Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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. 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, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the things that, within the small communities -- and I had asked this on numerous occasions to the department on different topics -- is with smoking cessations in the communities, the majority of the population in our small communities, you know, are Indigenous, so all of our insurances that we apply have with non-insured health benefits, Metis benefits, extended health benefits, they all cover smoking cessation. And from my understanding, we do supply those in -- we do have them in the health centres and so people, if they get the physician to -- or...

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.

Yes, thank you. Medical travel is, I think, probably one of the standing agenda items with Indigenous governments. Every Indigenous government that we speak to will raise this issue. I am committed to continuing to work with Indigenous governments and hearing what their concerns are with how we move patients.

They've also stressed the issues from the Council of Leaders to Indigenous Service Canada, how we move patients. So it's not just the government policy part. It's the work that we're doing on the NIHB medical travel policy with you know, in collaboration with Indigenous governments. So...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have that level of detail but I know that the Member did have a written question. I don't know if that I can't recall if that information was in there, but I can get back to the Member if we can compile that data. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if there are you know, I guess, again, if it's an elder, you know I hear the Member. I know of many stories, you know, and I'm not going to deny that this is something that we are aware of. We know this is a gap in our policy, and that is why the medical travel policy is its own target in our you know, in the business plans. And so this is one of the areas that I really want to focus on. I want to use some of the information I will learn probably from the bilateral with Inuvialuit, and also to be able to hear from we have the Indigenous patient...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have committed to it in the business plan. Like I said, it is in the bigger picture. I understand the Member wants this specific area but then the other Member wants a specific area, and then if I go down the list and throughout the next four years, every Member's going to have their specific instance. So we need to make sure that we have all compiled all those instances and come out with a policy that's fair and equitable for the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.