Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Final supplementary. Member from Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just for a little clarification, the spot I was referring is in between Inuvik and Tsiigehtchic.

Can the Minister look at maintaining the highways during closure of the ice crossings for when the ferries are out -- are shut down for the day for rough sections and dust control to avoid traffic? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think that's a specific question I'd like to have conversation with the Member and, if necessary, can report back to the House just in terms of what kinds of exactly supports on what roads and what sections the Member is talking about. I mean, I know we do -- we certainly do send out trucks, depending on the type of year -- what time of year, excuse me, depending on what services may be available. So, again, I know the region would like to make themselves available and would like to ensure that we maintain passable roadways. And so, again, I'd like to follow up with the Member directly and make sure that we're doing our best. If there's a section of this area that is not getting the attention that it needs and could have, then we would like to look to fixing that. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Oral questions. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Mr. Speaker, the high school teacher in Lutselk'e resigned and left the community. So there's no dedicated high school teacher in the community, and it's not clear when a new teacher will take their place. My question is to the Minister of ECE.

Is ECE working with Lutselk'e to get a dedicated high school teacher back in the community by next -- by the next school year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to start by just acknowledging the incredible impact that a teacher leaving a community would have on especially a small community in the Northwest Territories, and I just thank the Member for asking these questions to bring it forward and get the information out.

So in the Northwest Territories, education bodies are responsible for hiring teachers. And specific to Lutselk'e, the high school teaching position became vacant in November of 2023. The South Slave Divisional Education Council filled the position with a long-term substitute, and that person taught until March of 2024. And from April through to the end of the school year, the program support teacher has actually taken on the responsibility of covering instructional duties within the classroom. And the teaching position position has now been filled for the 2024-2025 school year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. What support is ECE providing to teachers in my communities as we do not want to have any more teachers leaving the community in the middle of the school year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, ECE supports education bodies in recruitment of teachers while education bodies themselves hire the teachers. But in that process, there are two online recruitment platforms. The first is an NWT-wide recruitment information database, and there's also a dedicated point of contact to respond to questions that people might have about moving to the Northwest Territories. Because it's really important before people come, that they understand what life is about. And, of course, as always, we really want to also ensure -- in our classrooms, we're encouraging our students to become teachers and to return to home communities after post-secondary. ECE also works with education bodies to provide supports once people do move to the Northwest Territories. For example, there are two-day cultural orientation on-the-land training that is delivered by education bodies for new teachers. There's also the New to the North Educators Conference that is run by ECE. In addition to that, there is a mentorship program for new teachers. In addition, teachers are GNWT employees and they, of course, have access to mental health resources like the Employee and Family Assistance Program, as well as community counselling in the community that they live in. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And we don't know what's going to happen between now and the fall, but some community members are coming to Yellowknife so their children may have better access to education. Will ECE support them, especially if this problem continues in the fall? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm very happy to confirm, again, that there is a high school -- or the high school position has been filled for the 2024-2025 school year and, as well, the teaching coverage that is in place will remain for the 2023-2024 school year, so from now until the end of the school year but we've got a few weeks left here. And families who may be considering relocating their children to attend high school in a different NWT community are definitely encouraged to speak with their school principal or their superintendent to find out information about home boarding programs that might exist and that students might have access to. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm also concerned about the lack of adult education services in Lutselk'e. Can the Minister also commit to provide more adult education services in the community? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in response to this question, I can definitely commit to the Member to reaching out to Aurora College and then providing the Member with more information. But this is definitely an interest area of mine as well, and I would like to offer the Member to sit down as well and find out exactly what the community is looking for. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from Deh Cho.

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

In general terms, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain the health and social services policy, if one exists, of helping an NWT resident return home if they happen to be hospitalized while they are travelling in another province or territory? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Deh Cho. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is no policy for helping residents return home in the case where a resident has been travelling in another province, anywhere in Canada, anywhere in the world. Like, if the patient -- or if the person has left the territory on their own, there is no policy that covers that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, and thank you to the Minister. Mr. Speaker, if an NWT resident is hospitalized while they're travelling elsewhere in Canada and that individual is unable to physically get themselves home, does that mean the GNWT is simply going to abandon them and leave them stranded in another province or territory? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, every resident who travels outside the territories on their own -- you know, if you were to end up in the hospital and get sick or anything, that is not the responsibility of the GNWT to bring them back. There is information on the NTHSSA website for travelling out -- information for travelling outside the Northwest Territories. It does speak to even travelling within Canada, that people should -- you know, if they are travelling that they should make sure that they look at what insurances that they have, if they need additional insurances when travelling. Some people have credit cards and things like that that may cover some of those expenses as well. So they should be fully aware of those things before they travel. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister confirm if what she says means that all NWT residents must always have their own private health insurance when they travel anywhere within Canada if they expect to receive any assistance in returning home if they're hospitalized while travelling? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, anybody who's leaving the Northwest Territories has health care coverage. Like, we have agreements across Canada that if you have your health care card and you can prove that you have health care insurance in your home province, you can have access to health services, insured health services anywhere in Canada. But you also have to be aware that some of the things that we cover in the Northwest Territories are not covered outside of -- in some provinces so those things, you may be billed for. And medical travel is not something that -- you know, that's not included in that. That's why it's important that if you're leaving the territory on your own and you're not being sent out by medical travel, then you should look at what kind of protections you have when you're leaving. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't think many NWT residents are aware of this therefore would the Minister consider creating a new policy that would provide a one-time only offer to residents where, if an individual gets hospitalized while they're travelling, the GNWT will cover the cost in returning them home? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.