Richard Edjericon

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I got one minute left. I appreciate what she's saying. And the thing is that on the interim basis, you know, again, I am still concerned about, you know, how we make application to CIRNAC and I heard your comments today. But I think we're going to have to work a way to work with Indigenous governments much closer because it's still a problem. Again, I don't know what the housing corporation takes for administration on those dollars. And, again, we're still struggling with housing in the community. As an example, last this year I brought forward a housing...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, it's nice to see that they're spending money in my riding. The thing is that I don't think the people understand that the units that's going into the community, who's paying for the operation and maintenance on those things.

Mr. Speaker, we're talking about $30 million here for this fiscal year and, you know, I disagree with the Minister in regards to her consultation with Indigenous governments. I don't think that happened because I could tell you this, I could go through my communities and they don't say anything about consultation.

Anyways, my question to the...

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Minister. Can the Minister comment on if she talked to the Indigenous leaders here in the Northwest Territories when the application was made so that they understand that this application was made from CIRNAC to put into housing to deal with the housing crisis here in the Northwest Territories; did she consult with the Indigenous governments on this application process? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not know how many times that I am going to bring up the Housing NWT crisis but until I see some real progress, it's going to continue to be my top priority as long as I am a Member of this House.

Mr. Speaker, housing corporation was born in 1972 and in the last 51 years since its foundation, the agency has failed to meet the housing demands of our residents apart from them rebranding and exercising, in 2022, that gave Housing NWT, not much has changed beyond a slick new logo and familyfriendly name.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I do have questions, but I think we're going to come back to 274. I just want to ask one quick question in regards to the program details on page 380 on the executive.

Given that, you know, we in working with the housing corporation and the people in the communities, the Indigenous governments, you know, we have to start building a new relationship and trust again with the housing corporation. I just want to say that by starting to do that, maybe then we may be I would like to recommend that they should seriously take a look at having that Indigenous advisor next to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Minister, for your answer. And I appreciate that. It seems that it's clear that many of the issues in the healthcare system are systematic in nature.

Will the Minister commit to a full operation review of the healthcare services in the Northwest Territories so that the findings of such review can inform necessary reforms and prepare the next Assembly to get ahead of this problem? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I had said that I'll be asking the Minister for clear and decisive action on the overdue improvements to the healthcare system here in the Northwest Territories. We are year three and a half into our mandate here already, and my question would be to the Minister. Earlier today I mentioned a series of healthcare recommendations issued by the Canadian Medical Association in August of last year. What action has the Minister of Health and Social Services taken in response to these recommendations? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'll have a followup question to that then. I guess what I'm trying to say is I think the Minister misunderstood what I'm trying to say is that I'd like to get a commitment from this Minister here to really trying to get somebody in the headquarters of the housing corporation and sitting next to the Minister or sorry, to the deputy minister. That's what I'm saying is on top of what you just said, yes, we understand what you're saying, you're working with the Circle of Aboriginal leaders, etcetera, but you need to have a body in an office over there that people could talk to, who could relate...

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Minister. Just part of the review that you probably are going to look at, can we also take a look at the medical travel review policy that's outdated and inflexible to improve the access to healthcare for those residing in small communities here in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm sure, you know, you'd just have to look online. I'm sure you'd be able to find that.

Moving forward, though, Mr. Speaker, last week in Ottawa Trudeau announced a pitch to probably about $196.1 billion over ten years to all the provinces and territories, additional $46.2 billion for the provinces and territories as well. So outside the CMA recommendation, what action or strategies to date have been taken and employed by the Minister's department to tackle the ongoing healthcare crisis here in the Northwest Territories? And if she could maybe just elaborate a little...