Thank you. We will now turn to health and social programs, beginning on page 198. Oh just wait, mixed up here; my pages are coming out.

Health and social programs, 198, with information on pages 199 to 201. Questions? Member for Kam Lake.

Any further questions under this section? No? Okay, so Health and Social Services, administrative and support services, operations expenditure summary, 2023-2024, $54,550,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you to the Member for her comment.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, we would like to have more of our young people going in to become a nurse, you know. But if our education system was better, was good like Yellowknife and other regional centre, larger regional centre, yes, we can graduate, we can send more, we can encourage. But it's going to take years some of them to upgrade. They have to go through upgrading. And, you know, like, a lot of them are behind as noted in the 2018 health status report. Our education system is low and our graduation system is also low. So, yes, we would like to encourage. We would like to encourage more young people to take the nursing programs. And we do have some Tlicho nurse, but they did not go to school in my region, in our region. They went to school somewhere else. So they have more -- you know, like they have more advantage than our Tlicho youth who were born and raised in our region. So, yes, we would -- it would be good, you know. I think that's what would -- that's what we've been doing, telling our young people to take nursing program, to take other health care -- healthcare programs and services. Even sonographer, you know, that's -- I heard quite a few young people they would like to get into that, you know, but we don't have the capacity because our education system, we lack a lot of program and services. And, you know, it's -- that's a disadvantage. Yes, that's -- that's the disadvantage. So -- and maybe Ms. Green can, you know, transfer more of those positions and can work with our young people and encourage them and support them because if the more young people see these positions in the small communities, then maybe they will make a good -- you know, a good career choice. Just like the sonographer which is possible. That can be situated -- that can be transferred to Tlicho region, and our youth can benefit from that. Thank you.

Thank you. Did you have anything further, Member for Monfwi?

Yes, thank you. I understand the Member's point. There's a very high rate of vacancies among nurses in the Tlicho region. So if I was giving a young person advice in the Tlicho region, I would suggest that they take a look at all the different healthcare professions to see if they could find one there that would meet their needs and that would then keep them in their community. And the same could be said for the social work program, which I was delighted to hear will be started up again next year. We would like to hire people who are trained locally to do these jobs. Where it's possible to decentralize, we have. For example, some of the community and cultural initiative people are not in Yellowknife and so if we can find someone who can do the work in another location, we have no problems hiring them. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you. Yeah, when we talk to young people nowadays, you know, we tell them what -- you know, what's their career choice. They all -- they are always saying, you know, I don't know, you know. That's what they normally say because we don't have too many jobs for them that are, you know, situated in Tlicho region. Well, I'm speaking for Tlicho region. And so they have -- they feel like, you know, there's no other choice or they have no other choice because there's not too many in small communities. And a lot of administrative support where, you know -- but if there's more program and services and, you know, young people will have, you know, a better choice, can make a better choice, can make a good career choice. But we don't have too many. So that's why I'm asking that if we can have more or some of these positions transferred to the regions. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Member for Monfwi.

Thank you. Deputy minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I don't see that as practical. There is regional administration of the different health and social services authority, like the Tlicho Community Services Agency. But the department provides overall direction here in Yellowknife. I am not clear how it would work to have a few people in another location. Did you want to add on? The deputy minister would like to add on, please.