Kieron Testart

Very concise. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Minister. If the funding falls through, however, will the Minister bring forward additional funding, at least for this fiscal year to ensure -- to the next fiscal year, whenever the funding falls through, as a bridge so students and First Nations kids don't lose out on opportunities that this money provides for them. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier today I talked about Jordan's Principle and the troubling developments that, although there are good reasons to look at the eligibility funding, it was so open beforehand that schools really didn't have to worry about this, and now they may have to. So I know that schools are worried about whether they can continue to provide supports to First Nations students. So I'm wondering what is the Minister's plan if that funding is either -- is diminished in whatever capacity. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, Jordan's Principle is a federal program that distributes billions of dollars nationwide annually to raise the standard of living for First Nations children. There is no funding cap. The program is on demand and available to First Nations' families, their service providers, and their community governments, so long as the application provided to Indigenous Services Canada identifies the needs of First Nations children which are not currently met or up to the standard enjoyed by their non-Indigenous peers. Therefore, every year a large portion of what the federal government...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that's a great assessment of the problem but we're looking for solutions, and the Minister mentioned the work the association's doing. But what's the work that the department is doing for recruitment and retention of physicians? She mentioned university spots, there's too few. Are we funding new university spots? Are we expanding the residency program? There's a ton of things we do that are actually very helpful that we've heard from physicians are useful. Are we going to expand those programs? Like, when are solutions going to come forward? We all know the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, the clock is ticking on the federal government. I don't think we have much long left with them. And certainly many people who are asylum seekers are able to work in the Northwest Territories as well. This seems like it could be two birds with one stone. And certainly the North is welcoming to people, and this would help solve a lot of problems. We have precious little time to get it done. When will the Minister have an answer for the House on this issue? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since the Northwest Territories nominee program has opened its doors to new applicants, well my office has been flooded with frustrated and worried people about their fate in the program. I am hearing through various sources that there may be options to restore our numbers back to 300. Can the Minister clarify some of these -- the information that's been going around this space and let us know where her negotiations with the federal government are at. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we see that some of the aspects of the plan that's already ongoing is being reported in the media. There was a story on it just the other day -- or just today, I think. Maybe yesterday. But it's active out there. I think it's important that the public be aware of this. Can the Minister commit to make that plan public? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week my 2-year-old came down with a nasty ear infection and though I was able to stay at home with him, 811 instructed my family to err on the side of caution and have him checked out. As Yellowknife Primary Care accepts booking just after they open at 8 a.m., I made sure to have my phone in hand ready as the seconds ticked closer to the right moment to make my call. First, 8 o'clock, then 8:01, 8:02, 8:03, 8:04, and finally I hit dial just as 8:05 came on to the screen of my phone. When the phone rang, I eagerly anticipated my opportunity to arrange...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in 2023-2024, we lost a family physician, an obstetrician, a pediatrician. These are frontline physicians that provide primary care services that families need, that Northerners need. I get the public administrator is busy doing this work. We haven't seen that plan. So I'm going to turn again to this: What's the public administrator's role in this, and when are we allowed to find out about it? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier this sitting I had asked questions about physician staffing in the Northwest Territories. We learned that nine physicians have left since fiscal year 2023-2024, and now we're hearing that 64 percent of physicians in the Northwest Territories are planning on leaving. This is a crisis to put it mildly, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what is the Minister's plan to reverse this trend and bring either new physicians here or -- or bring new physicians to the Northwest Territories and keep the ones we currently have? Thank you.