Check against delivery

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to acknowledge the recent finalization of Master Service Agreements with Alberta Health Services. This is an important milestone. These agreements modernize our partnership, strengthening accountability for the essential supports and services delivered to NWT residents and funded by the GNWT.

For many years, the GNWT’s collaboration with Alberta Health Services has been based on informal arrangements that evolved over time. The new Master Service Agreements formalize this relationship, helping to reduce legal risks, clarify funding responsibilities, and improve accountability for the services provided to NWT residents. These agreements also document the complex ways we work together and help ensure that these important services remain stable and sustainable into the future.

These agreements are important milestones because they support our ability to deliver coordinated health care to residents. There are two agreements in place: one between the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority and Alberta Health Services, and another between Alberta Health Services and the Department of Health and Social Services.

Each agreement is structured as an umbrella agreement, with detailed service commitments and arrangements added as separate schedules. One example is the section focused on Clinical Ethicist Support services. These services help patients, families, and health care providers navigate difficult decisions during complex care situations. This part of the agreement also supports staff development by offering targeted training to strengthen ethical decision-making across our health system.

Under the Master Services Agreement held by the Department, the first schedule formalizes the longstanding arrangement with Alberta Health Services for their administration of the NWT Cancer Registry. Alberta Health Services also acts on our behalf to report this data to the Canadian Cancer Registry and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries. This agreement reduces the administrative burden on local staff, allowing them to focus more on delivering essential services to residents.

Mr. Speaker, with the Master Services Agreements now finalized, including the first two schedules, work is underway with Alberta Health Services to complete additional schedules that reflect the services already being delivered through our existing partnerships. These additions will help ensure that all aspects of our collaboration are clearly defined and supported within a formal structure.

Additional schedules are currently being developed to formalize existing partnerships and processes. These include the exchange of health records to support patient care, access to specialized physician services, and position and medication information services. The agreements will also help coordinate travel arrangements for Northwest Territories residents who are referred to Alberta for medical care.

The agreements also provide a clear process for considering new partnerships. As new arrangements are developed, they will be documented and formalized under this modern framework.

Mr. Speaker, the finalization of these Master Service Agreements is the result of extensive collaboration and dedicated work behind the scenes by staff across multiple departments and agencies. This includes contributions from the Department of Health and Social Services, all three Health and Social Services Authorities, the Department of Finance’s Procurement Shared Services division, and the Department of Justice. I would like to sincerely thank all those involved for their commitment to advancing this important work. Their efforts have been instrumental in putting these agreements in place and laying the foundation for continued progress toward our goal of supporting healthy people and communities in the Northwest Territories.

Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker.