Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, when regions -- you know, depending on who is reaching out for those services in the different regions, for us, you know, we are working on the recruitment portion of it. But if there independent Indigenous organizations that want to access those funding, the boards that want to access those funding, you know, they can be way more strategic on how they're providing services in their regions. They're more flexible in how they can hire people. So right now what I can -- all I can really say is that the department is preparing a review of the speech...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, again, this is one of the things that's in our business plan. I know it -- you know, I've had asked questions because the timeline is long. We started rolling out the EMR before, way back when I was still practising. And we finally just got it into the last community in the Northwest Territories. So now that we have to replace the -- it is a multi -- I guess to explain it, there's multiple systems. And so I think what the Member's referring to is like right now, what we want to do is looking into -- when we designed the system, I think the goal is -- you...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. With the transition of the way that the program merged, like, works with ECE now, there was a reduction in the amount of CYCs available to -- in the program under health but that those dollars were transferred -- that's the operating dollars for ECE to use for their program. So, yes, there has been. They just been moved to ECE, the funding for those positions that have been discontinued. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, and I really appreciate the Member for bringing, you know, one of the things that I think -- when I looked at this fund last week before I went out to meet with an Indigenous organization and community, was that the community wellness and addiction recovery fund was opened in two regional governments until January 31st of this year to apply for multi-year funding. Only three organizations had reached out. And so now that those three organizations has reached out, there is a little over $3 million in that fund, and it can be used for mental health and addictions...

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned the NTHSSA is working with the human resources to explore additional recruitment and retention options. Last month representatives from the NTHSSA travelled to the University of Toronto job fair to promote speech language pathologists opportunities in the Northwest Territories. The territorial manager of the occupational therapy also travelled to the national occupational therapy conference with a recruitment booth. The rehab leads are working continuously with a talent organization for recruitment campaigns, refreshing that they don't yield...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. There was a set amount for regional governments to be able to apply. As a region up until January 31st for multi-year funding. After that -- after April 1st, then it opened up to Indigenous community governments. And so individual Indigenous communities can apply up to 208 per -- that's for the regional. $208,000 a year.

Thank you. Just give us a minute to find that level of detail. Mr. Chair, if the Member would like, we can commit to giving that information back --

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want committee to know and I want, you know, the Members to know, and as well as the public to know, that there was actually no program because there was no positions. They're all vacant. They have been vacant. You know, the vision of, yes, making Yellowknife a training ground but, you know, those are just visions. And, you know, and I hear the Member, and, you know, if that was something that was happening, you know, it would be very hard. But with the positions -- this has gone back many, many, many years. It's gone back to -- that there's been, you know, sporadic --...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, I'm always willing to meet with any groups. You know, like I said, I'll meet with Indigenous groups, I'll meet with any groups. I'll meet with Members. You know, and I hear the Member and, you know, and I fully understand where, you know, this -- like I said, these are some decisions that we had to make. But, again, I'll leave it at that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.