Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as within the NIHB, we are a third -- like, we administer their funding. I'm not aware of a policy that was written on a Friday that allocated dollars to something and that was passed on a Monday, so I would have to take that back and see how that -- fast that process could happen and utilize our processes to put -- you know, to look at it. But however, we are working towards a new process for medical travel. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, I have many briefing notes in front of me and that's not one of the ones that I have off hand so I won't be able to answer the question today, but I will provide an answer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have that level of detail of staffing right know in the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, medical travel is probably my top priority. What I've spent two years working on so far is the majority of the time is meeting with Indigenous communities, hearing from Indigenous leaders at the Council of Leaders, travelling with Indigenous leaders to Ottawa to explain the needs of the residents in the Northwest Territories. Many of the issues that rely around what we hear comes to the escort piece. When it comes to Indigenous people needing access, that access is always there for them. There is no limitations on them getting insured services through it...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the area of child and family services is really, I think, not just for foster families, for families, for the children. It is a sensitive area, and the goal of child and family services is always to return the children to their biological family or within their biological family. That is always the goal. And, you know, and I think what sometimes in foster care, some of these children do remain in these homes for a long period of time, and sometimes it takes families time to be able to, you know, do the things that they need to do to be able to get the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, within my portfolio, you know, I understand that the Member's frustration and I know that there are a lot of barriers around this department and areas where, you know, we have to protect the child's interest and sometimes that information, you know, doesn't -- we're not able to share the information freely. However, you know, whatever route that this Legislative Assembly chooses to go, I think there's a process that we have to follow as a consensus government, and I would look forward to looking at those types of options. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, how we are going to work with the Alberta Alzheimer's Society, NWT/Alberta, I know that there were conversations in sharing information; however, where we are with that, I can't give the Member an update as to the website. I will get back to the Member as to how we plan on putting that information out there or what the collaboration is at this time. So I'll leave it at that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the First Nation BC health authority structure is a lot different than in the territories. What they do is they collaborate all of their reserve health centres, so all of the health centres that fall on their reserves were before operated by Indigenous Service Canada. We, however, in the Northwest Territories do not have any First Nation funded directly reserve health centres and therefore we -- so they took that -- they drew that down within their own correlation with their health services. We have many different Indigenous governments. We are working in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when we create different processes throughout our consensus government, those that are going to be locating dollars, those have to go through our financial process. So at this time, we are working through that to be able to come forward with some type of other benefit for those who are travelling for medical escorts and things like that. But at this time, we do not have that in place. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I don't have that information, but what I will commit to is finding that out and giving that information to all Members. Thank you.