Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for the question. We do involve Indigenous representatives throughout different parts of our health system to guide us in the work that we do. As I mentioned in my statement, under the cultural safety and awareness anti-racism unit, the work that they're doing is guided by representatives from all Indigenous governments that are pointed to the Indigenous advisory body where they meet and they go over policy and get their feedback to ensure that these policies and things are reviewed under a cultural safety lens, anti-racism lens, for Indigenous people.

We...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if a patient is referred to neurology -- and I know that the Member is just using that as an example -- that would be an insured service. I could go on and talk about all of the different insured services, but if Members wanted to understand what non-insured services are, those are the services that we provide through extended health benefits. So many of the services that are provided through that. But, however, there are other services that we do provide free of charge so outpatient rehab services, things like that. In many jurisdictions, insurances cover...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to also recognize former Premier Cochrane. I had the pleasure to be in the 19th Assembly and have her at the helm of this Assembly with all of the things that we did, and as well as her partner. The last time I saw him, we were jumping on a plane, and we won't say when. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Member for bringing this motion and for drawing attention to the fundamental principles that guide our healthcare system.

As an Indigenous nurse who has worked in the regional centre and travelled to various small communities, I have witnessed firsthand the critical need and accessibility and quality health care that's needed. As I look to the remainder of my term, I continue to use the three priorities that are guiding me to make the decisions on access to care.

1. First of all, we are overhauling, again, the medical travel program so every resident, no matter...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said before, there are many things going on throughout the entire healthcare system that is -- you know, is improving within the capital, within the regions. There is capital projects that are going on. There is a significant amount of work that is going on. I have discussed this with my department on how to better front-face all of the work that the department is working on and is doing, and I'm -- you know, we're working with our COMMS people to be able to provide a front-facing -- some type of public document that is showing a lot of the different things that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the relationship between the NTHSSA and Avens is between the NTHSSA and Avens, and they were supported. This -- as we've been talking about in this House today, that was something that nobody else has experienced. And I understand where the Member is coming from but, like I said, we looked at all of the, and we worked with the Minister of MACA, and the decision still stands. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what I do know about the -- what happened within that situation, there has been discussions that's gone back and forth. It came back between the disaster funding that it wasn't eligible or applicable, and these were things that didn't meet for reimbursement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Member has said, we are modernizing the medical travel, and we will be reviewing the extended health benefits in this next few -- like, I think it's one year from the time, so we'll start the review in September. And, yes, the medical travel benefits were applied across the board for those specific disease, but now that's been removed and they have to use the medical travel policy. So there is lots of different pieces going on. But with the review of the medical travel modernization, I believe that this has -- we will -- like, I have flagged this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as of the end of April, we have 894 non-senior residents approved. We have 3,671 seniors approved. Of those non-senior -- oh, yes, 461 were formally on the specific -- specified disease condition program. So right now, we have 433 brand new registrants. What I can do is get our enrolment database to record -- I mean, they do record the clients' region so I can share that information with the Member once we have all of that information compiled. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm not wanting to paraphrase but I've heard from enough people through -- since being the Minister that one of the issues is people do leave. Some people -- you know, maybe they don't -- they can't afford or they don't know and they don't get the travel insurance, and they get sick. I can raise this with the Minister of Indigenous Service Canada who this program falls under, but as of the Northwest Territories, this program is funded by them so we administer what we negotiate with them, so I can add this as something that could be looked at, but I can't commit that...