Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I believe it may be both, Mr. Chairman. There is certainly the aspect of income support being in the position to be able to provide this service on a very streamlined basis.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Given that this is, at least in the community where I live, would be a significant shift in the services provided, can the Minister indicate if there has been any consultation with the Society for the Disabled or the Seniors Society to indicate the intent to make this shift in service provision? If there was, are they supportive of this kind of service change? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do not have the answer to that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Mr. Handley.

As this was transferred from Health, maybe the Minister responsible for Health can answer that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I cannot speak to the consultation that may have taken place, but we are talking about $325,000 here. We are not talking about the people out there, we are talking about indigent seniors or people with disabilities who are living in long-term and extended care facilities. That is it.

The way it is right now is that income support is responsible for benefits such as food and some things like that, but they are being looked after in facilities that are run by Health and Social Services. When we say that these folks are unable to pay, there is a fee for staying in extended and long term care facilities, which, if people have the means, they do pay. I think that it is $712 a month. This is to address the issue.

It is not a large enough amount of money to be talking about the population at large. It is specifically referring to indigent seniors and persons with disabilities currently living in long term care and extended care.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the Minister for that clarification because the little bit of information that we have does not say anything to that effect about long-term care and these folks already being in facilities. If that is the case it does cast something of a different light.

However, we do not have that information that would indicate that there is more to this. While the amount of money may seem small in the overall scheme of things, the concern is the service to these constituents of ours so that there is no leasing in service.

Mr. Chairman, I do not really have a question. It is unfortunate we do not have enough information. We gleamed it from the questions, so the Minister is confirming that this is just going to impact on indigent seniors and persons in long term care facilities.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. I did not really hear a question there. Mr. Miltenberger.

Sorry, Mr. Chairman. I want to be absolutely clear here that she said very clearly that this only applies to indigent seniors and persons with disabilities living in long term care facilities. Is she then saying that those people that are indigent or disabled but not in long-term care facilities are going to continue to get their service where they currently do from Health and Social Services workers and social workers? Is that what she is saying? It seems to me to be really confusing people. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Actually, Mr. Chairman it is intended to reduce the confusion and improve client service.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Chairman, it is still not clear to me. Maybe the Minister responsible for Education may be able to help me here. We are going to segment seniors and disabled into two categories, one will get service from income support, and one will get service from Health and Social Services. Is that what I understand the Minister responsible for Health to say? Now it is causing me greater concern.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mrs. Groenewegen.

I think that Mr. Ootes wanted to respond to that.

Mr. Handley, maybe you want to clarify that or do you want to refer it to one of your Ministers?

I will refer it to Mr. Ootes.