Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, my Member's statement is on cancer. It continues to touch the lives of so many people across our territory, and it is taking our loved ones far too often.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the front-line staff in Health and Social Services, who work every day with those affected by cancer, from the doctors and nurses to the people who book medical travel. These are caring professionals. They help cancer patients navigate the medical system in such stressful times in their lives.

Unfortunately, we face challenges, such as in the remote communities that I represent in Nunakput, Mr. Speaker. The remote location of our communities means a long wait time for appointments. These make the timely treatment of cancer even more challenging in the North. There are two things that I believe this department can do to improve the outcomes of our cancer patients across the territory, in the Beaufort-Delta.

First, I would like to see the Health and Social Services provide the Beaufort-Delta Health Authority with a dedicated position focused on doing travel arrangements solely for cancer patients. A focus on doing travel arrangements would alleviate the pressure on our local front-line staff to ensure that travel is booked, as well as follow-ups. Follow-ups are so important, and people are missing some appointments. This would ensure that cancer patients are booked in a timely manner.

Second, I believe that we could be doing more to prevent cancer through pre-screening. Cancer pre-screening takes place in medical appointments, but many people don't go to a doctor unless they feel sick, in their home communities.

I would like a commitment from the Minister today to develop a pilot project with me that would work to enable a team of professionals to travel to smaller communities at least once a year to do cancer pre-screening, especially for our less mobile elders. With today's technology, many cancers, such as colon cancer, breast cancer, and skin cancer, can be detected with simple, non-invasive procedures.

Mr. Speaker, as an MLA, I am tired of attending funerals for friends and family who have been taken by cancer. Today, I am asking the Minister of Health and Social Services to work with me to improve the lives of people in the Beaufort-Delta, the Sahtu, and in all the territory to do pre-screening for cancer, which will be able to improve patients' lives and outcomes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.