Thank you. The seconder of the motion. Mr. Erasmus, do you wish to speak to the motion? Mr. Erasmus.
Debates of May 28th, 1996
Topics
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 709
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 709
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This particular policy did come through the Social Programs committee but, since that time, a new policy has been implemented, and it seems as though there are some elders who are going through hardships because of this, and particularly elders who smoke. It's easy enough to say that, well, they should just quit smoking, but if you smoked a package of cigarettes a day, that could use up your whole $200 in a month, and you might need more, depending where you live. So, I have seconded this motion because I believe, not that we should do away with the standardization, but that the disposable income an elder, a senior, should be able to retain should be raised a little bit. Thank you.
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 709
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. To the motion. Mr. Picco.
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 709
Edward Picco Iqaluit
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I support the motion; however, I don't see any amount or anything specified in the motion, so I would like to move a motion to amend the motion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Motion To Amend Motion 12-13(3), Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-Term Care Facilities, Carried
Mr. Speaker, I would like to move a motion to amend Motion 12-13(3). My motion to amend is as follows:
I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that Motion 12-13(3) be amended by adding the following:
AND FURTHERMORE, that the Minister of Health and Social Services consider increasing the guaranteed monthly allowance provided to seniors residing in long-term care facilities from the current rate of $200 per month to a guaranteed monthly allowance of $300 per month.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 709
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
May I have a copy of the motion? Thank you, Mr. Picco. Your motion is in order. In order for the Members to have a copy of the motion, we will take a break until this document is translated and circulated to all the Members.
--- SHORT RECESS
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 709
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
The House will come back to order. The motion was in order. To the amendment. Mr. Picco.
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 709
Edward Picco Iqaluit
I think the motion is self-explanatory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 709
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Ootes, do you wish to speak to your amendment?
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 709
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 709
An Hon. Member
Question.
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 709
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Question is being called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The amendment is carried.
---Carried
To the motion, as amended. Mr. Ootes.
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 709
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 709
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
To the motion. Mr. Miltenberger.
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 709
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
(Microphone turned off) ... Social Programs committee since November looking at the business plans. We were in the House last week -- I think it was last week -- with the Department of Health and Social Services reviewing the budget line by line. This issue now at the eleventh hour, once we've agreed Health and Social Services -- comes up in a fashion that doesn't have the capability of changing things, as far as I can see.
It wasn't an issue when we reviewed the budgets. I am satisfied that the mechanisms and the checks and balances are there to protect our beloved elders; that nobody is going to suffer undue hardship. 1, unfortunately, can't support this motion because I don't see it as being very relevant at this point. It makes a nice gesture but the time when we should have put this on the table and forced the issue through was when we did the budgets last week. Not when we're standing here a day before we adjourn, saying we want to make a change because we've reconsidered. Thank you.
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 710
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
To the motion, as amended. Mrs. Groenewegen.
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 710
Jane Groenewegen Hay River
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can't support the motion that has been put forward. It's my understanding, for one thing, it's just come to my attention that the information in here that the seniors are now guaranteed a living allowance of $200 is incorrect and, in fact, it's more like $288. What we're asking for here is a $ 12 a month increase. This seems like a lot of exercise to go through to accomplish that small increase.
Also, with respect to the equalization of the rates in general, I believe it's something that a fair amount of thought went into. In fact, a lot of rates for seniors requiring more specialized care have gone down while some have gone up, and the Minister did provide those numbers for us here in the House when he was questioned about it. In view of the fact that I don't believe the information in this motion is correct and that the seniors are already getting approximately $288, 1 won't be supporting the motion. thank you.
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 710
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. To the motion, as amended. Mr. Ningark.
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 710
John Ningark Natilikmiot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, listening to the mover of the motion and to the seconder of the motion, I believe that both the mover and the seconder have a valid point. Mr. Speaker, in the Eastern Arctic -- and I speak for the Eastern Arctic, I'm not about to make a comparison between the East and West; I believe that seniors suffer equally in the Western Arctic and the Eastern Arctic -- we have a very high rate of unemployment. We have limited job opportunities for the family members of elders. In many cases, elders are supporting the families. In many cases, elders have to give money out so that the family, the extended family can buy gas and go out hunting, where the elders are very dependent upon the country food.
Mr. Speaker, in some cases, I believe we have overcrowding in homes. In some cases, Mr. Speaker, the elders are subject to noise in their own homes. They may have many reasons to leave their homes and move to facilities such as senior citizen facilities. Therefore, I support the motion and I urge the other Members to support the motion for the sake of our elders within the jurisdiction. Thank you.
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 710
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. To the motion, as amended. Do we have any other Members that wish to speak to the motion, as amended? Mr. Roland.
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 710
Floyd Roland Inuvik
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll be brief on this. As a Member of the Social committee, this is one of those
decisions that I believe at the time, we went over quite thoroughly. It's not that these prices, the value or the equalization has gone up so much that elders cannot afford to be in the facilities. It is guaranteed, as we've heard, that there's a certain amount of money for their own personal use. Remarks made earlier, I believe, can be taken in a way that would make it look like we're putting old people out the door. I take that to be untrue and I'm concerned that we've put that forward in such a way. We gave it some serious thought. We're not putting anybody out the door.
As we've heard earlier, we've gone through the process time and time again, through business plans right up until the department was on the floor of this House, and nothing has changed. 1, too, have elders back home, relatives and family members. But I know I'm not going to be making something that's going to be throwing them out the door. I think the young people of this generation better start taking a little more responsibility for their own lives instead of depending on elders, if that's the situation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 710
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. To the motion, as amended. Mr. Picco.
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 710
Edward Picco Iqaluit
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just want to clear up some misconceptions surrounding this. On elders' facilities -- I can just speak about my own community and the people who are in our elders' facility -- we have people...
--- Interjection
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 710
Edward Picco Iqaluit
Am I allowed to speak to the motion?
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 710
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Can we have some order in the House please? Mr. Picco.
Motion 12-13(3): Rates Charged To Seniors Resident In Long-term Care Facilities, Carried
Item 16: Motions
Page 710
Edward Picco Iqaluit
Mr. Speaker, what I'm saying is that in our elders' facility, for example, it's not just for geriatric care of some patients who can't cook and everything else. In a lot of cases, when elders are living in social housing, as we know and we've found out in this House, they don't pay any rent. There is no rent paid. In a lot of cases, elders don't have housing to be able to go in so they had to go into elders' facilities. Because now they're in an elders' facility, they only get $200 income a month. That's what Mr. Ningark has been saying, that's what I've been saying and I think that's what some of the other Members have been saying. It has nothing to do with the other things.
When an elder is in one of these facilities, Mr. Speaker, it's not just for handicapped or geriatric care of elders, it's also for elders who weren't able to get a social housing unit. Where, if they were in that social housing unit, there would be no rent paid and they would get the full amount and value of their pension. However, because, through no fault of their own in a lot of cases, they've had to go one of these elders' facilities in our region, like Mr. Ningark has said. In that case, the $200 doesn't seem to be enough. That's what we're saying. If that's a misconception on some Members' parts, that's fine. That's why I moved the amendment to actually put in, hopefully, a dollar amount. It's only a recommendation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.