Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On October 29th, 2020, I spoke about medical travel escorts in here, and I stressed the issue to the last Minister of Health and Social Services. The main issues were elders being sent without escorts and the issues that they have when they arrive, especially in Yellowknife, of being put in a hotel.
Today I want to re-raise these concerns to the current Health and Social Services Minister as they still continue to be one of the biggest complaints that I receive.
Mr. Speaker, clients being sent to Yellowknife are contacting me not only from my constituency but from throughout the Northwest Territories with their complaints. One of the biggest are the denial of escorts. And I would like to stress to the Minister they find out usually a day before and some even on the day that they're going to travel so there is no time to do an appeal. I know Minister has stated this policy is being reviewed. Mr. Speaker, another concern is residents being sent to the boarding home in Yellowknife after being placed in the hotel. The constituents I have heard from -- or sorry, the constituents I have heard being placed in hotels that have no restaurants and the food that they receive was unacceptable. They are hungry, and they have no choice even when they are allergic to the food that is being sent. They are not -- if they are not in the boarding home, then why are we making -- why are we not making arrangements to have them in a hotel with a restaurant and have vouchers to the restaurants for three meals a day? And I may add there have also been elders put in these hotels and have had no escort. This, again, is unacceptable.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to point out that Indigenous people in the NWT are the ones that are being put through this. These are not GNWT employees or people who have other insurances. If they have staying in hotels, they should be given per diems or meal vouchers to be equivalent to GNWT staff if not fed three meals in a day in a hotel where they're -- where they are staying.
Mr. Speaker, I'd also like to raise the complaint of the quality and quantity of food being provided to the medical travel patients when staying at the hotel and at the boarding home. They tell me they are hungry as the food is very little or inadequate. For example, I have received a photo of a meal for supper that was a hot dog. This was from an elder.
Recently, I've received complaints from those who are at the boarding home that there's nothing do drink for them and little to nothing to have for snacks after supper. Mr. Speaker, I request unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. They can't afford to go anywhere, and some are unable to get anywhere as they may need assistance but they have no escort.
Mr. Speaker, medical travel needs an overhaul. Our GNWT employees would revolt if they were treated as our medical travel patients are. And I would like to point out that majority of them are Indigenous. I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.