Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't know what the last Minister said. I can only say that in the last few years this is an area that doesn't generate money. It provides a point of presence, and we have continued to expand it all the way to Tuktoyaktuk, as I mentioned, which was a promise originally made back at the time that the project was being conceived, but it is not generating revenue to the GNWT right now. It is something that we provide in the absence of the market filling this void. So as are many things here in the Northwest Territories, when there's not a private market filling a gap, the GNWT does wind up stepping in. This is one of those occasions where we step in to ensure that there's a fibre available for residents and businesses along the Mackenzie Valley and all the way up to the coast. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to know from the Minister of Health and Social Services, as our EMR is near -- has -- I think it's nearing its end of life, if not ended its life and needs to be replaced, when does the vendor support for the current system currently end? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have that level of detail.
Thank you. Can the Minister reassure the House that as the system is now -- not counting the RFP, because that's something that's yet to come -- that the medical information and information that the health system holds is safe from cyber security risk and the health information of Northerners is going to be protected until this replacement comes in? There are concerns, Mr. Speaker. People need to know their personal data is not going to be hijacked by some ransomware or shared willy-nilly with people out there in the world. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the system is still supported and is safe. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, has -- to the reporting on health care data, has there ever been an implementation plan for NACRS data that would change our reporting relationship and ensure that we're getting things to national standards and bodies? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd have to get back to the Member on that question.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Pursuant to Rule 7.2(7)(2), I received follow-up information for the following oral questions from the first session of the 20th Legislative Assembly: 918, 1014, and 1017. These follow-ups will be printed in full in today's Hansard. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a Return to Written Question 27-20(1) asked by the Member for Yellowknife North on February 6th, 2026, regarding physician recruitment and retention.
The Member asked the Minister to provide the number of positions within the Department of Health and Social Services and the Health and Social Services Authorities that are dedicated specifically to the recruitment and orientation of new physicians, as well as the retention of existing physicians.
Within the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority, the Talent and Organizational Development Division and the Office of Medical Affairs and Credentialling provide support for physician recruitment.
There are several positions within the Talent and Organizational Development Division that support physician recruitment; however, this is not their sole responsibility.
A Physician Program Specialist is responsible for planning, researching, designing, and implementing strategies and programs aimed at assisting the health system to attract qualified physicians.
A Program Specialist supports programs focused on attracting physicians, including the bursary program, the Clinical Observership and Job Shadowing Program, and the Family Medicine Residency Program.
Program Officers support an Inuvik specific recruitment initiative and support transition for new and relocating physicians within the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority and the Tlicho Community Services Agency.
Within the Office of Medical Affairs and Credentialling there are two Territorial Physician Recruiters. The focus of these positions is the recruitment of physicians, both locums and staff. They follow up on leads generated during recruitment fairs and conferences and are the initial point of physician contact regarding contracts. Territorial Physician Recruiters also secure dates and bookings for locums.
Additionally, there are Physician Administrative Coordinators in Hay River and Inuvik that provide administrative support for booking and scheduling recurring locums, arranging travel logistics as well as some orientation support.
The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority does not have dedicated positions for physician orientation and retention. Orientation is variable, logistically challenging and is dependent on length of the work term and the date they arrive. For instance, a five-day locum arriving late Friday and starting work on Saturday will not have the same orientation as a new permanent hire.
The Member asked the Minister what lessons were learned from the temporary physician bidding initiative used to fill shifts at Stanton Territorial Hospital, that will be incorporated into future efforts at recruitment and retention of both locums and contract physicians.
A temporary shift bidding initiative was used in Summer 2025 at Stanton Territorial Hospital to stabilize Emergency Department physician coverage during a period of acute vacancy. Lessons learned are listed below.
Bidding allowed for faster filling of urgent shifts by qualified locums, improving coverage responsiveness.
Northwest Territories rates for Emergency Department physicians at Stanton were not viewed as competitive, and that physicians were willing to adjust their schedule for the right price. The initiative worked in tandem with updated locum compensation rates implemented on June 1, 2025, and October 1, 2025, which enhanced the territory’s competitiveness.
Timing for implementation was critical. Determining locum rates must be completed in a timely manner so early recruitment and planning can occur. Locums typically book work placements four to six months in advance.
The bidding process did create some administrative challenges. Higher locum turnover meant more time spent on onboarding and orientation, and managing multiple pay rates—along with tracking when each rate applied—added significant administrative burden.
