This is still for the housing Minister. What does the public housing tenants do if they are evicted? Thank you.

Member from Monfwi. Minister of Housing NWT.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If a public housing tenant is evicted, so most LHOs have a minimum time, up to six months, before they will allow an evicted tenant to reapply for public housing. So they have a six-month period where they won't allow any applications. And after that six months, the evicted tenant can reapply for a public housing unit. The tenant may be asked to show that they're -- they won't resume their same behaviours that they were evicted for before allowing them to reapply for housing. So the LHOs will refer the former tenants to other social agencies and programs that may be able to assist them in securing housing. For example, Housing NWT offers a rent supplement program that can assist with the rental costs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Housing NWT. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one thing that's become clear from the debate around safe disclosure to public processes is that we don't have adequate legislative protections in the Northwest Territories for public service workers. Is the Minister -- or is the Premier considering bringing forward either an amendment to the Public Service Act or standalone legislation to protect whistleblowers in the public service? Thank you.

From Range Lake. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have to confer with the Minister of Finance, but I do know that public servants do have some whistleblower protection under section 2 of the Charter, freedom of expression, and in certain circumstances. But that's not a decision for me. I have to confer with my colleague, the Minister of Finance as she is responsible for the Public Service Act. So I will do that as soon as reasonably possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I thank my colleagues for their indulgence.

Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services following up on some of my questions yesterday. And one of the questions -- the nature of the question or the heart of the question is transparency on the doctors' waiting list, and her brazen response is, you know, that's only an issue in Yellowknife. Actually half the population here is in Yellowknife but it's a respect factor of how people in Yellowknife feel. And I got some phone calls how upset people were about that perspective. So my question here, specifically to the Minister of Health and Social Services, is simply this: What can she do to bring transparency to the waiting list? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in this House, the -- we are doing a review and the primary health care reform is going to look at how we provide services to all residents in the Northwest Territories. And I understand that there is a model that's been used in Yellowknife which, yes, it is the half of the population but, you know, on the other opposite end is there's the other half of the population that doesn't have access to physicians and services. And, you know, we've heard from Members in this House that said they don't have even an access to a nurse all the time. So we are looking at the entire territory and how we provide services to the residents in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I really wish the Minister would answer the question. What is her hesitation for putting some transparency on the doctors' waiting list? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm convinced the Minister doesn't understand the question. Her response to me was -- written response, sir, is the 2,000 people are on the waitlist. So they know what the waitlist for a doctor means. That said, what is the apprehension or hesitation for providing some level of transparency, so you know where you are on the waitlist? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the opposite sense is why is there a waitlist? You know, I went and seen a physician on Saturday. I didn't have to see -- you know, so this is why I'm saying the primary health care reform is changing how we're looking at how patients have access to services, not necessarily how everybody's going to have a specific physician to this many clients or this many patients or within this system. So that is -- you know, when we provided the information that we do have to the Member, and if he wishes to share the information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Final supplementary. Short supplementary.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, they provided information, but it wasn't detailed such as can a doctor refuse to take a client. So, Mr. Speaker, when people are waiting six to eight years on the medical waiting list to get a family doctor, they have no idea when it's coming. So, Mr. Speaker, I'm asking again what can the Minister do to bring some level of transparency to the doctors' waiting list for the public? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe I answered the Member. As this list is changing and the model may change, and so that is the work that we're doing. So as there's a list, whether it's changing, those are things that -- you know, everybody has access to a physician whether it's a family -- like, the model is changing and it's changing across the country. And so I've answered the question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Health and Social Services. Members, time for oral questions is up. Oral questions. Written questions. Replies to the Commissioner's address. Petitions. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Reports of standing and special committees. Tabling of documents. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents: The Natural Resources Conservation Trust Fund Financial Statements for the Year ended March 31st, 2022; and, Inuvialuit Water Board 2022-2023 Annual Report and Financial Statements. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Tabling of Documents. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents: Education Accountability Framework - South Slave Divisional Education Council Operating Plan for the 2023-2024 School Year; and, Annual Reports for the Education Bodies of the Northwest Territories for the School Year Ending June 30th, 2023, Volumes 1 and 2. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Tabling of documents. Notices of motion. Motions. Notice of motion for the first reading of bills. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Tuesday, February 27th, 2024, I will present to the House Bill 3, Carbon Tax Repeal Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.