Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This certainly is a challenge. It's a challenge across industry. But given the situation we're in, we are trying to bring in more licensed drivers. Some of that backlog, I will say, you know, a bit of a plug for folks who are looking to get their licenses as new drivers, if they want to take a driver's course first, that might reduce the number of repeat customers that we have over at the DMV. But with respect to those that are looking to be professional drivers, that's a different category. They're struggling with the same issue in that we have the same limited number of people doing the licensing exams. I can say knowing what's coming, knowing the pressures that we're in for supply, we are opening up additional appointments here from the end of this month and into next month. Doing that by ensuring that we're maximizing folks within our department with these skill sets and looking to bring to ensure that all of the positions are filled and try to do everything we can to fill those positions quickly so that we can address the existing backlog to get more drivers licensed and move supplies where we need to. Thank you.

Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services.

Based on the Minister's experience as a nurse, as a regular MLA for four years sitting over on this side, and now as health Minister, can she confirm from her experience whether the problem exists, whether the problem of health care shift workers not being allowed to take the full leave that they're entitled to? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Member from Yellowknife North. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, within the health care system, there are areas where health practitioners have to provide 24-hour care and within that health care system, those practitioners, nurses, you know, they fall under, you know, unionized employees and they are allotted time based on their years of service. So the longer employees have way more time. You know, and we've heard -- and I know we have -- there is an acknowledgement within the health authority that within that 24-hour care model that sometimes it's unfortunate but that not everybody can access all of their leaves due to operational requirements. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I think it's a great first start to just acknowledge that there's a problem. And understanding that the health authority is an independent authority, is the Minister aware of whether policies are being reviewed around when and how frontline staff can take leave, or will she request that those policies be reviewed? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what I can commit and say that what has been committed to by the Stanton is that the policy that is within Stanton for leave is going to -- or is being reviewed currently. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's a good first start. Would the Minister agree that when someone applies for leave, there should be a deadline for either approving or denying that leave that gives reasonable notice for that person so that they might plan their leave? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, those employees that are unionized employees, they have -- you know, when they apply for leave, it is the expectation that as the employer that they do follow the collective agreement, so 18.02-2(2) does speak to that. And so it gives them two weeks to respond to any employee that puts in leave. And if there are scheduling needs that need to be done in this advance, that those employers notify the union and that those -- they still have to have a set date as to when leave is put in and they still have to follow a two-week, and they have to respond in writing and the reasons why if they're declined. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So will the Minister commit to ensuring that a plan is developed to enable health care staff to take all their leave, to address policies and planning procedures in the short term, and over the longer term, to address chronic understaffing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do and I will and I have had communicated this to NTHSSA and to the other health authorities, you know, and so that way that we do have a plan in place and that, you know, when people can't get their leave, as many members said, that it does impact them. So thank you.

Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Monfwi.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The territorial government supplies -- or sorry, funds communities through our community funding. It's up to the communities whether or not they want to utilize some of that funding for things like the pools -- or for, like, pools. However, the government doesn't build pools or operate pools for communities so it's up -- at the end of the day, it's up to the community whether or not they want to use their own revenues or go out to other sources of funding for building such facilities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, with the CPI cutbacks, it's not possible to do that so that's why I asked the Minister. So can the Minister work with other government or charities to fund our swimming pool? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that the regional staff have worked with the community governments on their funding and how they can utilize it; however, at this time it's not our responsibility as a government to go out and look for funding for communities for infrastructure like this. If the government is looking for resources and assistance on maybe what funding could be available, I'm sure the department would be willing or working with the community to look for those funding sources. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I'm sure this one he can do. He's got a lot of staff. There's a lot of staff that are out there. Can the Minister commit to supporting community governments in the Tlicho region for writing grants and planning swimming pool projects? There's a lot of staff out there, so I'm asking the Minister if he would commit. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Municipal and Community Affairs, unfortunately, does not have a lot of staff. And I know that we do have staff available that could potentially assist with the community, so I think it's best if the community reaches out to the regional superintendent so that maybe resources could be found if we have them available. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Final supplementary. Member from Monfwi.

Mr. Speaker, the territorial government hired the -- recently like 1,600 employees within the last few years. I'm sure those people can do something. They must be useful for something, to do something for the community. So I'm just asking the Minister in -- or I don't know who, or maybe for finance. But in the supplementary budget, is it possible to divert money for a swimming pool in the Tlicho region? Thank you.

Member from Monfwi, your questions were to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs so I'm going to turn that question to him. Should you have another set of questions, you can reach it out to the finance Minister. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish I had all those employees. At the end of the day, I think we have to realize not all these employees are indeterminate full-time employees that are working -- you know, they're term employees. There's relief workers. So at the end of the day, we don't have those employees to assist with the community right now. Any other questions like that, I guess would have to go to the Minister of Finance. Thank you.