While essential during shortages, reliance on shift bidding must not undermine recruitment into the Standard Physician Contract.
These considerations will inform future approaches to locum management and emergency staffing models across the territory.
The Member asked the Minister what recruitment and retention initiatives specifically target physicians, and what measurable impacts have been observed to date as a result of these initiatives.
The Authority has implemented the Revised Locum Physician Fee Schedule and Long-Term Locum Incentive Pilot. This increased the daily rates, standardized travel stipends, provided premium rates for high demand periods and incentives for locums providing care in territory over 75 days per year.
In addition, system level human resource strategies continue. These include the 2025-2028 People Strategy, leadership development programs, the Family Medicine Residency program, the Health and Social Services Bursary program and the Friends and Family Travel Program. The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority will continue to participate in interest-based negotiation with the Northwest Territories Medical Association towards a new Standard Physician Contract.
Notable impacts of these initiatives are the ability to maintain essential services, despite approximately 65% of physician positions being vacant as of late 2025, improved specialist stability in areas such as General Surgery and Pediatrics, and increased locum participation when incentives are in place.
The Bursary program, since its inception three years ago, has awarded 16 bursaries to medical students or residents. The bursary program includes a return of service component, following graduation (completion of residency). One resident who is supported now works in Family Medicine and the ER at Stanton. Other bursary recipients are still in medical school or are in their residency.
The Family Medicine Residency program has resulted in permanent employment for two former-residents as Family Physicians while four others are recurrent locums.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 29-20(1), Report on Committee Project: Housing as a Human Right. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Tabling of documents. Member from the Dehcho.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table Photographs of Holdover Fires on Highway No. 3, Approximately 15 kilometers Outside of Fort Providence, taken December 11th, 2025. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I now call the Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee?
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 448-20(1), 2026-2027 Main Estimates, the departments of Executive and Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Does the committee agree? Thank you, committee. We will proceed. We will take a short recess and resume with the first item. Thank you, committee.
---SHORT RECESS
Okay, committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 448-20(1), 2026-2027 Main Estimates. We will now consider the Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs.
Does the Minister of Executive Indigenous Affairs wish to bring witnesses into the House?
Yes, I do, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Does the committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the chamber.
Would the Minister please introduce the witnesses?
Thank you. To my right, I have Tram Do, director of shared corporate services. And on my left is deputy minister John MacDonald.
The committee has agreed to forego general comments. Does the committee agree to proceed to the details contained in the tabled document?
Agreed.
Committee, we will defer the department summary and review the estimates by activity summary, beginning with Cabinet support, starting on page 122, with an information item on page 124. Are there any questions? Okay.
Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Chair. If I call you Mr. Chair, I apologize; it's a habit. Thank you, Madam Chair.
I believe this may or may not be the right place to ask. It's a policy-based question. In the business plan, there is discussion around the NWT policy position on Arctic sovereignty and security. Can the committee please receive an update on the work being done on this policy? Thank you.
Minister of EIA.
Thank you, Madam Chair. That policy is something that I've spoken about in the House quite a few months ago actually, and events have been evolving so quickly that there's always something new to add to that policy and so we're just in the final stages of finalizing a draft, which we can then share with the committee. But it seems like every time we think we're close, there's an important event, there's something new that happens, there's -- DND announces something, and we want to make sure that we are not missing anything. So that's where things are at. Thank you.
Thank you. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Chair. So in that explanation, I understand why it is taking some time. Does that explanation mean that there is quite a lot of granularity in this policy position? I would assume that you would want to be as high level as possible in such a policy document so maybe the Minister can expand on his answer. Thank you.
Thank you. Minister of EIA.
Thank you. I wouldn't say there's a lot of granularity. We don't want it to be too specific but we want it to be high level. But, you know, I mentioned that there's always something new and just recently we saw the defence industrial strategy, which is actually quite a significant component of the military investment in the coming years. And so even having that information, knowing what's in there, what the DND's plans are going forward has been helpful. And so it's incorporating things like that which aren't necessarily highly specific, but are still highly important. Thank you.
Thank you. I will return to a Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Chair. So simply to put a fine pin in it, would it be an expectation for the committee to be able to see the policy before the end of the fiscal year? Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Executive Indigenous Affairs.
Thank you. March or April is what I am thinking.
Thank you. I will go back to the Member for Great Slave.
