Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are again to the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, on the weekend I was reminded by a Member of our community -- happens to be a senior -- and they were saying to me that how they wish they could book their health appointments online. They mentioned the last time they were uncomfortable standing up, getting there early and having to stand and wait at the door to squeeze in, and when they try to call, the fact is no one answers until after 8 o'clock and hence all the appointments are gone by then, Mr. Speaker, which they said begs the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate it. I was trying to get a context on the record here because the next questions are when my colleague for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh talks about families, including infants, being left in the cold -- I am not going to go through all the examples -- but the examples here really talk about the criteria for non-medical escorts such as breastfeeding infants, elderly people, people with language disabilities, etcetera, etcetera, Mr. Speaker. The question is why are these people still not -- you know, if they meet the qualification of the four-page policy -- and that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My next question to the Minister of health is about a health envoy. Now, I am not sure we need a senior health envoy. I don't know if we can afford a senior health envoy. But, Mr. Speaker, many people will tell me that their service response or service standards aren't being met, which is they go out, there's disconnect on timing, people delayed getting back to them, whether it's phone calls or emails, and the fact is they feel stranded and alone and there is the panic and frustration and hence that's why we're talking about it today, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in short...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if I know of one policy that's been reviewed or could be referred to as an ongoing living document, it would be the medical travel modernization process. I can go back to memory of 2004 I was talking about it.

Mr. Speaker, my questions should -- if they're not aware yet who I am asking, I am asking the health Minister.

Mr. Speaker, my Member's statement today I talked about asking for an exit interview; in other words, people who go through the medical travel process, acknowledging formally right now most will probably not be a problem and they'll say it was...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not a software engineer, but this appears, from my understanding and research, is it's simply just a software program issue, not a medical Act issue. Maybe it's an attitude issue. Maybe people don't want to do it this way. I don't know, Mr. Speaker. The question is really built around can the Minister make a decision in the House that this will be implemented before the end of this calendar year 2026 to give the public service something to work towards to. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And my happenstance, she led right into the last question I was going to have, so I will take those circumstances as a blessing.

Mr. Speaker, in the medical travel policy -- and for those following along, on page 4 -- it says the attending physician basically can prescribe and recommend a non-medical escort to participate in the treatment program of the individual. Mr. Speaker, in short, why is a policy maker somewhere behind the scenes -- acknowledging these requests have to be pre-approved -- I am acknowledging that. But why is a policy maker behind the scenes...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have more questions for the Minister of health with respect to the medical travel challenges, more particular to the escorts.

Mr. Speaker, I am going to give certainly her a softball question, and this is the very first one so we can get right down to the nitty-gritty. She's been hearing how our concerns are.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister speak to this House to help everyone understand the barriers, the challenges of the medical escort policy, and the approval process. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the answer from the Minister. I mean, she says it's a very nice report. I guarantee you I bet it has a nice cover, etcetera. Mr. Speaker, the problem with this is the disconnect of the actual -- the report into action.

Mr. Speaker, is there a way to implement some of these results or recommendations earlier? Because if we all wait for medical travel to be repaired or fixed or modernized or whatever semantics we want to use, Mr. Speaker, the end of times are probably closer than this report being covered and then finally implemented. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like some of my other colleagues, we have frustrations with medical travel. For many residents of the NWT, though, the promise of equitable health care is a broken one.

Medical travel programs were designed to be a bridge to specialize care but instead, Mr. Speaker, often constituents tell me it feels more like a barrier. From staggering out to these convoluted policies, expenses to a labyrinth of confusing unanswered calls, Mr. Speaker, the system becomes so convoluted that you almost need a navigator for your navigator to navigate through the process, Mr. Speaker.

The...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the system is supposed to be uninterruptible and although we know that that's worth what it's worth, that statement, that said it's not meant to be three and a half hours to four hours.

Mr. Speaker, I proposed in my Member's statement today creating a business mitigation and recovery fund that would help businesses who are stung hardly on these initiatives --it affects fried equipment, lost revenue, and insurance nightmares -- with some solutions. Would the Minister be willing to look at those solutions I've proposed? Thank you.