Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring further attention to an issue which affects Northerners of all ages and walks of life, directly or indirectly, our mental healthcare system.

I want to take a moment first to thank all in our communities in the public and private healthcare facilities, the nurses, doctors, therapists, community leaders, specialists, and elders who work tirelessly for the betterment and health of all Northerners. We all owe you a great debt of gratitude. My thoughts today are being made in the hope we can improve the existing programs and the concerns that have been shared with me by Northerners about access to these crucial services.

Depression, anxiety, PTSD, seasonal mood disorder, bipolar disorder, suicide, survivors of abuse, the list goes on. The people who live daily with these and many other afflictions are too often hiding in plain sight. They may have the biggest smiles and brightest of personalities, and yet, just below the surface, they may be facing thoughts, feelings, and emotions which are not in line with the outward image they portray.

When Northerners decide they need help, they can call the NWT Helpline, which is a good first point of access, but members of the public have brought it to my attention that, under the current process, wait times are more commonly six to 12 weeks, or even months, a far cry from the two to three weeks as stated by the Minister. In Hay River, I am told, it can take eight months of waiting just to get an appointment to see a counsellor. For those without health insurance benefits or those who cannot afford to wait due to a mental health crisis, there is even less support, and paying out of pocket just isn't an affordable solution to those who need help the most.

Now, let me be clear. I'm not talking about a two-tiered system. We are talking about those who fall through the cracks, those who need help now, and those who, if they wait for the prescribed length of time, risk falling back into addiction, self-harm, or worse.

There is clearly a disconnect between what we are being told in this House and what the public is telling us at their doorstep. These wait times can have far-reaching consequences. We know that, when people reach out for help, being told to wait for months on end is just not an option. They are at high risk and are in need of compassion and a helping hand at that exact moment. We need a system of mental healthcare that makes best use of our resources and gets Northerners the help they need, as soon as they need it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.