Thank you, Mr. Chair. The issue I have with that is that it is not the fault of the individual that is sitting in the hospital that there is no placement for them in long-term care. So I did speak to some people about it and people did mention to me that, you know, it's not the fault of the person that's in the hospital so why should they have to be penalized for waiting for a bed if it's determined that they need long-term care? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I will go to the Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So in my understanding, and again this is where the supplementary appropriation in this regard isn't specific or connected, really, to this change in policy so we'll certainly respond and report back if I am incorrect. But I believe that the fee is -- it's when someone's in hospital but no longer receiving health care, this would be, you know, the same as someone who's not covered by a health care plan because they're not receiving health care. So it's the same fee that would be charged for anyone that is in that position. It is also the same fee that the person would be charged when they enter into long-term care. So it's really acknowledging that they are moving from being an inpatient receiving health services under health -- under the healthcare insurance policies that as a government in Canada we're obliged to provide for Canadian citizens. They've shifted to being a long-term care resident. That -- that $34 a day is the same fee that they'd be charged in those circumstances. That's the change, is that rather than getting the bed in the hospital, which would be for health care, it's recognizing that they're actually now receiving long-term care, which is a fee-based, albeit at a very low rate of $34 a day for both room, board, and accommodation. So it is a change going from zero to $34, Mr. Chair, but it is reflective of the fact that they're not receiving acute care. Thank you.

Thank you. I will go to the Member from the Deh Cho.

Thank you. There's a lot of ways you could look at this. First of all, a lot of our people that are in the hospital don't have a lot of money and so -- and then they're waiting -- presumably they're waiting for a long-term care bed or -- like I said, it's not their fault that there's no bed available for them so they're still in the hospital. And then I heard the Minister reference things like this happened in the -- this is how they do things in the south. Well, we're not in the south. We're in the North. Cost of living is really high in our communities. And a lot of -- you look at that payment for an individual, especially if it's for an elder or somebody that has an injury, that there's no foreseeable future, it looks like they're not going to recover, so they're going to be in this place possibly the rest of their life. And so to pay $34 a day for the rest of their life is like -- we're in the North here. We do things differently. It seems like some of the things that we're adopting is -- is from the south. It makes sense -- maybe it makes sense there but in the North here we do things differently. So for a long time we've been taking care of -- we've been helping and taking care of the people, and that's the way it was for us. That's how we do things in the North. That's how we do things in our communities.

I understand there is a need for us to kind of supplement or help pay for some things. Yes, we need to do that. It's just that this $34 a day adds up every day for a family or a person that doesn't make a lot of money. So I guess I will be bringing this up in the House. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. Is there any further questions?

Okay, well, what we'll do is we'll stop there. We'll come back to the Member from Monfwi. We'll take a 20-minute break to give the translators some time, and then we'll come back. Thank you.

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We'll continue on. Where we left off is at the Department of Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, health and social services program, not previously authorized, $12,603,000. Where we left off was the Member from Monfwi had her hand up before we took a break, so I am going to go to the Member from Monfwi.

The First Nations Inuit home and community care agreement, this is also for -- well, I am not too sure, but -- that's why I am asking is that so people with third party insurance, they do not qualify for this program. Can you explain this program a little bit more to us. Thank you.

Thank you. I will go to the Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Sorry, Mr. Chair, this is -- it's not something that goes direct to residents. It helps support the Department of Health and Social Services to provide care for Indigenous residents. I don't know that there's a testing of whether or not an Indigenous resident has access to other forms of insurance that maybe that Member's considering under non-insured health benefits, so providing first point of care access or first point of connection access, but this is to ensure that these services are available in communities. Thank you.

Thank you. I will go to the Member from Monfwi.

Thank you. So how is this -- I know it's offset by the Government of Canada. So how is this program allocated? So does it support the communities, all the -- all 33 communities to provide community care for First Nations and Inuit? Thank you.

Thank you. I will go to the Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, there is a mix of both positions that are supported through this in a number of communities around Northwest Territories, as well as there being some funding available for non-government organizations and programs within Indigenous community-based care initiatives. So there's overall, Mr. Chair, 48.2 position equivalents that are funded, and then the remainder amounts go to these other areas, so -- and I -- Mr. Chair, I could certainly -- I know I've provided Members by correspondence earlier today with these numbers, but I'd be happy to -- if it's helpful, could certainly provide that to the House. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. I will go to the Member from Monfwi.

No, that's good because she said 48 new positions being, you know, funded through this program, and a lot of these care is greatly needed in many of the small communities, so. And I guess with the next one is, if they can tell us how this program is being allocated. Well, there's 48.2 position but it does -- it goes to all the communities, does it fund all the communities. Thank you.

Thank you. I will go to the Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I was trying to quickly get a sense of exactly -- there's -- not all 33 communities are expressly listed with funding coming from this particular program which isn't to say that they don't have other sources of funding to provide similar equivalent levels of supports. But for example, Mr. Chair, there is a licensed practical nurse, medical social worker, home support worker, and dietician all based with the TCSA in Behchoko, and other -- other communities as well. Gameti has a home support worker, and Wekweeti, as well licensed practical nurse and as well licensed practical nurse and home support worker in Whati. So,again, 48.8 positions in total across the Northwest Territories come from this specifically. While the majority of them are outside of Yellowknife, and again happy to provide the full list to the House, Mr. Chair. And then there is -- as I'd mentioned, there's about $2 million additional in the current agreement that is before the House in this supplementary appropriation that is meant to help increase access for community-based initiatives, so for non-profits or community governments to be able to access -- to deliver their own in-community programs. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. I will go to the Member from Monfwi.

Okay, thank you, Mr. Chair. And a health system investment agreement, if the Minister can elaborate a little bit more on that because it's $185,000.

Thank you. I will go to the Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This, Mr. Chair, is support for wastewater surveillance, respiratory point-of-care testing, and syphilis outreach activities. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Okay, thank you. I will go to the Member from Monfwi.