Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
Thanks to all the witnesses, once again, for fantastic testimony.
My daughter works at a long-term care home, so I very much can appreciate each and every one of you. Also, I own an outfitting business in the far north.
Ms. Nowgesic, probably all of my questions will be directed to you. I will tell you that when you said in your testimony about elder with a capital “e”, that really resonated with me. I will keep my story short.
I will only use the first name, and I will not give the reserve name. However, I have visited many reserves myself.
I will tell you that Irene—I call her Grandma—is the most amazing person, and she has taught me so much from far northern Ontario on the Attawapiskat River. I have spoken to her at length over the last four or five years, and she's suffering dearly right now because she's stuck in Thunder Bay, and she can't go back to the reserve because of COVID.
As opposed to perhaps physical abuse of seniors, perhaps we could switch it and talk about the mental health issue that those elders off reserve right now are going through.
My first question is this: Is that a fair statement? A follow-up would be this: What can the government do to give nurses an opportunity to help both on reserve and off reserve?