Kieron Testart

Mr. Speaker, not only are perspective residents turning away from our territory due to soaring housing costs that prevent them from finding a home, but we're also now losing families long rooted in our communities to a cost of living crisis that is pricing them out of the homes they've lived in for generations. For these families, leaving the North was once unimaginable but with every power bill, the uneasy reality sets in: They may no longer have a choice.

Northerners now pay nearly double the national average per kilowatt hour, prices exacerbated by the fact we consume far more electricity...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, Mr. Speaker, support for this bill, for anyone who's been listening to frontline workers, seems to be a no-brainer to me. We've heard repeatedly about morale crises at the health -- within the health system. We've heard about the inability to staff units. We've heard about recruitment and retention challenges. We hire nurses quickly, and they leave just as quick. And when you have frontline workers who are coming to us and saying we need a louder voice, you know, I think we're obliged to listen. And Mr. Speaker, the intent -- the principle of this bill is to give...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, May 28th, 2025, I will present to the House Bill 29, First Responders Workers' Compensation Amendment Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well, thank you. I mean, in this case it is a surgery for gender affirming care. It is top surgery. But given that Ontario has far more capacity to provide gender affirming surgeries, why can't our health system send NWT residents there, given the political climate in Alberta is compromising access to timely and appropriate care for those seeking gender affirming surgeries? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm glad to hear that we're talking about the whole territory, not pitting regions against each other. To that end, we know that the Inuvik hospital often suffers similar shortages and staff. Can the Minister guarantee to this House that labour and delivery services at the Inuvik hospital will remain open over the summer, preventing moms and their families from travelling to Yellowknife, or farther, to have their babies? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know -- I spy some healthcare workers in the gallery, so I thought I'd ask some health care questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services.

Will the Minister of Health and Social Services give her guarantee to this House that Stanton Hospital's emergency department will have an emergency physician physically present for all times this summer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I could get ahead of the Minister on this one. I do have some of the information until August. I recognize it's still being developed, but at least 22 days have only one doctor, and there are four days with zero doctors. So how is the Minister assessing whether or not this new program -- this new thing is actually working? Because these new shifts are not filling up. So what is she going to do to fill these shifts urgently? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. My apologies. It was in the Premier's sessional statement, but it is the responsibility of the Minister of Health and Social Services. Will she explain to the House how she codeveloped the ER plan with staff, doctors, nurses, everyone else who works to support the emergency department. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, the information comes to me from the parents, so can the Minister explain what counter information she received; what different evidence is before us? I just want to know. I think the parents want to know as well. This is very concerning for them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our kids need access to sport, and this is yet another problem that's not being resolved by the Fort Simpson education system. Today I've been told that there are three Indigenous kids, one kid with disabilities, that are not allowed to go to the track and field meet because they need their school to sign off on their bus. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment has told the district education association that she was going to look into this decision. So what has she found? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.