Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over one year ago, just a few months after Alberta's government announced proposed changes to gender affirming care, Northern Mosaic Network reached out to Minister Semmler to get answers to questions. The community members shared with that organization about how to access -- how their access to gender affirming care would be impacted.
So, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain what actions she has taken to -- since then, to address the concerns of our 2SLGBTQIAA+ community members on access to safe health care out-of-territory? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, first, I want to assure NWT residents that health care services for transgender individuals, including children and youth, will continue to be available within our health system. If the Northwest Territories clinical experts in transgender care cannot meet the needs of the residents, a referral can be made to an out-of-territory practitioner. What I have taken -- steps I've taken is to ensure that concrete steps to a safeguard access for NWT residents are put in place. I have directed my department to secure alternate out-of-territory care pathways for these individuals, meaning when a service is not available to the Northwest Territories -- to a Northwest Territories resident in the Northwest Territories or Alberta, physicians will refer patients to a jurisdiction where they may continue to receive the care they need. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. Mr. Speaker, considering that the Alberta Premier's visit to Yellowknife for the western Premiers' conference, the Northern Mosaic Network has reached out to both the Premier and the Minister to collaborate on an action plan to address the state of trans health care for NWT residents. And I'm so glad to hear that she has directed her department to secure alternative pathways. However, will the Minister also commit to meaningful collaboration with Northern Mosaic Network on trans health care for NWT residents? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, yes, but I'd like to explain a little bit more. So we are already -- we have an established working relationship with the Northern Mosaic Network. They helped draft the Northwest Territories guidelines in 2020 and in April 2024, representatives from ECE met with Northern Mosaic Network to discuss and review an update of those guidelines which will incorporate new research that they're conducting with the University of Manitoba. And we look forward to seeing the recommendations that come from this work, and I am fully committed to continuing our collaboration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from the Deh Cho.
