This is page numbers 2121 - 2162 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was health.

Topics

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

I see which item it's in, but I am just going to check here and see if I have that level of detail. I don't see that I do, so I'd like to ask Ms. Mathison to answer the question, please.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you. Ms. Mathison.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Mathison

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's a level of detail, actually, that I don't have with me, as well. Those expenditures show up in the authority budgets, which they submit to us in a very detailed fashion, so we don't have that here with us. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you. Member.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

February 25th, 2021

Page 2135

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I think it would be worthwhile as a request, if we're going to isolate French-language services in healthcare, I think it would be worthwhile also showing how much we're spending on Indigenous languages translations in healthcare, as well. One of the conversations that we hear a lot about these days is systemic racism and if that exists in our healthcare systems or not, and I think people being able to access healthcare in their Indigenous and traditional languages is quite important to make sure that everybody is getting information that they need. That's why I'm asking these questions right now, is to understand how people are being supported in their traditional languages within their community in healthcare. I'll move on, still staying within hospital services. I'm wondering how much, every year, is paid to NWT hospitals in out-of-territory services and if there is currently a deficit on that. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you. Just to go back to the money spent on Indigenous languages, the issue here is not that it isn't happening. It's the way it's reported. The money for French-language services requires a particular kind of reporting because it's provided by the federal government. The Indigenous-language interpretation would be provided by the GNWT, so it's not reported in the same way. That doesn't mean to say it can't be discovered or reported in the future, so that's something to explore. With respect to the amount of money that is spent on out-of-territory services and what the deficit on that might be, I don't see that level of detail on the page that I have. Again, I'll turn to Ms. Mathison and see if she has it. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Ms. Mathison.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Mathison

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The department's expenditure on out-of-territory hospitals is in another activity further down the way. We spend $32 million in out-of-territory hospitals, but it's not represented on this page. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you. Member.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Sorry, Mr. Chair. That's why I had my hand up. I meant residents from out-of-territory who are having medical work done here. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Again, I'll turn to Ms. Mathison, please.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Ms. Mathison.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Mathison

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Services to non-residents, we have increased the budget for that this year by $1 million to cover the increased costs associated with us providing services to those non-residents who do attend our facilities. I am searching the page here for the actual budget on that item, but I don't have it handy. However, we added $1 million to the budget for this year. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you. Member.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. To confirm, is that money that is always reimbursed to the territorial government annually, or is there sometimes money that we end up having to swallow? Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you. The situation with providing services to people from other jurisdictions in Canada is that there is a provincial-territorial committee that meets annually and sets the rate for the costs of that care on a daily basis, and then the different provinces and territories bill one another for the costs of the care based on the number of people who come here and require care here. The jurisdictions are billed, so, for example, if someone came here from Alberta, became ill, was hospitalized for 14 days, there would be a set rate that is already agreed and Alberta Health Services would be billed for the 14 days of care that their resident received. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 2135

The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you. Member.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Does anybody owe us money? Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

I feel sure the answer is yes to that. I don't know if Ms. Mathison has that level of detail here, but let's see.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Ms. Mathison.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Mathison

Thank you, Mr. Chair. There is always a lag in the billing. Other jurisdictions have up to a year to pay us after we send them the bill, but we don't have any that we are not expecting to receive payment for. Thank you, Mr. Chair.