Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On March 16, it will be one year that this Legislative Assembly sat in this House and ended our budget winter session early due to the unknown risks of COVID-19. Shortly after, the borders were closed and a public health emergency was declared in the Northwest Territories. We were told to flatten the curve by staying home, Mr. Speaker. No visitors were ordered. People began to panic out of fear of the unknown. Myself, as many other MLAs, began to become the COVID navigators for our constituents and, for some of us MLAs, even for some other constituents.
I shared as much information I received from the GNWT and answered as many questions I could and sent in concerns and constituent complaints as they were afraid that the people who were in our community were not following the orders in self-isolation. I did not know where to report them, so I sent them to the Minister of Health.
When the ProtectNWT email was set up and the 811, I referred the reports to them, but I also had to continue to send in the email to the ProtectNWT for those who did not have access. Sometimes, we heard back, and sometimes, we didn't. I never knew if they were followed up, and neither did my constituents. Mr. Speaker, I know, at that time, GNWT was establishing on-the-go ways to protect the residents, and as time went on, more and more processes and staff were able to answer and follow-up on concerns of residents, which is great.
Mr. Speaker, I will raise this issue again. My community of Inuvik and the surrounding communities in the Beaufort-Delta have been cut off to services that are not available to my region, and with no road to Yellowknife, our closest road is Whitehorse. We have a shortage of dentist's appointments, and only recently had the dentist's office open in Inuvik with a backlog of clients. No vehicle warranty as vehicles get shipped. It's been 50 below, Mr. Speaker, this winter. They get shipped to Whitehorse for many services that are not available. During normal times, people go to Whitehorse as it is cheaper than flying to Yellowknife for one person. Now, there is even more of a need with many services limited or not even open. Social, public venues are limited or are still not open, and people are suffering from isolation. Mental health issues are of high concern.
Mr. Speaker, I've received and continue to receive letters from my community to continue to raise the issue of having a way for the residents of the Beaufort-Delta to travel to and from the Yukon? We would appreciate if our Premier brings our voices and works with the Yukon government to open the border. Please, give us a window of hope. I will have questions for the Premier. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.