Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under this category of family and children's services that we are dealing with, I see that one of the categories looked after are child welfare facilities. I ask the Minister, how many facilities does the department or the government own and operate in the various regions?
Debates of March 11th, 1992
Topics
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Fred Koe Inuvik
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair James Arvaluk
Mr. Minister.
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Mr. Chairman, perhaps rather than go through them here, I could provide the Member with a list and locations.
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair James Arvaluk
Thank you. Mr. Koe.
Change Of Philosophy Regarding Child Care
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Fred Koe Inuvik
Thank you, That would be satisfactory. I guess the point I would like to raise is, over the years there have been changes in philosophy and policy in dealing with government buildings, especially as they relate to child welfare. There was a whole range of group homes, child care homes for various categories of children, and a lot of them have been shut down, and whatever has been done with them I am not sure. There is also a change in the policy to utilize more private homes for foster care or for kids with specific problems. What is the current policy on this type of care for these foster care children?
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair James Arvaluk
Mr. Minister.
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, the Member is quite right. There has been a change in philosophy over the years, and the large institutional group homes have indeed been disbanded as far as a group home is concerned. They have been converted into other uses. I think the movement is toward smaller homes, a little bit more intimate than the large institutional facilities.
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair James Arvaluk
Thank you. Mr. Koe.
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Fred Koe Inuvik
If that is the case, then can the Minister advise me what is the current status? Are they still contracting the building in Inuvik? There is a large building on Centennial Street, I think, that is being used as a child care facility or a group home, and I understand there is a tremendous cost to maintaining this building, and that a lot of private operators over the years had renovated their homes to look after children, wards of the government, and they are not being used today. Can you tell me if there has been a change in the policy, or how these things are done in Inuvik?
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 366
The Chair James Arvaluk
Mr. Minister.
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will ask Mr. Doyle if he would respond to that.
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Doyle
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Over the past several years, we have been trying to move away from as many institutional group homes as possible. However, in each of the regions we have established one or two group homes for children that require a more structured setting than simply a family dwelling. So we do have that group home in Inuvik; we do have the one we are going to build in Baker Lake; and we have several others throughout the Territories. Otherwise, with children who require more structure, we would have to be sending them south. We do not want to do that.
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair James Arvaluk
Mr. Koe.
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Fred Koe Inuvik
One last point, then. Under buildings and works,
under headquarters, renovations for regions various, is this money already earmarked for specific projects, or is this a slush fund, or what is it?
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
March 10th, 1992
Page 366
The Chair James Arvaluk
Mr. Minister.
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is based on last year's allocation. It is not a large amount. It is a little bit here and a little bit there.
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair James Arvaluk
Mr. Koe.
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Fred Koe Inuvik
I hope a little bit of that, then, can be directed toward Inuvik for their shelter. They are in dire need.
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair James Arvaluk
Mr. Minister.
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Mr. Chairman, I did not mean to cause such merriment over there, but what I was saying is that it is based on previous year's expenditures; and what I meant by a little here and a little there -- well, it is done to maintain existing facilities, and some receive more wear and tear than others. Depending on the year of construction and different climates, there are a number of expenditures that vary anywhere from $20,000 to $10,000. That is what I meant. We do have a list of where we spent previous moneys, and it is based on that.
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 366
The Chair James Arvaluk
Mr. Koe.
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Fred Koe Inuvik
There is an old receiving home in Inuvik that is vacant and has been vacant for quite a while, in downtown Inuvik, across from the current ball park. What are the plans for that building? Will it come up for Crown asset disposal or something? It is just sifting there now.
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 366
The Chair James Arvaluk
Mr. Minister.
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
I am informed we do not have any immediate plans for it. It may be up for assets.
Buildings And Works, Total Capital,
Agreed
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair James Arvaluk
Thank you. Total buildings and works, $1,377,000. Agreed?