Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Chairman, the Member raises many good points. I am interested in hearing from some of the other Members, so I am going to try and keep my response brief.
The Member touched on a new area no one else had brought up and that was elders' care and its growing need. Indeed, the life expectancy in the Northwest Territories is steadily growing. We are looking at a large increase. I believe it is a 135 percent increase in our elder population by the year 2018. We need to plan for those realities. We cannot wait and respond to them when the time comes. There is a need for elders' care homes in some of the communities right now as we speak, and we need to look at that area as a priority because there is a growing need in that area as well.
I have made a note of a number of the other points the Member has touched on. I agree wholeheartedly we need to look at the family as a whole unit in terms of treatment. Some of the options that are being examined for some of the facilities that we may have in the future that are not being utilized right, is looking at that very need. It is difficult for people to leave families at home in their communities and go other places to receive treatment. We need to look at treatment that is close to home and also looks at the entire family as opposed to individuals in isolation.
On the whole issue of governance, I have asked the department to help develop some criteria for the establishment and continuation of the health and social services boards. As suggested by the Minister's forum, the criteria will need to consider regional issues and anticipate future resolution of more aboriginal self-government land claims being settled as well.
All potential solutions need to be looked at. The model of community services boards which deal with more than just one specific area, seems like it could hold some potential due to the efficiencies of having one group looking at different areas as apposed to several. That makes a considerable amount of sense. I will be getting back to Members and discussing with them what kinds of models we should be looking at. I think that is all that I am going to say at this time in response to Mr. Krutko's remarks. I have made note of his remarks, and he raised some very good points. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.