Julian Morse

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the June 2024 budget commitments, health and social services committed to expand midwifery services to two more communities without birthing services. Mr. Speaker, what progress has been made on the establishment of midwifery services in Behchoko?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I keep hearing that word hopefully. Can we just get a commitment in place? This is a long time coming. It's a piece of legislation for a future Assembly. Let's get the work in place so that we're ready to bring it forward in the 21st. I think the problem that we've identified, a few of us in talking back and forth, has been, you know, when this Assembly came into place, we didn't have legislation ready to go right off the bat. I think it would be great to see that happen. It will certainly be a recommendation I make to the transition committee. Can we just...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just have a follow-up question for the Minister of Infrastructure. I understand that there's priorities that need to be set therefore I'm seeking a commitment that the GNWT be ready to action a building standards framework at the start of the 21st Assembly. That means getting the preparatory work done now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that was a fairly non-committal answer. Hopefully advanced -- I would like to get a bit more concrete from the Minister. This is certainly one that's important to me and repeatedly raised by the human rights commission. Would the Minister be able to offer a commitment that we're going to advance work on this and perhaps have a legislative proposal in 2027? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, certainly, I respect that response. But the commitment also did speak to expanding to communities outside of that region. So, you know, the point is that midwifery services are needed in many communities. There was an additional community on the list. Why is an additional community not being considered? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to reiterate the question -- and I didn't specify I was asking it of the Minister of Health and Social Services. But, Mr. Speaker, in their June 2024 budget commitments, Health and Social Services committed to expand midwifery services to two more communities without birthing services. My first question is what progress has been made on the establishment on midwifery services in Behchoko? Thank you.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker given how complex that task is I am going to give the Minister a lot of leeway here. Does she think she can commit to having that interoperability problem solved within the term of this Assembly?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are also for the health Minister. I just wanted to ask some questions about her statement earlier today. She mentioned that additional schedules are currently being developed to formalize existing partnerships and processes with the Alberta government. Can the Minister elaborate on this? Is this going to help with interoperability between our system and theirs? Many of my constituents have raised concerns with having to translate reports between governments and the difficulties that they have with getting records for Alberta written in the NWT...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister's point yesterday that we don't want to waste time strategizing and focus on doing. So how does she suggest we communicate our economic plans effectively and ensure they are effective at addressing our challenges? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Sorry, Mr. Speaker, I lost my notes. I'll have to go again.