Kieron Testart

Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. That didn't sound like a guarantee and perhaps we could see the schedule at some point, but that might be breaching operational concerns. But I will ask this: If we can't get a guarantee, what is the Minister's answer to a patient who arrives at Stanton ER for emergency treatment, there's no emergency physician, what does the Minister want them to do to get emergency care? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, has the Minister been able to work -- or look at what's happened in the Yukon and crack the code? They were able to do it, so why can't we? That's the fundamental question here. We see another northern jurisdiction with a very similar program that's also maxed out its utilization rate, and they were able to do this. So what is the difference between our program and the Yukon's program? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to -- I too wish to turn to the NTNP worker program that we have foreign workers in the Northwest Territories. We had a town hall a couple months ago. The response was significant, and people are very concerned. So the Yukon has extended their work permits. They were able to do that with their existing relationships with Ottawa. So why are we not able to extend work permits here in the Northwest Territories? This is something that nominees are asking for. They're desperate. They're very concerned about their future. So why can't we extend the permits here in the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, my honourable friend from Yellowknife Centre talked about the challenge to the Taltson project and perhaps the optimism around it that might not be realized, and certainly, these are large scale infrastructures. So she said with projects that will take time and investment to pull off and, of course, federal investment. Hopefully, our northern Prime Minister understands that. Nunavut pays more in subsidies. Will the Minister increase the power rate subsidies to give Northerners a break? Thank you.

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...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the Premier's sessional statement, he celebrated the new emergency room plan as being codeveloped, and yet I hear very different from the frontline. The Minister of Health and Social Services explained what went into the co-development. Was it sitting down with doctors, nurses, and other staff to figure out what it needs; like an interest-based negotiation and build a cohesive plan, or was it we listened to the presentations to the standing committee from the doctors and we implement their recommendations? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the deadline for these kids to get on the bus is 3 p.m. today. Will the Minister have a resolution before that deadline? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to welcome our guests from the Auditor General's office, Mr. Jerry Demarco, Ms. Carey Agnew, and Ms. Emilie Anne Duval. It's great to have their assistance at the Standing Committee of Public Accounts. We had a wonderful meeting with them last night, and we look forward to seeing them again soon. Thank you. Thank you for being here.

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.