area. And so it's currently -- we had a forced growth submission, and that's in this budget. So we're hoping that, you know, that will support that -- those additional nurses in that unit. But we are actively doing that training and I think recruiting, and I think there are LPNs now being trained into that unit. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. So the labour market supplements, those ended March 31st and I think to the Member, you know, there's only so much I can talk about those because we're in collective bargaining right now and so that's a reduction that will, you know -- what comes out of collective bargaining. As per the COVID endemic funding, that sunset funding, I can turn it over to the deputy minister to fill you in with more details in that area. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think as of right now for aftercare, what we have is the budgeted for THARP. Up until now, I don't believe we -- you know, we provided wellness, you know, for homeless and things like that but we haven't had fund up until this budget for aftercare, and that is where the THARP program falls into that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is no policy for helping residents return home in the case where a resident has been travelling in another province, anywhere in Canada, anywhere in the world. Like, if the patient -- or if the person has left the territory on their own, there is no policy that covers that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.