Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the federal programs that came about in response to the recommendations made through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is the Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program.
Through this program, residential school survivors and their families are able to access mental health counselling as delivered by professionals, Health Canada-approved counsellors, at no cost. Of course, any of the approved counsellors are in Yellowknife and my constituents have to travel for these appointments, which Health Canada also pays for.
Where it becomes complicated, Mr. Speaker, is if you are a GNWT employee trying to access these needed services. Our leave provisions, while generous, do not really accommodate anyone trying to access health services that are being paid for by outside parties. In order to access more than one day of casual leave for a medical appointment, a GNWT employee has to apply for medical travel assistance for up to three days of casual leave. Otherwise, Mr. Speaker, the GNWT employee would have to use annual leave, lieu, or sick leave to attend appointments. For our employees who do not have these credits available, what recourse do we have to access this critical service?
It seems rather strange, Mr. Speaker, that, even though the GNWT is not responsible for any costs related to the travel, accommodations, per diem, or counsellor, our employee has to apply for and get approval for medical travel when this is not a medical-travel situation.
At the end of the day, Mr. Speaker, the process needs to be adjusted for easy access for employees and for the GNWT to administer. I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.