N.W.T. Legislative Assembly is back in session, starting with budget talks

The Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly is set to be back in session this afternoon, for the first time this year. 

MLAs are sitting for the rest of the month and into March.

Yellowknife North MLA Shauna Morgan says she’s excited to be back.

“It's a time that is full of a lot of energy and ideas. And so there is that possibility for action and  movement forward,” she said.

During this upcoming sitting, members will debate the government’s proposed operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins in April.

For Morgan, there's one topic that's top of mind for this sitting: health care.

Morgan explained she wants to see this government do a better job organizing its health-care system. One example, she said, is creating teams of health-care professionals who see the same groups of people on a regular basis.

That, she argues, would improve the “continuity of care,” for N.W.T. residents.

“Now we recognize that not everyone needs to see a doctor every time," Morgan said. "And there might be someone else that's more appropriate to see. You don't need to see a doctor every single time, but you should at least have the same team of people that knows your file, knows your health record.”

Morgan wants the government to commit to this idea and set out a costed plan. With about two years left in this government's term, there’s no guarantee this idea ever gets fully realized — but there is still time to make progress on it, Morgan said. 

Another hurdle, Morgan said, is staffing and retaining health-care workers.

“We are losing doctors and nurses faster than we can recruit them,” Morgan said. “That doesn't bode well for continuity of care. It's hard to have a relationship with the team when people are leaving left, right and centre."

A notice was also posted recently for spending in both Yellowknife and Inuvik for two operational hubs for the military.

The notice, amounting to billions of dollars, advises contractors that procurement has begun for work in both hubs. The money would go towards upgrading their military installations.