Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (English not provided) Mr. Speaker, I, too, support this motion that is in front of us creating an incentive for the existing health professions in the Northwest Territories.

There are talks about the temp contracts that are coming from the South or wherever the place may be. At the same time, we have to treat our health professionals with respect and also pay them competitively as we pay the contractors who are coming out. That's not the first time we've heard that. We've heard it over and over. I think it's time we stepped to the plate and say we treat health professionals the way we should be treated.

I would just like to highlight that we are doing this for our existing staff right now and also for future potential staff for the health profession in our region.

I would just like to share a story. We have a first qualified nurse from the Tlicho region a first year back that graduated. She worked at Stanton and now she's gone back to university to continue furthering her education. We, as Tlicho, are very proud of her. Someday, Mr. Speaker, she'll come back to our region and possibly become a doctor. I think that's her dream. That's her vision and she wants to work for her people. She's out there getting educated and we are 100 percent behind her as the Tlicho leadership.

It's not only her, but there are others in post-secondary, whether it be Aurora College, Edmonton or elsewhere. They are getting educated. We must set incentives for them to return to our communities, to the Northwest Territories. Right now, as it stands, Mr. Speaker, with the high cost of living, no accommodation allowance, it's very hard to attract those individuals and we've heard it over and over in this House that we have to do something. I think this motion really calls for an action plan, for the government to do something today. If we don't, we are going to be standing here in February stressing that there is a crisis in the North. I foresee that coming, Mr. Speaker, not only in the health professions but other professions as well.

Even talking in my previous Member's statement, the community of Wekweeti, the small communities don't have nurses in the community. There are lay dispensers, but it's just not the same, Mr. Speaker. Those are the communities that we need to focus on as well.

I would just like to say that I fully support this motion. I just want to elaborate on how important it is to have our health professionals looked after well. Mahsi.