Debates of Feb. 6th, 2026

Thank you to the Member from Frame Lake. Please go ahead, Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the last couple of years we have continued to -- NTHSSA has continued to advertise over and over again for these positions; however, they've all -- they've gone unfilled so that's the reason why the positions that were -- you know, we had conversations with some of the surrounding communities. They were not interested in this type of a program at this time, some of our smaller Indigenous communities closer to. And so the important thing that we have to make sure is that when we are providing these services that, you know, we can't just tell communities that this is what they need to provide when we can't even staff these positions. So where we struggle with right now is that we are -- I believe even in Hay River and Fort Smith, the numbers of deliveries are going down. You know, the high risk of, you know, the maternal patients that, you know, they have to go into a different facility because -- you know, because of whatever their risk factors are. So, however, I would love to say I would love to put a midwife and a birthing centre in every single community, like, you know, the realistic thing is that we have to take a look at what our patients are. And many of our parents that are birthing nowadays -- and it's not all of them -- but are high risk. And so when we look at this area, we struggle to hire positions in our two current birthing facilities as it is. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. To the Member of Frame Lake, go ahead, please.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I do want to just go back to the Minister's staff. There was a potential commitment on the table, but I haven't heard it specifically referred to. So can staff get back to me with details about the lapse in funding and why it lapsed. Thank you.

Thank you to the Member of Frame Lake. Please go ahead, ADM.

Thank you, assistant deputy minister. The Member of Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's an exciting development so amazed at how fast we've been able to move on this issue in the short ten minutes I've had. So thank you for the detail there. I do appreciate that and will just say, I mean, I am going to continue to advocate for midwifery as I already said, so. I am going to leave it at that for now and maybe cede the floor to another Member and will let you know if I have some further questions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to the Member of Frame Lake. We shall move on, and the other Member on the list is out. To the Member of Monfwi, did you have any questions? I thought I seen your hands up earlier.

Are we still on revenue summary? When we receive money, it's good, you know. But I see here in the budget there are some -- I don't know if it's sunsetted because it didn't say, you know, agreement to work with -- I see there's quite a few agreements -- agreement was signed with other -- with Canada. So agreement to work together to improve health care for Canadians, there's nothing in the budget for upcoming fiscal year. There's quite a few of those too. Even with First Nation and Inuit Community Care Agreement, there's nothing allocated. So I just wanted to ask the Minister if the Minister can explain why. Thank you.

Thank you to the Member of Monfwi. Please go ahead, Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, as the federal budget was only announced late in November that before -- before that, we -- you know, and then we begin to work with them to renew these two program areas. And so as of right now, I believe that the funding hasn't changed in either one of those with the federal government. We just are in the process of negotiating it and once those are signed off, I believe they're not -- there's no change in them. We already know what they are; we just have to sign them off now. And then because they expire at the end of March 31st, the current agreements, we have to have the new agreements signed off before they could be added back into the budget, which would come at a later date. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to the Minister. Member from Monfwi.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, improving health care, it's very important, especially in the small communities in the Northwest Territories. It's mostly in -- almost all the Indigenous communities across Canada, health care needs to be improved. It's good to know that there's going -- you know, that funding will be renewed, the agreement for the funding will be renewed.

The other one here, capital transfer, a Green and Inclusive Community Building Agreement, that budget is cut in half for the upcoming fiscal year. Can the Minister also explain why that this funding it's -- like going from $15 million to half of that. Thank you.

Thank you to the Member of Monfwi. Please go ahead, Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, that was the -- that is for the wellness and recovery centre and so through the budgets, as we have needed it, this is a fully, I believe, federal funded capital project and so it's being funded through -- as we can roll out this year what needs -- what's needing to be allocated, and I believe it was over three years until it was completed, and then we -- to open. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. To the Member of Monfwi.

Thank you. Okay, there's a decrease for the upcoming fiscal year to Aging with Dignity Funding Agreement. It was down in 2025-2026 and then with the revised estimate, and then now with a -- in the main estimate, it's down a bit to 3.6. Aging with Dignity Funding Agreement, that's very important, especially for people living in small communities in long-term care, etcetera. So if the Minister can explain, is that -- is it due to that -- because of the federal announcement?

Thank you to the Member of Monfwi. Please go ahead, assistant deputy minister.

Thank you, assistant deputy minister. I'll remind the Member that we're on the activity of administrative and support services, so if you can maintain the questions related to that activity there, please. Please go ahead, Member of Monfwi.

Okay, so what page are we on, then? 198, okay. I know that with administrative and support services, I don't see in here -- it would have been nice if we can -- if we know the administrative and support services, if it was broken down by regions so then I could see clearly how much is being spent to Tlicho region. You know, like, I am sure you would like to know too, for Sahtu, you know, because all regions are important to us and we do rely heavily on the government program and services. Thank you.

Thank you to the Member of Monfwi. Minister, do you want to reply?

Yes, I would just refer to the funding to other sources in the appendices. That is where it's broken down to the different authorities. And so I believe if the Member is looking for the Tlicho health authority, TCSA, that would be broken down of what that's allocated there. Thank you, Mr. Chair.